Bristol Slapstick Festival - The Gems / Highlights

Interact with your favorite SCM authors, producers, directors, historians, archivists and silent comedy savants. Or just read along. Whatever.
DaveGlass
Posts: 216
Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2010 11:58 am

Bristol Slapstick Festival - The Gems / Highlights

Postby DaveGlass » Mon Jan 31, 2011 2:24 pm

Hi chaps.
Been a while but I'm back in the silent groove again....
Just returned from Bristol and the Slapstick event.
Thought you'd like to get the lowdown.
I went to most of the events but as you know, it's a different beast to Slapsticon.
The use of 'celebs' to draw in the crowds has always been a bit of a negative for me, especially as most of the celebs are just casual fans and don't offer any real insite into the films or the stars within them.
I won't highlight each show (details are on the Slapstick website if you're interested).
I'll just mention the real gems that were lurking.....

Kevin Brownlow is always a delight to listen to and his 'Unknown Chaplin' presentation, whilst not containing much new stuff, was just great.
Kevin also later introduced Clara Bow's 'Mantrap' (although "Slapstick"??... hmmm) and this was the BFI print which is from a pretty good nitrate.

The big comedy gala with an audience of a thousand plus people was the usual hit, helped by the attendance of 'Jazz Train' a 15 piece jazz unit who'd flown in from Germany for the event! (paid for by their German sponsors too!). The four shorts shown were Lloyd's GET OUT AND GET UNDER; Chaplin's ONE AM; Laurel & Hardy's WE FAW DOWN; and Keaton's NEIGHBORS.

During the rest of the weekend, the big laugh makers for me were Chaplin's THE CIRCUS, which always works well with an audience, and Lloyd's FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE.

The most interesting programme though was 'Rediscoveries and Revelations' presented by David Wyatt. This included the surviving footage of LOVE 'EM AND WEEP and Laurel's WHEN KNIGHTS WERE COLD (from Rob Stone); the "reconstruction" of Billy Bevan's ON PATROL (from yours truly) and the majority of a recently discovered nitrate of Charley Chase's THE PERFECT LADY (co-starring Kalla Pasha! - yes really!!) A truly bizarre little film.

So, a shame you couldn't all make it.
In the meantime, I'm saving up for Washington.....

Dave

Yair Solan
Associate
Posts: 28
Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2009 4:28 pm
Contact:

Re: Bristol Slapstick Festival - The Gems / Highlights

Postby Yair Solan » Mon Jan 31, 2011 3:14 pm

Sounds like a great event - thanks for the roundup, Dave. The rarities program must have been terrific - WHEN KNIGHTS WERE COLD was previously screened at Slapsticon and it brought the house down, easily one of Stan Laurel's best solo comedies. And was the rediscovered Charley Chase short CHASING HUSBANDS? Any more details on that one? How much of the film survives? If it's the one I'm thinking of, it's not only got Kalla Pasha, but Chase in drag...amazing that some of these late MGM silents are now turning up.
Last edited by Yair Solan on Mon Jan 31, 2011 6:43 pm, edited 2 times in total.
THE WORLD OF CHARLEY CHASE
http://www.charley-chase.com

Gary Johnson
Cugine
Posts: 656
Joined: Tue Jun 09, 2009 4:15 am
Location: Sonoma, CA
Contact:

Re: Bristol Slapstick Festival - The Gems / Highlights

Postby Gary Johnson » Mon Jan 31, 2011 3:22 pm

I see THE GOODIES appeared as presenters but not together.
Have they annoyed each other through the years?

Does Brownlow stop by every year or just when he is in the country?

DaveGlass
Posts: 216
Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2010 11:58 am

Re: Bristol Slapstick Festival - The Gems / Highlights

Postby DaveGlass » Mon Jan 31, 2011 5:50 pm

Hi Yair
Yes, it must have been Chasing Husbands.
Although DW introduced it as THE PERFECT LADY, it didn't look like a 1924 Chase style.
And when Kalla Pasha appeared, I had serious doubts!
Unfortunately, I believe only 1 reel has been found....

Hi Gary
... yes, all three 'Goodies' were there. They didn't appear "on stage" together but they all get on and attended each other's presentations.

K Brownlow is a patron of Bristol Silents (the group who put on Slapstick). He fronts up some of their other "serious" silent film presentations throughout the rest of the year.....

DG

Yair Solan
Associate
Posts: 28
Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2009 4:28 pm
Contact:

Re: Bristol Slapstick Festival - The Gems / Highlights

Postby Yair Solan » Mon Jan 31, 2011 6:55 pm

DaveGlass wrote:Hi Yair
Yes, it must have been Chasing Husbands.
Although DW introduced it as THE PERFECT LADY, it didn't look like a 1924 Chase style.
And when Kalla Pasha appeared, I had serious doubts!
Unfortunately, I believe only 1 reel has been found....


THE PERFECT LADY is a one-reeler, so if it's missing a reel and Kalla Pasha is in the cast, it must be CHASING HUSBANDS (1928). Is the surviving footage reel 1 or 2?
THE WORLD OF CHARLEY CHASE
http://www.charley-chase.com

Richard Finegan

Re: Bristol Slapstick Festival - The Gems / Highlights

Postby Richard Finegan » Wed Feb 02, 2011 3:09 am

Yair Solan wrote:CHASING HUSBANDS...If it's the one I'm thinking of, it's not only got Kalla Pasha, but Chase in drag...

And Jean Harlow.

DaveGlass
Posts: 216
Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2010 11:58 am

Re: Bristol Slapstick Festival - The Gems / Highlights

Postby DaveGlass » Thu Feb 03, 2011 8:11 pm

Yair - next time I chat with DW I'll get more info.
The extract shown consisted mainly of Chase in drag and Kalla pulling faces.
Unfortunately not that funny...... DG

DaveGlass
Posts: 216
Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2010 11:58 am

Re: Bristol Slapstick Festival - The Gems / Highlights

Postby DaveGlass » Wed Feb 09, 2011 1:46 pm

Quick update...
It definately seems to be PERFECT LADY.
Here's the first cap for The Massa Gang to scrutinize....
Dave
Image

DaveGlass
Posts: 216
Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2010 11:58 am

Re: Bristol Slapstick Festival - The Gems / Highlights

Postby DaveGlass » Wed Feb 09, 2011 1:50 pm

and another couple....
Image
Image

DaveGlass
Posts: 216
Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2010 11:58 am

Re: Bristol Slapstick Festival - The Gems / Highlights

Postby DaveGlass » Wed Feb 09, 2011 1:51 pm

and a couple more....
Image
Image


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 62 guests