This Sunday 24th April Kevin Brownlow will be in Woodbridge.
This is a treat for silent films fans, as you can’t dig far into the subject without hitting his name (he appeared in the credits to the Chaplin restoration we showed the other day). He is a historian, documentary maker, and preservationist whose contribution to the enduring legacy of silent cinema is like no other, and was awarded an Honourary Oscar for his work.
An Evening With Kevin Brownlow
Suffolk Silents Society presents
Directed by Women: Selected Shorts
3.30pm Sunday 6th September 2015
Ipswich Film Theatre Screen 2 – £2 cash on door,
In association with the Directed by Women Worldwide Viewing Party and Scalarama 2015, Suffolk Silents Society will be showing a selection of short silent films. This will showcase the work of early female film pioneers such as Lotte Reiginer, Alice Guy, and Lois Weber.
When we think of the silent era key figures such as Charlie Chaplin, DW Griffiths, Fritz Lang tend to come to mind. There is however a hidden history of silent film.
Alice Guy attended the first public demonstration of their new invention by the Lumiere Brothers and saw the workers leaving the factory. She however also saw the power of the new Cinematograph to tell stories and went on to develop the first narratives on film.
Lotte Reiginer is commonly credited with the first feature length animation. Her wonderful The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926) is almost certainly the earliest surviving feature length animation and pre-dates Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs by over a decade.
Lois Weber is famous as America’s first female film director but more importantly as a key innovator in the field and one of the era’s “three great minds” along with DW Griffith and Cecil B DeMille. The still shown is from her short Suspense where she uses split screen to show simultaneous action in three different locations.
These are just three of the women who took the reins and drove the early history of film in new and exciting directions. Suffolk Silents Society is delighted to be able to showcase a selection of work by them and others and invites you to join in the celebration.
A new documentary about the history of early cinema has been released in the UK and is coming to Ipswich Film Theatre Tuesday 11th, Wednesday 12th, and Thursday 13th August.
The First Film tells the story of Louis Le Prince a Frenchman living and working in Leeds who “probably” invented moving pictures.
For a detailed synopsis and article from the director about researching the film visit the Guerilla Films website.
The documentary has garnered excellent reviews in the UK press including The Telegraph, The Observer, The Guardian, The Financial Times, The Independent, and Empire. The wonderful Silent London has also reviewed the film on their blog.
David Wilkinson with a replica of Louis Le Prince’s camera
If you would like to meet the director, David Wilkinson, pictured above, he will be introducing the film on Tuesday 11th August at 7.30pm at Ipswich Film Theatre.
You can book tickets online via the Ipswich Film Theatre website.
Suffolk Silents Society is back for the Autumn with a selection of short films directed by women. This will take place at Ipswich Film Theatre on Sunday 6th September 2015 at 3.30pm.
Entry is £2 pay on the door. You’ll find us in the Screen 2 corridor.
We’ll be showcasing the talents of early film pioneers such as Lotte Reiginer most famous for the earliest surviving feature length animation The Adventures of Prince Achmed and Alice Guy-Blache, probably the first female film director.
This screening is part of Scalarama and the Directed by Women Worldwide Viewing Party.
We are delighted to finally announce our first film screening on Sunday 14th December starting 4pm at Ipswich Film Theatre.
Everyone knows that December is a time for light and love, for magic, mystery, and mayhem so Suffolk Silents Society is marking the season with a tale from the Arabian Nights.
The Thief of Bagdad stars cinemas greatest ever adventurer, Douglas Fairbanks, as the Thief who falls for the Princess in this timeless fantasy telling of forbidden love and flying carpets.
With epic sets, cutting edge special effects, and one of the biggest budgets of the age this 1924 production still astonishes and enchants audiences of today.
This is a new 2k restoration featuring a magnificent score by Carl Davis performed by the Philarmonia Orchestra.
Its £5 for a trial membership to Suffok Silents Society, which is available in advance on the IFT Box Office here or on the door on the day.
Members will receive free entry to the film, a souvenir programme, a regular newsletter on silent cinema, and be able to bring under-16s to this screening for free.
We are also planning further screenings that will be announced in due course.
Even if you won’t be attending you can help make this event a success by supporting our Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign.
It is all getting very exciting. We’re within days of being able to announce our first film screening.
Our first step has now gone live with our tiny little Kickstarter campaign. We’re trying to generate at least £100 over the next two weeks to fund printing and publicity materials.
If you want to know more and especially if you want to support us please visit Kickstarter to make your pledge.
I thought I enjoyed an ale or two but this little video really shows how to enjoy yourself.
Wonderful!
Thanks to @BristolSilents
Movies are about the big screen and I think this applies double to silent film. Now I have evidence to support this (or anecdotes if you’re being picky).
Today was browsing the internet and noticed that BFI had uploaded a video of some suffragettes getting arrested – cool.
Very cool even – except watched A Night at the Cinema 1914 at Ipswich Film Theatre tonight and the same footage was included. Wow! A completely different viewing experience. Wonderful.
Pretty much my favourite segment of the programme tonight however was Pimple. I was crying with laughter. A perfect mix of slapstick and post-modern metaness. If you haven’t seen it you need to watch it cos it is so clever, cheap and clever. Fortunately you can watch it at BFI Player but its just not the same.
Getting access to the full range of cinema is vital – on whatever format – but nothing compares to seeing cinema as cinema ie at a cinema
As a tribute to last weekend’s Glastonbury showing of Beggars of Life with a live music soundtrack by Neil Brand and The Dodge Brothers here’s a Louise Brooks poll
I confess to having only seen Beggars of Life but can’t wait to see the others.
THANKS to Stephen Horne and Stevie Nicholls for pointing out I’d missed the silent version of Prix de Beaute.
For Mark Kermode’s comments on their Glastonbury performance
I’m getting some flyers printed up. I hope this design is OK.
New Flyer Design
suffolksilents 