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

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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.

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.