For the Love of Film (Noir)The Trailer

This year's For the Love of Film (Noir) Blogathon is only two weeks away and with the start of February it's time to get the ball rolling. Visit Ferdy on Films and The Self-Styled Siren for further details and if you still need promotional banners or signs, visit the blogathon's banner hub here.

In the meantime, here's the promotional trailer I put together to hype the blogathon and, if the mood strikes you, visit YouTube and embed the video on your own site to help spread the word. Enjoy the video and start preparing those posts on film noir for the blogathon, running February 14th through the 21st.

For the Love of Film (Noir)

Last February, Marilyn Ferdinand of Ferdy of Films and Farran Smith Nehme of The Self-Styled Siren, held a blogathon to raise money for film preservation. The money raised, some $30,000, was used to restore two silent film shorts, The Better Man (1912) and The Sergeant (1910), discovered in the New Zealand Film Archive in 2009. This time around, things will done a little differently. I'll let Marilyn explain it from her post currently up at Ferdy on Films:

Last year, we didn’t know what films we would be helping to restore, but this year, we do! In 1950, United Artists released a searing drama called The Sound of Fury, aka Try and Get Me. The film recounts the same story Fritz Lang told in Fury (1936) and was directed by Cy Endfield, who would run afoul of the Hollywood blacklist. Its star, Lloyd Bridges, never had a better role, and Eddie told me that when Jeff and Beau Bridges finally saw the film, they were blown away by his performance. A nitrate print of the film will be restored by the UCLA Film & Television Archive, using a reference print from Martin Scorsese’s personal collection to guide them and fill in any blanks. Paramount Pictures, which now owns the film, has agreed to help fund the restoration, but FNF is going to have to come up with significant funds to get the job done. That’s where we come in.

I know everyone loves noir, and that noir crosses all borders of time and place. That gives everyone a lot of choice of topics, and we hope everyone will join in what is bound to be a gigantic party. Once again, we’ll be offering helpful advice and taking suggestions from the film community on the For the Love of Film Facebook fan page, which we’ll be adding to regularly. Become a fan, and take a look around in the coming weeks for suggestions of topics, discussions about the blogathon, information about film preservation, and a lot more. And go to the For the Love of Film blog, where Cinema Styles’ Greg Ferrara has posted banners you can use on your own blog and Facebook page to promote participation and awareness.

The banners Marilyn mentions come in large and small sizes for use either within a post or on a sidebar. One of them, with Joan Bennett leaning against a street lamp, comes from Scarlet Street, Fritz Lang's 1945 masterpiece that my wife and I recently took in on the big screen at the AFI. I plan on writing that one up, as well as proselytizing, as usual, for seeing as many classic films on the big screen as possible because, once again, a movie I liked became a movie I loved once seen as originally intended. I also plan on giving to the cause, as I did last year, and hope you can too.

Here at the National Archives, my place of employment, I got to take in Upstream, a 1927 John Ford backstage comedy that was a part of the 2009 New Zealand treasure trove and, though we didn't specifically fund that one, felt proud to have been a part of a greater whole, one that works towards the goal of restoring works of art and pieces of history that might otherwise be lost forever.

So put up the banners, watch plenty of film noir and come ready to write, read, discuss and make a difference. I'll see you there.

Upstream (d. Ford, 1927): An Archives Experience

The Movie
When Marilyn Ferdinand of Ferdy on Films and Farran Smith Nehme of The Self-Styled Siren held a blogathon fundraiser for the National Film Preservation Foundation earlier this year, I never thought I'd have the opportunity to see one of the films preserved on the big screen with original musical accompaniment but that's just what happened recently. Of the 75 American films from the silent period that were discovered in a New Zealand film archive in 2009, the one that garnered the most attention was an early John Ford backstage comedy, Upstream, and last week it was shown at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

As I now work for the National Archives, it was my honor to attend and meet Eric Schwartz, one of the co-founders of the National Film Preservation Foundation (NFPF) and Brian Meacham, Short Film Preservationist at the Academy Film Archive of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). Both were more than familiar with the blogathon and Brian even told me he had just finished work doing the commentary for The Better Man (1912), one of the films that our blogathon specifically helped restore (the other was The Sergeant (1910)).

Upstream was presented with an original score composed by Michael Mortilla and performed by Mortilla on piano and Nicole Garcia on violin. An excellent score, it captured the essence of the film by providing the perfect counterpoint to what was happening up on the screen while never detracting from the experience by calling attention to itself.

As for the film, it's quite entertaining even if nothing more than a lark, but a very well done lark, to be sure. Primarily, it shows Ford had an early flair for the kind of pacing that comedy demands, and it's a pacing that would serve him well in his later dramas and westerns. It also celebrates the kind of communal existence evident in so many later Ford films, from the migrant workers in The Grapes of Wrath and the coal mining community of How Green was My Valley to the ragtag collection of brothers-in-arms in Stagecoach and The Searchers.

The film takes place in a boarding house for performers: actors, dancers, knife-throwers and other barrel-bottom-scraping followers of the footlights. The story concentrates on Jack La Velle (Grant Withers), knife thrower, Gertie (Nancy Nash), his assistant and object of his affection and Eric Brashingham (Earle Fox), his rival in love. Brashingham is, as his name suggests, a brash, ham actor from a famous acting family (insert "Barrymore" here) who gets pegged to play Hamlet in London simply because his name is Brashingham. John Barrymore Hamlet and profile jokes ensue with little relent. After some coaching by another boarder, Mandare (Emile Chautard), Brashingham becomes a hit in London, despite everyone's expectations of his outright failure. He returns to America an acting idol and finds Jack and Gertie have married, much to his chagrin.

There's not much more plot than that but there doesn't need to be. Upstream throws more jokes at the screen than a feces hurling howler monkey imitating Mel Brooks on a three day joke-writing bender. Not two seconds pass in this movie without a new joke and if that one doesn't work, don't worry, here comes another. It's this perpetual motion machine brand of comedy that makes the thin plot work and Ford never lingers on a shot for too long, lest the pace be broken. I found myself quite surprised both by how quick the film was and how well the audience responded to it, which is to say, there was plenty of laughter.

In the end, while it may be an entertaining movie for anyone who enjoys good farcical comedy, it is of particular interest to cinephiles who can see John Ford steadying his hand and becoming his own director. The lighting is a little different for Ford, making use of tinting and harsh lighting effects, although a little haphazardly(Murnau and German Expressionism were mentioned in the discussion but, perhaps because I have watched Murnau again so recently, I found little similarity between the two). Ford doesn't do a lot with the camera, it's true (most of the film is medium distance, center framed, stationary camera all the way), but when Ford does move in on something; a close-up of a skull-fashioned salt shaker or the expression of Gertie as Brashingham ruins her wedding day, it has a purpose and confidence. Besides, Ford didn't need to do much because the supporting cast of oddball boarders are entertaining enough that to dolly around them too much would have detracted from their compulsive energy.

What really made the film a great experience to watch was seeing it on the big screen with live musical accompaniment. I really can't emphasize strongly enough how important it is to take in silent films on the big screen whenever possible. Just last year, viewing The Crowd at the AFI Silver Theatre with an organist playing the original score, took it from being an excellent movie in my mind to being a truly great one. More than any other type of film, a silent film comes alive on the big screen like nothing one would expect. The difference between seeing one on DVD and seeing one in a theatre could be measured by factors of ten. If you see Upstream on DVD (it will be released as the next set of DVDs by the National Film Preservation Foundation) you will enjoy it but if you can see one of the too few theatrical presentations of it being escorted about the country by Brian Meacham, you will have a wonderful filmgoing experience that will stay with you for years.

The Restoration

Brian Meacham and Eric Schwartz spoke to the audience before and after the presentation, with Brian Meacham revealing the incredible story of how the discovery came about and how the restoration took place. In 2009, Brian and his wife were set to take a vacation to New Zealand and Brian, as he does before any trip, e-mailed the local film archives in New Zealand and asked if a tour would be possible when he arrived. He was given the green light and received an e-mail back detailing all the American films in their archives. From John Ford to Mabel Normand, big names popped out and arrangements were made to select 75 shorts, trailers and features to be restored and returned to the United States.

The reason the American films were in New Zealand in the first place is quite mundane, really, having to do with, of all things, shipping costs and rental cycles. As it turns out, New Zealand was usually at the end of the rental cycles for film prints from Hollywood making their way around the world. By the time they were done the American studios had little desire to pay exorbitant shipping costs for movies they'd never show again. Besides, the prints at that point were pretty worn so the studios gave the go ahead to junk the films. Thing is, many theatre owners kept them rather than toss them into the garbage and eventually they made their way into the New Zealand Film Archives. In 2009, they made their way back home, finally.

Because of the deteriorated condition of the nitrate film, the decision was made to restore Upstream in New Zealand and then ship it to the United States. The process was lengthy and costly but fortunately, Fox Studios picked up the tab knowing there was no real prospect of making any money off the venture. Good for them, and us.

One final note: the title. Why exactly is a farcical comedy about an eclectic group of performers all living together in a boarding house called Upstream? In the movie, there is one belabored moment that doesn't fit at all, where Mandare is telling Brashingham, about to leave for London, to "go upstream to your success!" And, indeed, the word is bolded and italicized just like I have it here because they're clearly trying to tell you, "This is where the title comes from." Only, who in the hell would say that and even if they did, why make that one word, from that one isolated line, the title? The real answer, provided by Brian Meacham, was all business.

Back in 1927 the studios not only churned out movies like Model T's coming off an assembly line but also owned the theatres in which they were shown, the better to keep the line moving smoothly. This meant programs, information, placards and posters were sent out well in advance to populate the lobbies and let moviegoers know what was coming next. Sometimes, plans changed in the middle of the process. After sending out all the info for a Dolores Del Rio film, Upstream, the production fell through and eventually went to MGM where it was released in 1928 as The Trail of '98. Meanwhile, Fox Pictures had just wrapped up a comedy directed by John Ford called The Public Idol. Since no advertising had gone out on it yet, and everyone was expecting a film called Upstream they inserted a new title card, threw in the intertitle delivered by Mandare quoted above and Upstream was born. Somehow, after all it's been through to finally return home in good condition, the title at long last seems apt.

Upstream to be Screened Thursday

I don't usually interrupt my October horror/science fiction posts in October for any reason but I must make an announcement that is close to my heart. Earlier this year Marilyn Ferdinand of Ferdy on Films and Farran Smith Nehme of The Self-Styled Siren held a blogathon fundraiser for the National Film Preservation Foundation in an effort to preservation films in varying states of decay, resurrect previously lost films and raise awareness of the dire need to preserve our film history. I took part by creating the banners and commercials for the event, seen here and here. 75 American films from the silent period were discovered in a New Zealand film archive in 2009 and the blogathon/fundraiser helped raise money to preserve them. Specifically, the money raised went to the films The Sergeant (1910) and The Better Man (1912), complete with a credit for the blogathon itself. But also among the 75 films was an early John Ford backstage comedy, Upstream, and that's the subject of this post.

Two months ago I started working at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. and this Thursday, at 7:00 p.m. in the William G. McGowan Theater on the lower level, the Archives will be showing Upstream, free of charge and open to all. I encourage anyone in the area to attend, especially cinephiles who want to experience a piece of film history (and how can seeing a backstage comedy directed by John Ford, of all people, not be film history). The details can be found at the Archives site, here. After October wraps up I'll post the full details of the experience along with a review. Hope to see you there.

The Blogathon is Here!

The For the Love of Film Blogathon is here, hosted by Marilyn at Ferdy on Films and the Siren at The Self-Styled Siren. Go to The Siren's page for updates on all new posts. I made this second commercial to advertise and celebrate the blogathon and if you'd like to put it up yourself just follow the YouTube link below. Later in the week I'll be doing a write-up of Cecil B. DeMille's 1928/29 The Godless Girl, one of film preservation's triumphs as sound footage, thought lost forever, was found and restored by the UCLA Film and Television Archive in 2007.


Embedding code for commercial can be found here. Thanks.

For the Love of Film

Don't forget the For the Love of Film blogathon coming up this February 14th through the 21st. It will be dual-hosted by Ferdy on Films and The Self-Styled Siren and sponsored by the National Film Preservation Foundation. Go to the Siren's site for a list of participants as well as further info on the blogathon. The commercial seen below, as well as banners, can be found here.



We've had a rough week of weather here and everyone has been snowed in. When the blizzards break the shovelling begins, through several cycles so far. Next week, I promise, things will return to normal around here. Thanks.

For the Love of Film Blogathon

Now, to quote Leslie Groves, it can be told. As many of you are no doubt well aware, there is a new blogathon in town, one about film preservation and it will be co-hosted by the dynamic duo of Marilyn Ferdinand of Ferdy on Films and Farran Smith Nehme, aka The Siren, at The Self-Styled Siren. I can elaborate no better than Marilyn and Farran have at their respective blogs and so I would advise you to go to them both, here and here, if you have not done so already.

I have put together a blog where the banners and commercial for the blogathon can be found, the blog entitled quite predictably For the Love of Film. Please put them on your sidebar to get the word out and of course, take part! The blogathon is not only trying to raise awareness but raise money in an effort to preserve treasures of our film culture before they are lost. The blogathon will be run in conjunction with the National Film Preservation Foundation. In their own words:

The National Film Preservation Foundation is the independent, nonprofit organization created by the U.S. Congress to help save America’s film heritage. Growing from a national planning effort led by the Library of Congress, the NFPF began operations in 1997. We work directly with archives to rescue endangered films that will not survive without public support.

So please help out, advertise, contribute a post or whatever else you can think to do. Below is the first official commercial I put together for the blogathon that you can embed onto your own homepage. The music was written and recorded by yours truly, everything else is public domain. The movie still of the two men at the table is from Ernst Lubitsch's The Patriot, a 1929 film now sadly lost forever. The Greta Garbo film is A Woman of Affairs, a film restored years ago but still not available on DVD. It can be viewed here in its entirety however. The blogathon runs February 14-21, just in time for all of us to give a valentine to that art form we all love so much, the movies. Hope to see you there.