2nd Reel of Battle of the Century found

[martin arias]

I would love to know when and how these findings would be issued on DVD or something like that!

[All Darc]

It's in the hands of Serge Bromberg, and he Always wants to share their findings with publidc and realease on vídeo. I supose he will make what is possible to bring it to DVD or Blu-Ray.

[Jim Reid]

Serge may have the print, but he doesn't own the rights. He'll have to deal with whoever it is that owns the silent L&H library now.

[Rodney]

Serge may have the print, but he doesn't own the rights. He'll have to deal with whoever it is that owns the silent L&H library now.

Right, but the Keaton finds that were mentioned in the post about the Telluride showings are public domain, so I'd expect to see those sooner or later.

[Robert W]

The San Francisco Silent Film Festival (June 2-5) has announced they plan to run the new restoration this year. No time or date announced yet, but through some miracle of luck, I will be in San Francisco that weekend for the first time in 30 years.

[Robert W]

It's also been announced for the TCM Classic Film Festival on Friday, April 29 which means I may be seeing it twice.

[boblipton]

Fight of the Century will be playing at New York's Museum of Modern Art on July 15, part of a Leo McCarey retrospective. If you plan to see this one, get a ticket a couple of days in advance; Friday shows occasionally sell out and this is one that may.

Bob

[vitaphone]

The July 15th evening MOMA screening of THE BATTLE OF THE CENTURY will be accompanied by the great and Grammy award-winning Vince Giordano and The Nighthawks. Vince will be recreating a Vitaphone-esque accompaniment. The July 16th afternoon screening will be accompanied by the equally great Ben Model.

[BenModel]

...I'll be using my (virtual) theatre organ for the show on the 16th.

And if you just can't wait until July, Serge is showing "Battle" in NYC on June 19 along with a new restoration of "Daydreams" and "other surprises" at the Film Society of Lincoln Center. *click* for details

Ben

[martin arias]

Hi Ben!

Being in Barcelona, I'm not in the best position to attend as I would have loved to. Anyway, is the version of DAYDREAMS in anything different from the one on the recent DVD set or in the not yet available Blu-Ray one?

And above all, is there any plan to present the new BATTLE on DVD or Blu-Ray?

cheers

M-

[boblipton]

I just came from the Walter Reade Theater in Lincoln Center, where Serge Bromberg hosted one of his Saved from the Flames show.In this case, the centerpiece was the latest restoration of The Battle of the Century. That's what the thread is about, but bear with me for a bit, because I'm going to talk about the show.

Those of you who have attended Serge's shows know that he has the French entertainer bit down pat. He plays the piano, he has a repertoire of unlikely stories about people who call him, and he sets a strip of nitrate ablaze to get your attention. Like any good story teller, whether it's true or not matters less than its verisimilitude, and he is so Gallic and charming, that you believe him just be be obliging. In this case, he showed us comparisons of sections from various silent films side by side, then we got to see a couple of Buster Keaton shorts he has restored, then the aforementioned battle of the Century.

It seems that Jon Mirsalis bought a collection a couple of years ago and it turned out to have major sections of the movie. There was still a brief missing section, probably about a minute, in which Eugene Pallette sells the Boys an insurance policy on Stanley, payable to Oliver.... and Ollie's efforts to injure Stanley to collect trigger the pie fight. This missing section is represented by a still. The rest of the movie is clean, bright and very watchable. It might be nice to have that last little bit, but considering how far we've come in reassembling this picture over the last half a century, I am content.

Now,let's see what we can do about Hats Off!.

Serge finished off the show with another lost L&H bit, a two-minute message they did to a film industry convention in Paris in 1930. very amusing. Then he finished off with the always popular Le Cochon Danseur. Then it was time for me to rush out to make sure the people wearing Keaton t-shirts didn't get into fights with the people wearing Laurel & Hardy t-shirts. Lincoln Center is an unlikely spot for gang fights, you say? It's where West Side Story is set.

Bob

[boblipton]

Just a reminder to NYC area Nitratevillains that the Museum of Modern Art will be showing The Battle of the Century on Friday and Saturday, kicking off a Leo McCarey retrospective. Because I saw the restoration last month, I won't be attending, but I will be there on Saturday for the rare Part Time Wife. THere's also a Charley Chase program program on Sunday.

Bob

[vitaphone]

Bob, you left out the most important part! The MOMA Friday 7/15 show has live original accompaniment by the great (and Grammy winning) Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks. The Saturday show has Ben Model's accompaniment. Show includes BATTLE, PUTTING PANTS ON PHILLIP, Mabel Normand's SHOULD MEN WALK HOME? and Charley Chase's MIGHTY LIKE A MOOSE.