Slapsticon 2010
Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 8:39 am
I'm sort of recovered from Slapsticon -- although right now if I ever see another plumber, carpenter or taxi driver passing himself off as European nobility -- well, I've had enough for the moment.
First things first: my gratitude to Linda Shah, who sat outside and manned the desk throughout the entire operation like a good hostess who never gets to sit down and enjoy the meal. Applause were offered to the programmers, the introducers, the accompanyists and the folks in the projection room, all well deserved, but poor Linda did the right thing and missed out on the fun. Even missing Ham & Bud can't make up for that.
Before beginning my general praise, let me get my usual grumpy complaint out of the way. Fellows, I know we can't hope for perfect prints -- although the quality of some of this stuff is amazing -- but please, please, get a proofreader to go over the program book. Confusion of "its" and "it's" sticks in my craw, not to mention typos. If you can't find someone who can do the work, get the sheets to me a week before they print and I'll do the job myself.
Now that I've gotten that out of the way -- I wouldn't want to disappoint Richard Roberts -- let's get on to the good stuff.
As a general overview, the programming was brilliant. Yes, there were large amounts of physical comedy -- that's what we come for -- but there were enough outliers to mean it took me three days to overdose. Not only did we get the polite comedy of the Drews, but we got a musical that Hitchcock stole from for THE 39 STEPS -- YOU MADE ME LOVE YOU, a straight western starring Roscoe Arbuckle -- THE ROUND-UP and the first item on the program was a PBS documentary on radio comics!
For me the people are worth as much as the movies. It's a great pleasure to eavesdrop on their conversations. I purchased Brent Walker's Sennett book and have been reading it and find it well worth the price. In the first fifteen pages he tosses off two observations that clarified some obscure issues for me, and it just kept getting better.
Despite the 'redecoration' the Spectrum looked much the same as it did a couple of years ago -- apparently they used the time to fix the air conditioning, which they thought hadn't been strong enough.
The big media event was, of course, the re-premiere of A THIEF CATCHER and they flipped a coin to decide whether Ben Model, Phil Carli or Andrew Simpson would play for it -- somehow no one heard my suggestion that they give each a broom and see who was left standing. Phil won and I guess he did a fine job -- I was too busy watching the film which had nothing to do with Chaplin -- it's a solid Ford Sterling one-reeler.
For me the highlight of the weekend, as in previous years, was Rob Stone's rarities and the second reel of Stan Laurel's WHEN KNIGHTS WERE COLD was just as big a deal as the Chaplin -- more important because it was ten minutes of Stanley instead of 90 seconds of Charlie. There was also a great little Edison from 1913 -- A RELUCTANT CINDERELLA with Arthur Housman too young to drink anything stronger than root beer and a couple of dynamite Jimmy Adams clips.
MODERN LOVE was presented in all its glory but while the first half was what one hoped it would be, it ended poorly, with the lead actress awful in her line readings and the plot interfering with the fun.
I found the most hateful film of the weekend to be THE CAVEMAN. It's a fine movie, and Matt Moore does a wonderful job of not being able to wear his clothes, but Marie Prevost nails her role, and, alas, I've known people like that, who think they own the world and that nothing can touch them. -- most managed to kill themselves and the survivors now complain about their clueless children. Also I wonder why anyone cares about Miss Prevost with Myrna Loy walking around in a tight maid's outfit.
I had a great time, and thanks to everyone there. I look forward to next summer, but could we have two fewer Ham & Buds?
Bob
First things first: my gratitude to Linda Shah, who sat outside and manned the desk throughout the entire operation like a good hostess who never gets to sit down and enjoy the meal. Applause were offered to the programmers, the introducers, the accompanyists and the folks in the projection room, all well deserved, but poor Linda did the right thing and missed out on the fun. Even missing Ham & Bud can't make up for that.
Before beginning my general praise, let me get my usual grumpy complaint out of the way. Fellows, I know we can't hope for perfect prints -- although the quality of some of this stuff is amazing -- but please, please, get a proofreader to go over the program book. Confusion of "its" and "it's" sticks in my craw, not to mention typos. If you can't find someone who can do the work, get the sheets to me a week before they print and I'll do the job myself.
Now that I've gotten that out of the way -- I wouldn't want to disappoint Richard Roberts -- let's get on to the good stuff.
As a general overview, the programming was brilliant. Yes, there were large amounts of physical comedy -- that's what we come for -- but there were enough outliers to mean it took me three days to overdose. Not only did we get the polite comedy of the Drews, but we got a musical that Hitchcock stole from for THE 39 STEPS -- YOU MADE ME LOVE YOU, a straight western starring Roscoe Arbuckle -- THE ROUND-UP and the first item on the program was a PBS documentary on radio comics!
For me the people are worth as much as the movies. It's a great pleasure to eavesdrop on their conversations. I purchased Brent Walker's Sennett book and have been reading it and find it well worth the price. In the first fifteen pages he tosses off two observations that clarified some obscure issues for me, and it just kept getting better.
Despite the 'redecoration' the Spectrum looked much the same as it did a couple of years ago -- apparently they used the time to fix the air conditioning, which they thought hadn't been strong enough.
The big media event was, of course, the re-premiere of A THIEF CATCHER and they flipped a coin to decide whether Ben Model, Phil Carli or Andrew Simpson would play for it -- somehow no one heard my suggestion that they give each a broom and see who was left standing. Phil won and I guess he did a fine job -- I was too busy watching the film which had nothing to do with Chaplin -- it's a solid Ford Sterling one-reeler.
For me the highlight of the weekend, as in previous years, was Rob Stone's rarities and the second reel of Stan Laurel's WHEN KNIGHTS WERE COLD was just as big a deal as the Chaplin -- more important because it was ten minutes of Stanley instead of 90 seconds of Charlie. There was also a great little Edison from 1913 -- A RELUCTANT CINDERELLA with Arthur Housman too young to drink anything stronger than root beer and a couple of dynamite Jimmy Adams clips.
MODERN LOVE was presented in all its glory but while the first half was what one hoped it would be, it ended poorly, with the lead actress awful in her line readings and the plot interfering with the fun.
I found the most hateful film of the weekend to be THE CAVEMAN. It's a fine movie, and Matt Moore does a wonderful job of not being able to wear his clothes, but Marie Prevost nails her role, and, alas, I've known people like that, who think they own the world and that nothing can touch them. -- most managed to kill themselves and the survivors now complain about their clueless children. Also I wonder why anyone cares about Miss Prevost with Myrna Loy walking around in a tight maid's outfit.
I had a great time, and thanks to everyone there. I look forward to next summer, but could we have two fewer Ham & Buds?
Bob