Louise Brooks Society: December 2023

Sunday, December 31, 2023

Happy New Year from the Louise Brooks Society

Happy New Year from the Louise Brooks Society. Here's a 'swonderful picture of Louise Brooks in a celebratory mood.

A follow-up to my previous blog post, which I hope everyone will check out, highlighting the top Louise Brooks news & stories of the year. It concerns the word of the year. Merriam-Webster went with “authentic” (a brilliant choice IMHO) and the Oxford University Press named “rizz,” a riff on charisma.

I wish to put forth my own suggestion, "achievement." I think those top ten selections all represent forms of achievement, the efforts and the dedication and the hard work of various individuals and organizations. Is there an antonym to achievement? I think so. I would suggest bloviate.

THE LEGAL STUFF: The Louise Brooks Society™ blog is authored by Thomas Gladysz, Director of the Louise Brooks Society (www.pandorasbox.com). Original contents copyright © 2023. Further unauthorized use prohibited. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Friday, December 29, 2023

Top Louise Brooks News & Stories of 2023

Like me, you may have noticed some of the annual "top news stories of 2023" features showing up in newspapers, magazines, and on TV. I saw one the other day, and that got me to thinking about the top news stories of the year regarding Louise Brooks. I decided to come up with my own list, my own top 10 list.

These news stories include the release of a new DVD-Blu-ray, a book, a few screenings and other happenings. I've ranked them based on what I perceive to be their relative importance. I also included three items with which I was directly involved. That may not seem objective to some, in the journalistic sense, but as the legendary radio broadcaster and author Wes "Scoop" Nisker once said, "If you don't like the news, go out and create some of your own."

1) Lulu in Hollywood included on the Hollywood Reporter's list of the 100 greatest film books of all time (October 12, 2023) -- read more

2) Pandora's Box released on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK (October 30, 2023) -- read more

3) The Street of Forgotten Men: From Story to Screen and Beyond published (August 7, 2023) -- read more

4) Earliest known image & mention of Louise Brooks in a European publication found (December 26, 2023) -- read more

5) The new restoration of The Street of Forgotten Men screened at the Museum of Modern Art in NY (August 7, 2023) -- read more

6) An article, "Sin Lust Evil' in America: Louise Brooks and the Exhibition History of Pandora’s Box," published by Film International (April 23, 2023) -- read more

7) The rarely shown Hugh Hefner funded restoration of Pandora's Box screened at the Paramount Theater in Oakland, California (May 6, 2023) -- read more

8) Arena: Louise Brooks, a 55 minute 1985 BBC documentary is screened on BBC Four for only the second time since its broadcast in 1986. (December 7, 2023) -- read more

9) The Diary of a Lost Girl, with a musical accompaniment by harpist Elizabeth-Jane Baldry, is shown at the Stroud Arts Festival in the UK (October 29, 2023) -- read more

10) A chocolate Louise Brooks appears on "Bake Off: The Professionals," a UK television show. (September 6, 2023) -- read more

* * *

Interestingly, four of these items involve England. I guess Louise Brooks has a following there, just as she does in France and Germany. There were other candidates for my list of top Louise Brooks stories of 2023 -- such as the Chicago screening of The Show Off on January 10th, the Beggars of Life screening at the Film Forum in New York City on January 22nd, the rare screening of A Girl in Every Port down under at the Majestic Theatre in Pomona, Australia on August 12th, or the airing of LouLou (aka Pandora's Box) on French television on October 18th. DidI miss something? Let me know.

All in all, it was a good year for fans of Louise Brooks. Next year, 2024, looks to be as promising, if not more so....

I know of at least one new book which will be published in 2024, and possibly two or three. A book I plan on completing and publishing next year is Lulu in America: the Lost History of Louise Brooks and Pandora’s Box. This forthcoming book explores the film’s rich, textured and improbably undocumented history; it is based on the long article I wrote for Film International, "'Sin Lust Evil' in America: Louise Brooks and the Exhibition History of Pandora’s Box (1929)". Here is a draft cover design.

Fans of Louise Brooks can also look forward to at least one or likely two DVD releases. In the wings is the already announced William Powell / Philo Vance Collection from Kino Lorber Classics. It includes the 1929 Louise Brooks film, The Canary Murder Case. I am looking forward to this release, which I briefly blogged about back in August.

Another release forthcoming in 2024, with which I am involved, will include a disc of (previously unreleased on home video) film(s) featuring Louise Brooks !!! as well as other shorts and fragments featuring the actress which have not been screened in public for nearly 100 years !!! Admittedly, I was gobsmacked when I saw what is planned - as I had never seen some of this material before. I can't and won't say more about this project, as it has not yet been announced. But let's all look forward to 2024 and what good things may come. Happy new year from the Louise Brooks Society.

Tuesday, December 26, 2023

A Significant Discovery - Louise Brooks First Ever Pic in a European Publication

Lately, I have been updating, revising, and adding pages to the Louise Brooks Society website. One of the pages I just added, "Louise Brooks at the Café de Paris in London", focused on the few months the future actress spent in London, England in late 1924 and early 1925. I thought the page was done, and that nothing more might be added, when I made a significant discovery -- thanks to the assistance of my super sister-in-law, Becca. (Becca is not only my wife's sister, but she is also a longtime contributor to & member of the Louise Brooks Society. You can find her name on the LBS website, and in the acknowledgements of the four books I have authored.)

Following her suggestion, I decided to take one more look at the British newspaper databases, something I have looked at a few times before, but not recently. And BOOM, there it was, a mention of Louise Brooks' debut at the Café de Paris in London. This captioned photo appeared on the back page -- the picture page of the Monday, October 20, 1924 London Daily Chronicle. I was bowled over, as this marks the earliest mention and earliest depiction of Brooks in any European publication. Wowza!

After having researched this period in Brooks' life in every which way I thought I might -- from perusing British newspaper databases to visiting the British National Library while I was in London -- I never thought I would find any mention in a British publication of the future actress. After all, as others have pointed out, she was merely an American chorus girl who luckily landed a job in London as a supporting act at an up-and-coming nightclub. Though well known now, the Café de Paris had opened only a few months before Brooks landed there.

My webpage,"Louise Brooks at the Café de Paris in London", details how Brooks got there, and a little of what her life was like in London. On the page, there is another early picture of Brooks which mentions the Café de Paris, which was published in a German magazine in January, 1925. It is Brooks' second mention/depiction in a European publication. Remember, at this time, Louise Brooks hadn't yet appeared in a film, let alone stood in front of a camera.

I looked through the London Daily Chronicle for the next few days, hoping to find some kind of mention as to how things went at the nightclub -- even without a mention of Brooks -- but could find nothing. Here is a screen grab of the page on which Brooks appeared.

I am still a but stunned by having found this image, even if it is just a little something. My quest to find anything related to Brooks time at the Café de Paris has been long in the works. Below is a picture of me at the British Library some ten years ago. It's followed by another of me at the now closed nightclub. Be sure and check out "Louise Brooks at the Café de Paris in London". Thank you Becca!

Monday, December 25, 2023

Happy Holidays from the Louise Brooks Society

Happy Holidays from the Louise Brooks Society !

Tuesday, December 19, 2023

Herbert Brenon’s The Spanish Dancer (1923)

My review of the new Blu-ray release of The Spanish Dancer was just published by Film International. My review is titled "Florid in a Good Way: Herbert Brenon's The Spanish Dancer (1923)". This Paramount film, directed by Herbert Brenon, stars the wonderful Pola Negri. Check it out HERE.

Besides directing The Spanish Dancer (1923), Brenon also directed Peter Pan (1924), Beau Geste (1926), The Great Gatsby (1926), Laugh, Clown, Laugh (1928) and Louise Brooks' first film, The Street of Forgotten Men (1925). Coincidentally, both the version of The Spanish Dancer found on the Milestone Blu-ray and The Street of Forgotten Men were directed by restored by Robert Byrne, the subject of my previous blog. Byrne is not only a heroic film preservationist, but, he is also a hero to anyone who has an interest in Louise Brooks.

Besides Pola Negri, The Spanish Dancer also stars the dashing Antonio Moreno (the original, original Latin lover type). Also in the cast are two of Louise Brooks' leading men, Adolphe Menjou and Wallace Beery. Each appeared in two films with Brooks, Menjou in A Social Celebrity (1926) and Evening Clothes (1927), and Beery in Now We're in the Air (1927) and Beggars of Life (1928).

The disc's product description reads: "Pola Negri (The Wildcat) was already an international star. Antonio Moreno (The Searchers) was her equal in terms of talent and sex appeal. The director Herbert Brenon (Beau Geste) was one of the greatest directors of his day and he was assisted by his cinematographer, James Wong Howe (Hud). Together, they created one of the great romance epics of the silent era. Restored by Eye Filmmuseum, The Spanish Dancer (1923) is a joy to behold. The film is action-packed, witty, and romantic with huge sets and a cast of thousands. Brenon keeps the adventure going full steam ahead while Negri and Moreno show why they were huge stars of their day. Includes a new orchestral score by Bill Ware!" There is also an audio commentary by film historian Scott Eyman, an interview with the composer Bill Ware, and a restoration demonstration.

As I say in my article, The Spanish Dancer likely isn't Brenon's very best film (among a treasure chest full of gems), but still, it is well worth watching. Here are a couple more pics from the film, courtesy of Milestone, who sent me a review copy of the disc.

Adolphe Menjou (left) and Pola Negri in a scene from The Spanish Dancer

Kathlyn Williams and Wallace Beery (right) in a scene from The Spanish Dancer

The Spanish Dancer is available on Blu-ray through Milestone and is available on amazon.com and other major retailers.

Saturday, December 16, 2023

A BIG thank you to Robert Byrne, friend to Louise Brooks and the Louise Brooks Society

I wish to offer a BIG thank you to Robert Byrne, friend to Louise Brooks and the Louise Brooks Society and to all the silent cinema. On a recent visit to San Francisco and the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, I met up with Byrne, a film preservationist extraordinaire, to thank him for writing the foreword to my recent book, The Street of Forgotten Men: From Story to Screen and Beyond. I also thanked him, on behalf of Louise Brooks fans everywhere, for restoring not only The Street of Forgotten Men, but also Now We're in the Air. Pictured just below if a snapshot of Rob and I taken after he gave me a limited edition giphoscope in recognition of my help in the restoration of Now We're in the Air.

Byrne has done a lot for anyone who likes Louise Brooks, as well as for those who are interested in silent film. He has worked behind the scenes and restored a bunch of worthwhile silent films, and, he has done so much else. His website devoted to coming attaction glass slides from the silent era is amazing. Among the films he worked on was The Spanish Dancer, a 1923 Herbert Brenon film starring Pola Negri which I just watched on Blu-ray and just reviewed for Film International. It is a new release from Milestone. Rob Byrne and I also talked about what each of us were currently working on, as well as some future projects.

One other reason we also got together was because Byrne told me he had something for me that he wanted me to have. That something turned out to be really nifty Canary Murder Case poster, which he gifted to me. Wow. I am gobsmacked. Thank you Rob!

The poster is for a three day, February showing of The Canary Murder Case at the Empire theater in Helston, England. In case you are not familiar, and I wasn't, Helston is a town and civil parish in Cornwall, England in the United Kingdom. This screening likely took place in 1930. Though the film was released in the United States in February of 1929, it usually took a number of months to a year for American films to come into circulation overseas, even in English speaking England.

I tried my best to pin down the details regarding this particular screening, looking through Helston area newspapers for listings and advertisements, but I couldn't find anything related to The Canary Murder Case. That isn't surprising, as small theaters in small towns (in both the United States and overseas, including England), didn't always advertise their films. These locales were small enough that the locals came or didn't come to the theater based not necessarily on what was showing, but on their desire for entertainment.

Though I couldn't find anything about The Canary Murder Case, I did find a little something about the Empire. It still stands! And, movies are still shown there, although the 1914 theater itself has undergone significant changes and has a reduced number of seats. In case you are wondering, the movie showing there now is Wonka. Here is a snapshot I found online of what the theater looks like.

I will conclude this post by saying thank you to Robert Byrne and by posting a photo of my new poster hung on the wall, next to a department story display piece depicting William Powell (the star of The Canary Murder Case), and a large San Francisco Silent Film festival poster depicting Louise Brooks in Pandora's Box. It too was a gift from Rob Byrne. They make a nice trio. (My apologies for the glare.)

Wednesday, December 6, 2023

BBC broadcast of 1985 Louise Brooks TV Documentary

Arena: Louise Brooks, a 55 minute BBC television documentary will be screened on December 7 on BBC Four for only the second time since its repeat broadcast in 1986. More information about this ~~special~~ historic broadcast can be found HERE. [Residents of the UK may stream this programme for the next year.]

According to the BBC website, this film explores "the life of one of the most celebrated icons of early cinema. Louise Brooks talks about her days in Paris and Berlin and the harsh retribution exacted by Hollywood."

The programme description reads, "American film actress Louise Brooks has become one of the most celebrated icons of early cinema. Her performance as unrepentant pleasure-seeker Lulu in GW Pabst's Pandora's Box made her a legend, and Brooks's own life had more than a touch of Lulu's reckless abandon about it.

In this episode of Arena, first transmitted not long after her death in 1985, Brooks talks candidly about her greatest days in Paris and Berlin and the harsh retribution that was exacted by Hollywood. Featuring clips from her varied screen performances."