The Wizard of Oz (1925) - Sunday 19th September, The Playhouse, Sydney Opera House
From the website (http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/whatson ... of_oz.aspx):
"Australia’s queen of boogie woogie piano Jan Preston will be joined by two musicians to perform a new score to Larry Sermon’s 1925 version of The Wizard of Oz.
Rarely seen, the first feature-length adaptation of Baum’s classic story features Dorothy Dwan and a younger Oliver Hardy, pre-dating the Judy Garland version by 14 years…, although the story is even more removed from Baum’s tales!
Dorothy really is long-lost Oz royalty, whilst the farm hands are just country bumpkins who want to get back to Kansas. The knock-about tone makes a fascinating comparison.
Jan Preston grew up surrounded by the sounds of old-time piano music and has been creating music for film since 1977. A composer, pianist, singer and songwriter, her theme music to Australian Story can be heard nationally on ABC Television each week.
Preston composed and performed the music for the classic German silent film Fritz Laing’s The Spy, which was recorded for the National Film and Sound Archive and broadcast on television.
“My music for Larry Semon’s 1925 Wizard of Oz is driven not only by the emotive and dramatic story, brilliant costumes and set design, but also Mr Semon’s Keaton-like ability to inspire sympathy and humour at the same time.
The rhythm of his mime and dancing needs to be reflected in the music score, which stretches to its sonic and harmonic limit during the extraordinary storm sequence, the lightning in the sky, tumbling house, landscape and visual effects realized by the use of the piano as a large zither, together with high violin and primitive wind machine.
At other times the music is formal and melodic, but always with a hint of both comedy and pathos.” - Jan Preston
The screening will be introduced by Jay Katz aka Jamie Leonarder from The Mu Meson Archives– who will put this film in its full cultural context.
