The Doll (movie 1919) review: Ernst Lubitsch satire features incredibly inventive production design. Ossi Oswalda (‘the German Mary Pickford’) and Hermann Thimig stars.
Danny Fortune
Danny Fortune
Danny Fortune was born a long time ago in a small town, in a small state, in a small world, to very small parents. He grew up watching old classic films and B horror movies, ruining his eyesight in the process. He now lives in a tiny, cramped apartment in San Francisco with an unbridled collection of religious icons and dead movie star photos. When he is not spying on his neighbors and feeding stray cats, he is usually rotting his brain with trivia and all kinds of useless shit. Danny works in a Special Education Class where he teaches children left behind. And he contributes reviews of classic movies to Alt Film Guide.
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Amazing Tales from the Archives: SFSFF spotlights unusual movie audio system, pioneering female documentarian and memorably inventive comedy fantasies.
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Mothers of Men (movie 1917) review: Remarkable women’s suffrage tale asks whether the female right to vote would destroy American society. Dorothy Davenport stars.
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The Strongest (1929) movie review: The first feature (co-)directed by Alf Sjöberg is a visually splendid Arctic adventure that moves at glacial speed.
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Die Nibelungen: Siegfried and Kriemhild’s Revenge (movie 1924) review: Semi-historical Fritz Lang epic fantasy is a cinematic masterpiece. Paul Richter stars.
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Around China with a Movie Camera (film 2015) review: British Film Institute compilation offers a magical window into long-gone Chinese sights.
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L’Inhumaine (movie 1924) review: Uniquely modernistic Marcel L’Herbier silent mixes sex melodrama, revenge thriller and science fiction.
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The Cave of the Silken Web (movie 1927) review: Long thought lost Chinese blockbuster remains intriguing thanks to its focus on some fierce women.
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The Donovan Affair (movie 1929) review: Frank Capra’s largely forgotten first all-talkie is now a silent. Jack Holt and Agnes Ayres star.
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Ménilmontant (movie 1926) and Emak-Bakia (1927) reviews: Avant-Garde Paris’ memorable offerings for those willing to take a chance.
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Autumn Crocus (movie 1934) review: West End legend Ivor Novello stars in Basil Dean’s wistful romantic drama about middle-aged longing. Fay Compton costars.
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The San Francisco Silent Film Festival’s ‘A Night at the Cinema in 1914’ was the second best thing to a time machine. World War I and Charles Chaplin featured.
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Midnight Madness (movie 1928) review: One hour of unadulterated fluff fails to justify the titillating title of this late silent era release. Clive Brook and Jacqueline Logan star.
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Song of the Fishermen (movie 1934) review: Cai Chusheng drama depicts the dehumanizing results of China’s stratified class system.
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Topics at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival’s Amazing Tales from the Archives included Fred Ott’s seminal ‘sneeze face’ and the technological Charles Chaplin.
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The SFSFF’s Amazing Tales from the Archives featured two fascinating topics: Finding Douglas Fairbanks’ The Half-Breed and early movie sound technology.
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With its focus on digital technologies and the restoration of a 1964 Best Picture Oscar nominee, this year’s Amazing Tales from the Archives weren’t all that great.
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The Loves of Pharaoh (movie 1922) review: Future Best Actor Oscar winner Emil Jannings chews the scenery in this disappointing Ernst Lubitsch epic. Dagny Servaes and Harry Liedtke costar.
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South (movie 1919) review: Explorer Ernest Shackleton and his landmark Antarctic expedition are depicted in beautiful and harrowing detail in this silent era documentary.
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The Goose Woman with Louise Dresser and Jack Pickford. The Goose Woman (movie 1925) review: The Goose Woman (movie 1925) review: Great Louise Dresser in Clarence Brown silent classic At …
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Huckleberry Finn movie: Lewis Sargent toplines sentimental William Desmond Taylor effort. Huckleberry Finn (1920) movie review: Huckleberry Finn movie review: Sentimental Fare Directed by Eventual Murder Victim Directed by William …
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The Sadist with Arch Hall Jr. The Sadist (movie 1963) review. The Sadist (movie 1963) review: Curious B flick Say what you will about Arch Hall Jr. (and I know …
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Beulah Bondi, Victor Moore, Make Way for Tomorrow The main conflict in Leo McCarey’s Make Way for Tomorrow revolves around an elderly couple, Barkley and Lucy Cooper (Victor Moore and …
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The Beast with a Million Eyes: Hardly truth in advertising as Roger Corman’s micro-budget sci-fi thriller is no “monster movie.” The Beast with a Million Eyes (movie 1955) review: Alien …
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The Love of Jeanne Ney with Uno Henning and Edith Jehanne. G.W. Pabst’s The Love of Jeanne Ney / Die Liebe der Jeanne Ney is a real mystery. And I mean …
San Francisco Silent Film Festival highlights include hand-tinted color fantasies by Segundo de Chomón and Louis Feuillade in the days before Technicolor.
Bert Williams: Lime Kiln Club Field Day (movie 1913) review: Long-forgotten silent offers a rare look at black people’s lives in the early 20th century.
The San Francisco Silent Film Festival program ‘Amazing Tales from the Archives’ discussed the discovery of the 1916 Sherlock Holmes.
The Girl in Tails (movie 1926) review: Karin Swanström and Hjalmar Bergman show that to fight oppression women must stand up and scandalize.
The Canadian (movie 1926) review: Silent era star Thomas Meighan and its rugged Alberta setting are the key reasons to check out William Beaudine’s rural drama. Also with Mona Palma.
Chloe, Love Is Calling You (movie 1934) review: Old indie mixes reactionary ideas about interracial love with vengeance and voodoo in tragic actress’ final little-seen film.
Blood and Sand with Rudolph Valentino and Nita Naldi Blood and Sand (movie 1922) review: Dominating Rudolph Valentino. Blood and Sand (movie 1922) review: Rudolph Valentino star vehicle Bullfighting has …