Monthly Archives: November 2011

About the Student Prince

I started going to the San Francisco Silent Film Festival in 2007, when I saw a film called “The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg,” a film directed by Ernst Lubitsch in 1927.  This glorious film stars Ramon Navarro as the … Continue reading

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The Old Dark House

“The Old Dark House,” a 1932 film directed by James Whale, tells a story about a couple who must take refuge in a spooky mansion in the Welsh countryside.  A fierce rainstorm washes out the road, leaving them no choice … Continue reading

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The Hunchback of Notre Dame

1939, which is generally considered one of the greatest years for Hollywood films, produced such classics as “The Wizard of Oz,” “Gone With the Wind,” and “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.”  It also gave us a wonderful film called “The … Continue reading

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Sunset

I always enjoy movies about the silent era, so I recently rented a 1988 movie called “Sunset,” directed by Blake Edwards.  Bruce Willis stars as the iconic cowboy star Tom Mix, who is forced by studio head Alfie Alperin (Malcolm … Continue reading

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The Films of 1911

On Monday, November 21, at 7:00 PM, the Smith Rafael Film Center in San Rafael, California presents “A Century Ago:  The Films of 1911.”  The program features several short films with the theme of “Heroes and Heroines,” and it spotlights … Continue reading

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Jour de Fete

Before Jacques Tati became Monsieur Hulot, he played a bicycle-riding postman in “Jour de Fete.”  The film, originally filmed in color, came out in black and white in 1949 with hand-tinted color scenes.  Certain scenes present individual objects in color, … Continue reading

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