Tweet Gallery of Mastheads

Kevin B. is a world-class scholar and a true gentleman.

His Oscar his hugely deserved!

Thank you, Mr. Brownlow, for all you have done, and all we do because we read and watched your work.

I could not agree more. Wonderful masthead, Mike. Thanks.

Thank you, Mr. Brownlow, for all you have done, and all we do because we read and watched your work.

I could not agree more. Wonderful masthead, Mike. Thanks.

Add me to the chorus of dittos on this sentiment!

[Danny Burk]

Likewise. I can't think of anyone who deserves it more than Kevin.

[Mike Gebert]

So, did anyone get the injoke in the way the two figures are colorized?

[Danny Burk]

So, did anyone get the injoke in the way the two figures are colorized?

Hmm.....well, they're both toned...

So, did anyone get the injoke in the way the two figures are colorized?

Yup, totally got it.

why is Kevin's head cut off?

[Mike Gebert]

Because he's taller than Napoleon.

Anyway, the colorization is a little reference to the Polyvision sequence at the end of Napoleon, which had one of its three panels toned blue and another red, like the French tricolor flag...

[Danny Burk]

Anyway, the colorization is a little reference to the Polyvision sequence at the end of Napoleon, which had one of its three panels toned blue and another red, like the French tricolor flag...[/size]

Of course...duhhh...

[Mike Gebert]

When I started changing the mastheads, one of my intentions was to avoid running through the A-list of recognizable early stars right away and to ensure a mix of less familiar, more loved-by-buffs figures. Thus, Kay Francis was honored right away, while Katharine Hepburn and Greta Garbo are still killing time in the green room; Borzage has had his mug up there, but Griffith hasn't; and the most universally recognizable face of the silent era has waited until our third anniversary for the right moment. Which this is, with the more or less simultaneous release of the remarkable Keystone set and Criterion's first foray into silents on Blu-Ray, Modern Times. (Well, at least pantomime films.) This image isn't quite Keystone-era (from which there are hardly any stills, at least that I could find) but it's certainly teens-era, the young, casually disreputable Charlie (no Sir Charles here) Chaplin reacting to his moment of world triumph.

And don't forget our Chaplin-related contest, which has just about a week to go...

[Mike Gebert]

Going from Chaplin to Fairbanks is not a sign that I'm working my way through the partners of United Artists as masthead subjects, it's just to pay tribute to one of the coolest things to come out right at the end of what will shortly be last year, a blu-ray DVD of a color silent film, The Black Pirate. Doug is one of the easiest stars to see and appreciate in full, with all of his 20s swashbucklers and a good selection of his teens comedy-adventure movies available; and arguably he's one of the most influential Hollywood figures ever, his imprint on both swashbucklers and thrill comedies still direct and apparent to the present day. He figures in literally hundreds of threads here, but some notable ones include The Black Pirate restoration, the Flicker Alley box set of the comedies, a Fairbanks exhibition, and Around the World in 80 Minutes.

One of the things that is still so appealing about Fairbanks is the size of his performances. He's big, bigger than the sort of performance we see on screen these days -- with the occasional exception of Annette Benning and Heath Ledger's turn as the Joker. So much of modern acting seems to be directed at the small details, that we often seem to forget that there's something delightful about someone who warns you "Stand aside -- I take big steps!"

Bob

Doug looks a tad sunburned.


Jim

[Mike Gebert]

But nice dress, don't you think? Goes well with the earring.

Eat your heart out, Captain Jack Sparrow!

He aged badly.... and he never knew how to accessorize.

[Mike Gebert]

If you even know who this month's masthead is... you're at the right place. Max Davidson, a favorite of NitrateVillains for his comic characterization of Jewish immigrant types in the early 20th century... in rock-solid Hal Roach comedies of the late 20s, several of which could go on any list of the best silent short comedies. This is from Call of the Cuckoo, and Editions Filmmuseum tells me that they're still planning on putting out their set of Max comedies this month. Thanks to Louie D. for the image.

Oy!

Davidson was one of those character actors who mange to maintain a bit of a starring career briefly: real talent and some luck, but not appealing enough to enough people. In part, I think, because there wasn't enough in his screen character for people to grab onto. But we're very lucky to have what we do.

Bob

Great choice, Mike. You can never tell where Max will show up - a few months ago I was watching HOTEL IMPERIAL (1927) with Pola Negri (well, Pola wasn't WITH me when I watched it) and who turns up as the hotel porter? Max!

Buried at the bottom of the dvd info at Edition Filmmuseum is a link to the L&H website with a great essay by Richard W. Bann on Davidson and his career:

http://www.laurel-and-hardy.com/

[Mike Gebert]

I felt the same way when he was suddenly there as the mad scientist in Harry Langdon's The Shrimp. Max went to college? Who nu?

Are you sure that's not a picture of Johnny Depp?

[silentfilm]

A youngish Max was even a neighbor in Mary Pickford's Hoodlum (1919).

Since we were mentioning Three Women in another thread, i was surprised to see Max turn up briefly in that!

...giving rise to the phrase "Max Factor"


Sorry.

Rick

I have seen the complete still of Max used in the masthead and he is holding pieces of a staircase. The cropping, however, makes it look like max is holding a Torah.

This is from Call of the Cuckoo, and Editions Filmmuseum tells me that they're still planning on putting out their set of Max comedies this month. Thanks to Louie D. for the image.

Lovely! Can't wait for that set... Although I'm curious if the lone talkie is going to have a German soundtrack with English subtitles. The info at the bottom of the filmmuseum page indicates both English and German subtitles, but I suspect those are for the silents.

Wonder how much it will cost?

Jim,
who just realized his own beard and blond hair makes him look more like Max than like Harpo...

Inspired by the masthead and in anticipation of the Edition Filmmuseum set I have just watched THE RAG MAN. That's a smashing little film!

I have seen the complete still of Max used in the masthead and he is holding pieces of a staircase. The cropping, however, makes it look like max is holding a Torah.

That's what I love about it!

Thanks for the masthead. Here's hoping we will all be able to celebrate Passover with Max this year!

Wait, that's actually Danny Bonaduce!