Lulu benefit

The cast of Lulu is having a benefit party on October 16th at the Balazo 18 Gallery, located at 2863 Mission Street in San Francisco. (That's near the Victoria Theater - where Lulu is showing through the end of the month.)  Here's your chance to meet the cast of  Lulu, have a drink, and hear some good music by the likes of The Vaticans and The Crazy B's. Photographs of the cast and production will also be on display. The benefit kicks off around 7 pm - and finishes around 11 pm. Additional details to come.

I met Lulu

Today, quite by chance, I met some of the cast members of Lulu, which is currently being staged here in San Francisco. I was at work at the Booksmith on Haight Street when I noticed a nice looking young women with a sporty black bob browsing the magazine section. I thought, "she looks familiar." Could it be Lulu? And so, I did what I rarely do, I approached someone I did not know and asked, "Aren't you . . . .?"

"Yes," was her answer. Lulu was in fact Kyla (her real name), and she and a few other members of the cast were out shopping. (Kyla had just found a second-hand, hardback copy of the Barry Paris biography of Louise Brooks - which she showed me.) We chatted about the play, their recent reviews, my plans to see it again, etc.... They were cool people. I enjoyed meeting them and look forward to see them again when my wife and I return to see the play, perhaps at the end of the month. If you live in the Bay Area and haven't seen this superb production, please go see it !

London After Midnight

Watched the still restoration of London After Midnight on TCM. It was ok. I liked Lon Chaney's vampire make-up, and the bat-girl was interesting. I wish my old friend Emil Petaja had still been alive to see this. He would have enjoyed it. London After Midnight was one of his favorite films.

Library sale

Did anyone go to the Friends of the San Francisco Public Library annual book sale? I went today, when everything was a dollar of less. My wife and I and our friend Allan Milkerit, an esteemed San Francisco book dealer, were about the tenth people in line.

Things seemed to have been picked over pretty well, though there were a few worthwile books still to be found. I headed directly to the film section. My best find was a hardback, first edtion copy of David Yallop's 1976 book on the "Fatty" Arbuckle scandal,The Day the Laughter Stopped. I also found a hardback copy of Robert Henderson's 1972 book, D.W. Griffith: His Life and Work, and an Australian book on the history of early Australian film. (And yes, it does picture and discuss The Sentimental Bloke - see earlier LJ entry). Other books I found include older hardback biographies of William Randolf Hearst, William Wyler, Mary Pickford, Gary Cooper, and Groucho Marx. As well as a few general works on film history. It wasn't the fabulous haul I had last year. Nor did I find any swell books on the 1920's - as I usually do.

One film reference book I purchased was Who's Who in Hollywood 1900 - 1976, by David Ragan. It's a bulky 860 page encyclopedia style work with zillions of entries on just about everyone. As a reference work, its nice to have around - though it has probably been superceded by the interenet and other contemporary reference works. The entry on Louise Brooks (written while she was still alive) is especially curious - it is respectful, but riddled with errors.

October events

Thru October 29, 2006: The Silent Theater company has extended their San Francisco stage production of Lulu at the Victoria Theater.  (more info)

October 3 - 8, 2006: The SEDICICORTO International Film Festival Forlì in Forlì, Italy takes place. A special category in this year festival includes films relating to Louise Brooks.  (more info)

October 7 - 14, 2006: The Le Giornate del Cinema Muto in Italy will show G.W. Pabst's Pandora's Box, with a newly commissioned orchestral score.  (more info)

October 12-13-14, 2006: As part of its Centenary Tribute to Louise Brooks, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art presents Pandora's Box.  (more info)

October 13, 2006: The Music Box Theatre in Chicago will screen Pandora's Box as part of the Roger Ebert "Great Movies" series.  (more info)

October 15, 2006: The Music Box Theatre in Chicago will screen Pandora's Box as part of the Roger Ebert "Great Movies" series.  (more info)

October 15, 2006: The Valley of the Sun Chapter of the American Theater Organ Society presents Beggars of Life as part of its "Silent Sunday" series at the Orpheum Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona.  (more info)

October 20, 2006: As part of its Centenary Tribute to Louise Brooks, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art presents A Girl in Every Port andDiary of a Lost Girl. Claudine Kaufmann, former Director of Collections, Cinémathèque Française, will be in attendance.  (more info)

October 21, 2006: As part of its Centenary Tribute to Louise Brooks, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art presents the silent version of Prix de Beauté. This new print, restored by the Cineteca di Bologna and running 109 minutes, features French intertitles and a spoken translation. Claudine Kaufmann, former Director of Collections, Cinémathèque Française, will be in attendance.  (more info)

October 23, 2006: The Florida Theatre in Jacksonville, Floria will screen Pandora's Box.  A specially commissioned poster has been created for the event.

San Francisco Public Library annual book sale

The Friends of the San Francisco Public Library 42nd annual book sale takes place this weekend. For more info click here. I will be there Sunday morning. Can't wait to find a few treasures - books on film, biographies, dance, music, 20th century American history,  etc....