Fragmants of Lost Silents A TCM Classic Film Fest

[Gagman 66]

Wow. I'm really surprised that no one has mentioned this event. At Next Weeks TCM Classic Film Festival, there will be a screening of Fragments from several otherwise lost Silents. Including POLLY OF THE FOLIES (1922) with Constance Talmadge, THREE WEEKENDS and RED HAIR (both 1928) with Clara Bow. And Colleen Moore's HAPPINESS AHEAD (1928). I was not aware there was any surviving footage from these films, with the exception of RED HAIR. Does anyone know how much of each of the movies survives? Here are some more details:

Fragments (1916-1929)
Running Time: 1 hr., 30 min.
35mm
Academy Film Archive and the UCLA Film Archive

Sunday, April 25 • 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Mann's Chinese 6 House 3

Members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Film Archive will present a selection of rarely-screened fragments of great lost films. Red Hair and Three Weekends (both 1928) showcase the comic talents of actress Clara Bow. The Village (1922) is an early film by director John Ford. Also included are four additional fragments from the Academy archives: Happiness Ahead (1928), a Colleen Moore film; Polly of the Follies (1922) starring Constance Talmadge; A Lover’s Oath (1925) showcasing actor Ramon Navarro; The Chance Market (1916), with prolific actor King Baggot. The event concludes with a selection of trailers for lost films, provided by UCLA and Academy Film Archive, which includes On Trial (1928), The Last Warning (1929) and The Patriot (1928)—the only Oscar®-nominated performance that is lost. (d. Various, approx. 90m, 35mm). Hosted by members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Film Archive.

[colbyco82]

That sounds exciting...wish it would make its way to TCM sometime in the future. Its curious that they list THE LAST WARNING as a trailer of a lost film they are showing.

[Danny Burk]

Yes, I'd love to see these. The RED HAIR fragments are in 2-color Tech, assuming that they're what turned up a few years ago. The other surviving clip I'd really like to see is a 3-minute fragment from CASE OF LENA SMITH, found in Japan, also a few years ago.

Indeed, it's odd that they would list THE LAST WARNING as a lost film.

[Gagman 66]

Yeah, THE LAST WARNING definitely isn't lost. I have a copy on DVD-R. I questioned what that was about too. And what about the fragment of WIFE OF THE CENTAUR that turned up a couple years ago? Would have been nice if that could have been included.

[drednm]

why not Flaming Youth (1923) ?

[Gagman 66]

Ed,


Because the lone remaining reel from FLAMING YOUTH is part of the LOC Collection, and is not at UCLA I assume? Are is is the MoMA? I'm not sure? Anyway, one of the two I believe.

[missdupont]

The film fragments were part of the Saved by the Archives at last year's San Francisco Silent Film Festival.

[rudyfan]

The film fragments were part of the Saved by the Archives at last year's San Francisco Silent Film Festival.

Yup and it was a pretty small reel of film. I do wish that SFSFF will extend more time to this so the archivists can show more clips. It's entertaining, interesting and educational.

[moviepas]

It's one thing and good that these fragments get shown at the festivals but for the majority, particularly those outside USA. they can not see these. It would be nice if a documentary was made incorporating these complete clips and trailers of missing films that survive. I would certainly buy any DVD release of such a project that I have suggested many times in blogs. And not just silents either.

[FrankFay]

What remains of Three Week-Ends is an assemblage of fragments running less than two minutes. One reel survived in extremely decomposed condition. At times it looks as if the darkest parts of the image deteriorated the worst- in one close up fragment Bow is a bubbling mass in the foreground with the recognizable outline of a human. The light walls of the room behind her are still recognizable.

[Gagman 66]

I would buy a DVD of Fragments from these films too. But the sad fact is that you have to many greedy characters that would be claiming rights fees. Since the films are from several different studios. Not much different than trying to license all that footage from Thames HOLLYWOOD into an upgraded DVD release I imagine. Although, HOLLYWOOD was 13 Chapters, so that may be exaggerating a fair degree.

[rudyfan]

I would buy a DVD of Fragments from these films too. But the sad fact is that you have to many greedy characters that would be claiming rights fees. Since the films are from several different studios. Not much different than trying to license all that footage from Thames HOLLYWOOD into an upgraded DVD release I imagine. Although, HOLLYWOOD was 13 Chapters, so that may be exaggerating a fair degree.

Saved from the Flames are being released through Flicker Alley.

[WaverBoy]

As far as I know these fragments are not part of the Saved From The Flames DVD; the program mentioned above was Saved By The Archives.

Also, just to pick a nit, I thought the RED HAIR fragments weren't actually part of the original released film, but were color test footage. Not that I'd want to see this footage any less because of that, of course! This film is one of my cinematic Holy Grails.

[wildhoney66]

i believe i read on TCM's website forum awhile back anyways, that they said they have a great deal of silent films in their libary not saying how many of course. buut of course i'm referring to films they haven't shown yet.

anyways, they said that they have a Lot of silent films in their libary it's just that they have no music for it yet. also sorry about my bad spelling.

[silentfilm]

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/ ... 61929.html

TCM Fest must-see: "Fragments" (1916-1929)
April 24, 2010 | 1:43 pm
So many films from the silent era have literally dissolved into dust, lost for the ages for several reasons, including nitrate decomposition. But not everyone is willing to let these cinematic masterpieces go gentle into that good night. The program "Fragments (1916-1929)," screening Sunday morning at the TCM Film Festival in Hollywood, features a rare collection of scenes, reels and segments from lost silent films restored by the Academy Film Archive and the UCLA Film and Television Archive.

"We are showing three fragments from each archive along with some background," says the Academy's Mike Pogorzelski. "We are going to be closing the program with trailers for movies that will be never coming to a theater near you because the trailers are the only thing that survive from the film."

Jere Guldin from UCLA will be showing fragments from two Clara Bow silents: "Red Hair" and "Three Weekends." "They are wonderful because she is just so charming," Pogorzelski says. "They are both from 1928 and looks like they were her last two great silent comedies. The clips are cute and funny, but they are actually some of the saddest images in a theater because the rest of the films are presumably lost."

Another offering from the archive is the middle reel of a 1916 film called "Chance Market," starring and directed by King Baggott. "We had flagged it in our collection and preserved particularly for this," says the Academy's Joe Lindner. "It's only a reel, it may be nearly a third of the film. He had a dual role in which he played both a rich man and a kind of a thief. For 1916, the acting is pretty interesting and makes you want to see how it turned out."

Other fragments include 1922's "The Village," an early film by John Ford; "Happiness Ahead," a 1928 comedy starring Colleen Moore; and the 1925 Roman Novarro romance, "A Lover's Oath." The trailers include 1928's "The Patriot," directed by Ernst Lubitsch, the only best picture Oscar nominee that no longer exists as a complete print.

-- Susan King

[Gagman 66]

Yeah, it's great that they are screening fragments of Clara Bow and Colleen Moore's lost films. I wish that they could air these on TCM too. Because neither lady has had much representation from them. Now, what about the films of their's that are not lost and still have never been shown?

Incidentally, I don't see this being mentioned yet, but the restored HER WILD OAT is screening at Catalina Island sometime in May. Now if we could just get the movie on TCM.

[Brent Walker]

This was an excellent program! There was also a segment from the 1921 Hallroom Boys comedy A CHILI ROMANCE with Sid Smith and Harry McCoy (involving a train accident and Mexican revolutionaries), which was discovered spliced onto the end of the reel with THE CHANCE MARKET when it was preserved. "THE VILLAGE" was the final reel from Ford's THE VILLAGE BLACKSMITH, which UCLA restored several years ago. The clips from HAPPINESS AHEAD were literally frames, which were shown after the clip in longer freeze frames. A LOVER'S OATH was also a series of surviving clips were slightly longer, but not very long. A print of THE PATRIOT turned out to be unavailable for showing at this program, but Jere promised it would be shown next year (and yes, there is going to be a TCM Festival in Hollywood next year!).

[wildhoney66]

man i wish i could have gone to this. i just can't afford it unfortunally.

[Brent Walker]

man i wish i could have gone to this. i just can't afford it unfortunally.

They did make individual film tickets available for $20, and I know several people who attending this program and the Leonard Maltin short film program in that manner (which probably isn't enough to entice if you're coming from out of town for the festival unless you were already planning a vacation, but was an advantageous way to see a few films if you were already in the area).

[rudyfan]

Well put, Brent. I'm going to make an effort to go next year. If I do not spring for the festival pass, it will be fun to show up for some films on a case by case. I sorely regretted not being able to be down there for Temple Drake, that has been on my pre-code wish list forever.

[missdupont]

I saw the banned cartoons program with Dr. Donald Bogle, which showed 8 of the 11 banned cartoons. I thought he went overboard in emphasizing stereotypes, because the Cab Calloway, Fats Waller, and Louis Armstrong were very close to life, and he made no mention of Al Jolson in blackface in one of the cartoons. The theatre was only half full, if that many people were there. I really wonder how well attended the festival was.

[tlanza]

Regarding attendance, from what I could see, based on the lines for some of the screenings like METROPOLIS, STAR IS BORN, etc they did very well. Certainly well enough to decide to do it again next year. I'd also think that they did not go into it with the idea of making money, but as a big commercial and branding opportunity. It certainly succeeded in that respect in LA, with buses and banners up and down Hollywood Blvd. announcing the fest.

Not to open up an old debate, but it does make me wonder again about the wisdom of adding a warhorse or two to Cinecon or maybe Cinefest.

I would have liked to maybe see one screen that focused on more obscure programming, though TEMPLE DRAKE, Fragments, and the banned cartoons filled some of that programming strain.

All in all, I think they did a great job. Pretty seamless for the most part.

Best,
Tim

[Decotodd]

I went to several screenings (had a pass) -- WILD RIVER, TEMPLE DRAKE, Maltin's shorts, SUNNYSIDE UP, and Luise Rainer's interview pre-GOOD EARTH.

All were near capacity and I think they had to turn folks away from Temple and Rainer. Talking to other attendees, I was rather surprised how many of die hard fans still went to the war-horses (Sunset Blvd, N by NW, Singing in the Rain, etc). To a person, they cited how amazing it was to see these seemingly overly familiar films on the big screen and the details noticed for the 1st time. There were also a lot of young college aged attendees who I overheard excitedly looking forward to seeing some of the films for the first time. They got student discounts to the festival, which was a bit pricey.

Of course, most of this fare isn't really in synch with Cinecon's mission to show unusual, hard to see fare, aside from famliar movies when honoring a guest. However, I do think the good attendance at the TCM festival might provoke thought about Cinecon programming a few such war horses if they are in beautiful 35 mm prints and maybe offering student prices. The TCM festival also clearly had a huge advertising budget, and not sure how Cinecon spreads the word beyond the core crowd.

[Brent Walker]

Just about every program I went to was full or nearly full. Only some of the programs that were either really early or really late may not have had the same attendance level, but the programs during the rest of the day were pretty well attended. Besides the ones you mentioned, I know several others sold out as well.

[wildhoney66]

temple drake? was it the silent version? or the version that "John Carradine" was in? i've been dying to see that version since it's one of his 1st films.


also my brother has some banned cartoons that disney did. on 16mm.

only like 1 or 2 though. so far anyways. i forget which one to be honest. & actually i also meant i don't have the money to go down to L.A. as well. buut prices for the fest were as low as $20 bucks? cool soo they were at least kind to people who were late in buying tickets. not everybody does stuff like that.

[wildhoney66]

i forgot to add that me & my brother went & saw "HELP!" a year or so ago at rock hall of fame. that's i think a 15 minute drive from his house? if you go the right way. anyways, they had it shown on the big screen in there for i forget how long. anyways, when me & him went & saw it together. we also noticed a LOT of stuff we hadn't noticed before.


such as Elenar Bron's. & sorry for my bad spelling. anyways, her gun she points at The Beatles it's Pink just like her outfit was in that one particular scene. you can't really tell when you watch either the VHS or the dvd of it.

it just simply amazed us how much of the film we missed when we saw it. it was like we had never seen the film before, even though i've seen it at least 50 or 60 times in my life. did anyone else notice that? or was it just us?

[Jim Harwood]

Not to open up an old debate, but it does make me wonder again about the wisdom of adding a warhorse or two to Cinecon or maybe Cinefest.

For the past several months we've been planning the Cinecon schedule and there will definitely be a few more "war horses" this year. Nothing as common as SINGIN' IN THE RAIN or CASBALANCA, but titles that many Cinecon members have likely seen before, though not in 35mm on the big screen.

Though there are some who don't like the idea of running more "common" titles (which in Cinephile language, means "I saw it 15 years ago,") it is these films which tend to have the highest turnouts. Anyone remember the Cinecon screening of THE CIRCUS around a decade ago? Standing room only. While the schedule will never be populated with dozens of these old chestnuts, one or two per day isn't out of the question.

Jim Harwood

[boblipton]

I think that is a good decision. Far too often, these movies are seen alone on a tv screen or, if you are lucky, in an underpopulated auditorium, or one in which far too many people are there out of curiosity, leading to a cold start. Nothing like a real, sympathetic audience to get even the hardiest war horse off to a fast gallop.

Bob

[Flyin' A]

Not to open up an old debate, but it does make me wonder again about the wisdom of adding a warhorse or two to Cinecon or maybe Cinefest.

For the past several months we've been planning the Cinecon schedule and there will definitely be a few more "war horses" this year. Nothing as common as SINGIN' IN THE RAIN or CASBALANCA, but titles that many Cinecon members have likely seen before, though not in 35mm on the big screen.

Though there are some who don't like the idea of running more "common" titles (which in Cinephile language, means "I saw it 15 years ago,") it is these films which tend to have the highest turnouts. Anyone remember the Cinecon screening of THE CIRCUS around a decade ago? Standing room only. While the schedule will never be populated with dozens of these old chestnuts, one or two per day isn't out of the question.

Jim Harwood

Great idea. Program them at the start or end of the day or meal break. That way people who don't want to see them can sleep, eat or have a larger time period for the dealers' room.

Nancy