Thu Sep 22, 2011 8:58 pm
http://www2.starexponent.com/news/2011/sep/22/mother-mercy-little-caesar-plays-culpeper-ar-1328544/
Mother of mercy: 'Little Caesar' plays Culpeper
By: Allison Brophy Champion
Published: September 22, 2011
The unrivaled Edward G. Robinson (1893-1973) blazed onto the crime scene with his gangster debut in “Little Caesar,” the 1931 prototype for scores of mob movies to come. Thrilling, vivid and dramatic, as described in the trailer, the 80-year-old film takes over the territory on Mount Pony in a free October 13 screening in the Library of Congress Packard Campus Theater.
Robinson’s character, Cesare Enrico Bandello, a.k.a. “Rico,” is of course based on Al Capone the real-life notorious gangster who did time at Alcatraz. In “Little Caesar,” Rico moves to the city from the country, taking his criminal ways with him. He rises up through the ranks of the underworld to become boss, but it’s all downhill from there.
Forever typecast after this movie in bad boy roles, Robinson reportedly was not the violent type. According to Turner Classic Movies, he hated the sound of gunfire.
“Every time he squeezed the trigger, he would screw up his eyes,” said director Mervyn LeRoy. “Take after take, he would do the same thing. In the end, we had to tape up his eyelids to make sure it wouldn’t show.”
As famous as he was and as memorable his characters, Robinson never earned an Oscar. “Little Caesar” earned an Oscar nomination for best writing; the movie was based on W.R. Burnett’s novel. Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. stars as one of Rico’s cronies. Olga Stassoff is the blond bombshell.
Other film highlights coming to Mount Pony next month include Elizabeth Taylor’s Civil War epic, “Raintree County” (MGM, 1957), showing October 14 in all of its three hours and 22 minutes of glory.
“Woodstock: the Director’s Cut” screens October 15 at a 2 p.m. matinee. A 1994 Warner Brothers release of the 1970 film about three days of peace and music, the concert movie with Joplin, Havens and Hendrix is digitally re-mastered and includes 40 minutes of footage not in the original release. Groovy.
October 18, Buster Keaton and Laurel & Hardy star in Silent Comedy All Stars, a special Tuesday night screening of silent comedy shorts including “The Goat” from 1921 and “Two Tars” from 1928. Ben Model, of Manhattan, will accompany on the Wurlitzer-style Walker Theater Organ.
Model returns October 22 to accompany “Faust,” a silent horror fantasy from 1926. The title character is obsessed with youth, and trades his soul for it.
Here’s the full schedule of October movies in the Packard Campus Theater:
October 1 – “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” (Buena Vista, 1988)
October 6 – “We All Love Lucy TV Night” (CBS & NBC, 1957-1970)
October 13 – “Little Caesar” (Warner Bros., 1931)
October 14 – “Raintree County” (MGM, 1957)
October 15 – “Woodstock: the Director’s Cut” (Warner Bros 1994 release of the 1970 film), 2 p.m.
October 18 – “Silent Comedy All Stars” (silent with live musical accompaniment)
October 20 – “The Strawberry Blonde” (Warner Bros., 1941)
October 21 – “I Am A Fugitive From A Chain Gang” (Warner Bros., 1932)
October 22 – “Faust” (UFA, 1926)
October 27 – “Creature From the Black Lagoon” (Universal, 1954)
October 28 – “The Exorcist” (Warner Bros., 1973)
October 29 – “Hocus Pocus” (Disney/Buena Vista, 1993), 2 p.m.
***
The Packard Campus Theater is located inside the Library of Congress National Audio Visual Conservation Center at 19053 Mount Pony Rd. All shows are free and show at 7:30 p.m., unless otherwise noted. Make reservations up to one week in advance at (540) 827-1079 ext. 79994. Reservations are held until 10 minutes before show time. The theater will be closed October 7 and 8 for Columbus Day.
Mother of mercy: 'Little Caesar' plays Culpeper
By: Allison Brophy Champion
Published: September 22, 2011
The unrivaled Edward G. Robinson (1893-1973) blazed onto the crime scene with his gangster debut in “Little Caesar,” the 1931 prototype for scores of mob movies to come. Thrilling, vivid and dramatic, as described in the trailer, the 80-year-old film takes over the territory on Mount Pony in a free October 13 screening in the Library of Congress Packard Campus Theater.
Robinson’s character, Cesare Enrico Bandello, a.k.a. “Rico,” is of course based on Al Capone the real-life notorious gangster who did time at Alcatraz. In “Little Caesar,” Rico moves to the city from the country, taking his criminal ways with him. He rises up through the ranks of the underworld to become boss, but it’s all downhill from there.
Forever typecast after this movie in bad boy roles, Robinson reportedly was not the violent type. According to Turner Classic Movies, he hated the sound of gunfire.
“Every time he squeezed the trigger, he would screw up his eyes,” said director Mervyn LeRoy. “Take after take, he would do the same thing. In the end, we had to tape up his eyelids to make sure it wouldn’t show.”
As famous as he was and as memorable his characters, Robinson never earned an Oscar. “Little Caesar” earned an Oscar nomination for best writing; the movie was based on W.R. Burnett’s novel. Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. stars as one of Rico’s cronies. Olga Stassoff is the blond bombshell.
Other film highlights coming to Mount Pony next month include Elizabeth Taylor’s Civil War epic, “Raintree County” (MGM, 1957), showing October 14 in all of its three hours and 22 minutes of glory.
“Woodstock: the Director’s Cut” screens October 15 at a 2 p.m. matinee. A 1994 Warner Brothers release of the 1970 film about three days of peace and music, the concert movie with Joplin, Havens and Hendrix is digitally re-mastered and includes 40 minutes of footage not in the original release. Groovy.
October 18, Buster Keaton and Laurel & Hardy star in Silent Comedy All Stars, a special Tuesday night screening of silent comedy shorts including “The Goat” from 1921 and “Two Tars” from 1928. Ben Model, of Manhattan, will accompany on the Wurlitzer-style Walker Theater Organ.
Model returns October 22 to accompany “Faust,” a silent horror fantasy from 1926. The title character is obsessed with youth, and trades his soul for it.
Here’s the full schedule of October movies in the Packard Campus Theater:
October 1 – “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” (Buena Vista, 1988)
October 6 – “We All Love Lucy TV Night” (CBS & NBC, 1957-1970)
October 13 – “Little Caesar” (Warner Bros., 1931)
October 14 – “Raintree County” (MGM, 1957)
October 15 – “Woodstock: the Director’s Cut” (Warner Bros 1994 release of the 1970 film), 2 p.m.
October 18 – “Silent Comedy All Stars” (silent with live musical accompaniment)
October 20 – “The Strawberry Blonde” (Warner Bros., 1941)
October 21 – “I Am A Fugitive From A Chain Gang” (Warner Bros., 1932)
October 22 – “Faust” (UFA, 1926)
October 27 – “Creature From the Black Lagoon” (Universal, 1954)
October 28 – “The Exorcist” (Warner Bros., 1973)
October 29 – “Hocus Pocus” (Disney/Buena Vista, 1993), 2 p.m.
***
The Packard Campus Theater is located inside the Library of Congress National Audio Visual Conservation Center at 19053 Mount Pony Rd. All shows are free and show at 7:30 p.m., unless otherwise noted. Make reservations up to one week in advance at (540) 827-1079 ext. 79994. Reservations are held until 10 minutes before show time. The theater will be closed October 7 and 8 for Columbus Day.
Bruce Calvert
http://www.silentfilmstillarchive.com
http://www.silentfilmstillarchive.com