Rediscovering British Silent Cinema

9/10/05 to 9/17/05

High Treason, September 10

Upcoming
Films
Upcoming
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Selected
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Past
Films
Past
Events

Past Films

The Triumph of the Rat
- Saturday, September 17 19:00
Joel Adlen on Piano. The story of an underworld jewel thief betting on his own powers of seduction is a showcase for beautiful locations-and beautiful Ivor Novello, the "British Valentino."
Downhill
- Saturday, September 17 21:00
Joel Adlen on Piano. "In tracing Novello's humiliation at the hands of a succession of women, this may be the earliest example of Hitchcock's alleged misogyny. It is, however, the inventive formal devices that you will remember, notably in the scenes of drug-induced delirium."-National Film Theatre
Electric Edwardians: The Films of Mitchell & Kenyon
- Sunday, September 11 15:30
Judith Rosenberg on Piano. Turn-of-the-century working-class Britain seen in immaculately restored actualities. Discovering these was "equivalent to the finding of Tutankhamen's tomb."-U.K. Guardian
Underground
- Saturday, September 10 19:00
Jon Mirsalis on Piano. Anthony Asquith brings a fresh and modern approach to a tale of romantic rivalry, with imaginative visuals that depict the London Tube in an Expressionist light.
High Treason
- Saturday, September 10 20:50
Jon Mirsalis on Piano. Britain's answer to Metropolis features videophones, TV news, a Channel tunnel, terrorists, arms dealers, and preemptive war-this 1929 vision of 1950 looks a lot like 2005.

Rediscovering British Silent Cinema

9/10/05 to 9/17/05

British cinema in the 1920s-that most hedonistic of decades-had an effervescent energy despite the postwar depression and a major crisis in the industry. This cinema was young, and its diverse styles of filmmaking had not yet settled into rigid genres or over-familiar formats. Peculiarly “British” themes were still evident; Hollywood was still more inspiring than overpowering. Beyond Hitchcock, perhaps the most familiar name from this era, there were talented directors like Anthony Asquith (whose A Cottage on Dartmoor thrilled PFA audiences in 2003). There were major stars, such as Ivor Novello. There were also fans, energy and innovation, and a lively film press. Sadly, that generation of filmmakers and stars are nearly all gone, the films lost, junked, or forgotten.

Yet they are not all lost. Bit by bit over the years, many of these genuine treasures have been rescued by the British Film Institute National Film and...

Yet they are not all lost. Bit by bit over the years, many of these genuine treasures have been rescued by the British Film Institute National Film and Television Archive. We are delighted to present this series of films preserved by the bfi: four features from the 1920s, plus a selection of rare actualities shot by the firm of Mitchell and Kenyon between 1900 and 1913. There are real pleasures here and real discoveries to make. If you are one of those people who airily dismiss British silent film, you haven't seen these-very few people have!

Adapted from notes by Bryony Dixon, National Film Theatre, London

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We are grateful to the British Film Institute Collections and National Film Theatre, in particular Bryony Dixon, Fleur Buckley, and Sue Jones, for their assistance; and to Neil Brand for his enthusiastic recommendations. Thanks also to Mike Ewin of Winstone Film Distribution.
Archival prints and musical accompaniment for silent films are presented with support from the Packard Humanities Institute.

Rediscovering British Silent Cinema

9/10/05 to 9/17/05

Past Films

The Triumph of the Rat

Downhill

Electric Edwardians: The Films of Mitchell & Kenyon

Underground

High Treason