Alloy Orchestra Silents at the Detroit Film Theatre

[Silla]

10/24/2008, 7:30 PM
THE LAST COMMAND
10/25/2008, 7:30 PM
UNDERWORLD
10/26/2008, 4:00 PM
CHANG: A DRAMA OF THE WILDERNESS
10/26/2008, 6:00 PM
NOSFERATU: A SYMPHONY OF HORROR

http://www.dia.org/dft/schedule.asp

[silentfilm]

http://www.dia.org/dft/item.asp?webitemid=1643

Detroit Film Theatre
THE ALLOY ORCHESTRA

October 24 - October 26, 2008
Boston’s world renowned Alloy Orchestra – which critic Roger Ebert has called "the best in the world at accompanying silent films" – will pay a return visit to the Detroit Film Theatre with one of the most exciting weekends of classics they’ve ever presented here.
PROGRAMMING NOTE: The Sunday, October 26 showing of CHANG: A DRAMA OF THE WILDERNESS is now scheduled for 4:00 p.m.

Upcoming Events10/24/2008, 7:30 PM
THE LAST COMMAND

10/25/2008, 7:30 PM
UNDERWORLD

10/26/2008, 4:00 PM
CHANG: A DRAMA OF THE WILDERNESS

10/26/2008, 6:00 PM
NOSFERATU: A SYMPHONY OF HORROR

http://www.dia.org/dft/event.asp?eventid=3002

THE LAST COMMAND
Friday, October 24, 2008 – 7:30 PM


(USA/1928) Directed by Josef von Sternberg

Following triumphant premiere performances at this fall’s Telluride and New York Film Festivals, The Alloy Orchestra will perform their all-new score for director Josef von Sternberg’s brilliant, rarely-seen 1928 drama The Last Command, about a former Imperial Russian General whose life takes several astounding turns, eventually culminating in his being cast in a Hollywood movie in which he plays – what else? – a Russian general. The great Emil Jannings (The Last Laugh) won the Academy Award for this performance, which once again springs to vivid life thanks to this sparkling new 35mm restoration, as well as to the vibrant score performed live by The Alloy Orchestra. (88 min.)

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

Special prices apply.


Fees Members (with Membership card): $6.50
Non-Members: $7.50
Senior Citizens: $6.50
Full-Time Students (with ID): $6.50
Discount Pass Card (5 admissions): $30.00



LocationDetroit Film Theatre

http://www.dia.org/dft/event.asp?eventid=3003

UNDERWORLD
Saturday, October 25, 2008 – 7:30 PM


(USA/1927) Directed by Josef von Sternberg

On Saturday, the Alloy will perform with another rare von Sternberg film, the 1927 Underworld. Widely cited as the very first true gangster film – as well as a model for the entire gangster genre which followed – Underworld was von Sternberg’s first professional film, launching in stylish fashion one of the great directorial careers in all cinema. Ben Hecht (The Front Page) won the first ever Academy Award for Best Screenplay for his work on Underworld (though that Oscar category was called "Best Writing" then), and its structure and well-crafted characters are echoed in genre films to this day. The Alloy Orchestra brings a special snap and energy to this gritty, hard-boiled tale of mob ruthlessness. (80 min.)

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

Special prices apply.


Fees Members (with Membership card): $6.50
Non-Members: $7.50
Senior Citizens: $6.50
Full-Time Students (with ID): $6.50
Discount Pass Card (5 admissions): $30.00



http://www.dia.org/dft/event.asp?eventid=3004

CHANG: A DRAMA OF THE WILDERNESS
Sunday, October 26, 2008 – 4:00 PM


PROGRAMMING NOTE: The Sunday, October 26 showing of CHANG: A DRAMA OF THE WILDERNESS is now scheduled for 4:00 p.m.

(USA/1927) Directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack

Years before they dreamed up that oversized ape that would climb the Empire State Building, King Kong’s creators filmed this magical story of a Thai family’s struggle to survive the forces of nature. Chang can only be described as a revelation – not only is it the obvious prototype for King Kong, but it’s a terrifically entertaining yarn in its own right. Shot entirely in Siam, it tells the story of a farmer and his family whose existence is a constant struggle against the wild animals around them: bears, tigers and changs! The climactic, eye-popping wild elephant (chang) stampede is still one of the most spectacular and exciting scenes in cinema history – made all the more thrilling by the Alloy Orchestra’s pulse-pounding live score.

"Spectacular! Unfolds like a veritable three-ring circus." — J. Hoberman, Premiere (68 min.)

http://www.dia.org/dft/event.asp?eventid=3005

NOSFERATU: A SYMPHONY OF HORROR
Sunday, October 26, 2008 – 6:00 PM


(Germany/1922) Directed by F.W. Murnau

In recognition of the upcoming Halloween holiday, the Alloy will perform live with a single screening of German director F.W. Murnau’s silent vampire classic, Nosferatu, A Symphony of Horror. Murnau’s eerie and visually striking adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula is considered by many to be the greatest vampire movie of all time (the film’s production troubles and legendary title performance by Max Schreck were the subject of 2000’s Shadow of the Vampire, in which Schreck was portrayed by Willem Dafoe). Packed with images and passages which still have the power to disorient and alarm, Nosferatu once again becomes a true symphony of horror when experienced with the Alloy Orchestra’s ominous and scarily effective score. (approx. 75 min.)

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

Special prices apply.


Fees Members (with Membership card): $6.50
Non-Members: $7.50
Senior Citizens: $6.50
Full-Time Students (with ID): $6.50
Discount Pass Card (5 admissions): $30.00

--
Bruce Calvert
Visit the Silent Film Still Archive
http://www.silentfilmstillarchive.com

[silentfilm]

This blog has a report of the Nosferatu screening, which the writer did not enjoy. The audience did give Alloy a standing ovation though. There is also a response by Ken Winoker of the Alloy Orchestra.

http://emofights.blogspot.com/2008/10/i ... tober.html

[Darren Nemeth]

This blog has a report of the Nosferatu screening, which the writer did not enjoy. The audience did give Alloy a standing ovation though. There is also a response by Ken Winoker of the Alloy Orchestra.

http://emofights.blogspot.com/2008/10/i ... tober.html

I was at the first two movies and loved it!! Underworld and Last Command Drove to and from Detroit for both!! Over 450 miles on my tires for two movies.

Credit card wasn't working at the hotel so I didn;t stay to see Chang and Nos.

[Richard M Roberts]

This blog has a report of the Nosferatu screening, which the writer did not enjoy. The audience did give Alloy a standing ovation though. There is also a response by Ken Winoker of the Alloy Orchestra.

http://emofights.blogspot.com/2008/10/i ... tober.html

Actually, Ken Winokur is showing his own ignorance of silent film history by saying organs were considered second rate and used only in the cheaper houses. Organs were installed in most of the major theaters on both coasts and were used for matinee performance and in orchestra breaks during the evening shows. The cheaper houses went with pianos or mechanical accompaniment like the Photoplayer. Mid-sized first-run houses, especially those in more medium-sized cities and smaller towns also frequently used organs, and since there were far more of these mid-sized houses running film across the Country in the 1920's than larger movie palaces in the big cities, it is definitely acceptable to consider the Theatre Organ an authentic silent film instrument, one that far more audiences heard than the theater orchestra on a day to day basis.

One would also figure that the majority of an audience going to see an Alloy Orchestra performance would be there to hear them rather than see the silent film or have a "real" silent film experience, thus a standing ovation should be no surprise. Those of us who dislike the Alloy(and I count myself among that group that frankly, seems a bit sizeable) would not likely be there in the first place.


RICHARD M ROBERTS

[Harlett O'Dowd]

Actually, Ken Winokur is showing his own ignorance of silent film history by saying organs were considered second rate and used only in the cheaper houses. Organs were installed in most of the major theaters on both coasts and were used for matinee performance and in orchestra breaks during the evening shows. The cheaper houses went with pianos or mechanical accompaniment like the Photoplayer. Mid-sized first-run houses, especially those in more medium-sized cities and smaller towns also frequently used organs, and since there were far more of these mid-sized houses running film across the Country in the 1920's than larger movie palaces in the big cities, it is definitely acceptable to consider the Theatre Organ an authentic silent film instrument, one that far more audiences heard than the theater orchestra on a day to day basis.

All entirely true, but the case can also be made that the major directors and/or their studios preferred the orchestral treatment - at least for A-pictures. Surely that was a major consideration for WB going with Vitaphone - to be able to sell the (preferable?) big city orchestral sound to the smaller houses.

Piano, organ, jazz combo and orchestra are all suitably *authentic* silent experiences and none is automatically superior to another. Personally, I would prefer a good organ score to a lousy orchestral one to just about every silent film ever made.

But a film with a great orchestral score (Davis' 4 Horsemen...) WOW!

One would also figure that the majority of an audience going to see an Alloy Orchestra performance would be there to hear them rather than see the silent film or have a "real" silent film experience, thus a standing ovation should be no surprise. Those of us who dislike the Alloy(and I count myself among that group that frankly, seems a bit sizeable) would not likely be there in the first place.

RICHARD M ROBERTS

I'm not so sure I agree with that. People may be more prone to leave their DVD players to see (try) a silent if it feautures live music, but I don't believe there are throngs of Alloy groupies who went to this event because Alloy *themeselves* were playing.

And taking nothing away from Alloy, (I've never experienced them live) any live performance these days is a EVENT. It's understandable considering the cost and inconvenience of getting a sitter (if applicable) driving into town, fighting to park and paying the entrance fee (if not adding dinner, drinks, snacks, etc. on top of it.) Damn near every live event in America gets a standing ovation anymore because audiences need to convince themselves the trouble of attending the EVENT was worth it.

People in Atlanta stand if someone opens a refrigerator door.

So again, I don't believe the S.O. really signifies anything particularly pro or con about the Alloy performance or the audience which experienced it.

[Richard M Roberts]

One would also figure that the majority of an audience going to see an Alloy Orchestra performance would be there to hear them rather than see the silent film or have a "real" silent film experience, thus a standing ovation should be no surprise. Those of us who dislike the Alloy(and I count myself among that group that frankly, seems a bit sizeable) would not likely be there in the first place.

RICHARD M ROBERTS

I'm not so sure I agree with that. People may be more prone to leave their DVD players to see (try) a silent if it feautures live music, but I don't believe there are throngs of Alloy groupies who went to this event because Alloy *themeselves* were playing.

And taking nothing away from Alloy, (I've never experienced them live) any live performance these days is a EVENT. It's understandable considering the cost and inconvenience of getting a sitter (if applicable) driving into town, fighting to park and paying the entrance fee (if not adding dinner, drinks, snacks, etc. on top of it.) Damn near every live event in America gets a standing ovation anymore because audiences need to convince themselves the trouble of attending the EVENT was worth it.

People in Atlanta stand if someone opens a refrigerator door.

So again, I don't believe the S.O. really signifies anything particularly pro or con about the Alloy performance or the audience which experienced it.

[/quote]

Then,how do we know that the standing ovation wasn't for the film?

RICHARD M ROBERTS

[Harlett O'Dowd]

Then,how do we know that the standing ovation wasn't for the film?

RICHARD M ROBERTS

We don't. We weren't there.

I would like to think it *was* for the film, but I can't state that as fact.

[Darren Nemeth]

Then,how do we know that the standing ovation wasn't for the film?

RICHARD M ROBERTS

We don't. We weren't there.

I would like to think it *was* for the film, but I can't state that as fact.

It was for both.

[silent-partner]

If I could just make a quick comment.
Standing ovations have lost their meaning over the last 30 years. It used to be rather rare but now it has become commonplace. It's a shame because it used to stand for something, a performance that was extraordinary, now it's almost obligatory.

[Rodney]

If I could just make a quick comment.
Standing ovations have lost their meaning over the last 30 years. It used to be rather rare but now it has become commonplace. It's a shame because it used to stand for something, a performance that was extraordinary, now it's almost obligatory.

In my experience, standing ovations are to both the film and the score. A film with a big ending (Fairbanks, Keaton) will commonly get an ovation for us, where a film with either a calm or a down ending (Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, Cobra) can be tougher, even if (in my opinion) we've played particularly well.