Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Louise Brooks and Pandora's Box still attract

Here is the text of my June 30 examiner.com article: "Louise Brooks and Pandora's Box still attract." 

Louise Brooks and Pandora's Box still attract

June 30, 2009 | San Francisco Examiner (CA)
Author: Thomas Gladysz | Section: SF Silent Movie Examiner

The popularity of Louise Brooks, the now iconic silent film star, seems to be on the rise.A series of her films screened in May at the Silent Movie Theatre in Los Angeles reportedly drew capacity crowds. And on July 1st, her best known work, Pandora’s Box, will be shown at the 2,000 seat Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles. That event has been sold out for some time. That’s not bad for an actress who was considered little more than a footnote in film history a few decades ago. 

The Wednesday screening at the Orpheum Theatre is sponsored by the Los Angeles Conservancy and is being presented as part of their 23rd Annual Last Remaining Seats series. It promises to be a special event. Hugh Munro Neely, director of the 1998 Emmy-nominated documentary Louise Brooks: Looking for Lulu, will host the evening. Acclaimed organist Robert Israel will accompany Pandora’s Box on the Mighty Wurlitzer. And Hugh Hefner, Playboy founder, film buff, and a longtime fan of the actress, is sponsor. [Notably, the film co-stars Francis Lederer, the late Czech-born actor who lived for many years in the San Fernando Valley.]

The main attraction, however, is Louise Brooks. Free of her contract with Paramount, the Kansas-born actress traveled to Germany in 1928 to appear in a film of which she knew little about. It was just something to do. And, it was a perfect fit. Today, Pandora’s Box is considered not only Brooks’ best work, but one of the masterpieces of the silent film era. In a nutshell, Pandora’s Box tells the story of Lulu, a lovely and somewhat petulant show-girl whose flirtations with a number of men have devastating results. The film was based on two turn-of-the-last-century plays by the German writer Frank Wedekind (who also authored the text behind the recent Broadway smash Spring Awakening). Lulu has been described as vamp and femme fatale, but in fact, she is a kind of innocent. As one writer put it, her “sinless sexuality hypnotizes and destroys the weak, lustful men around her.” (And not just men. Lulu’s sexual magnetism knew no bounds, as Pandora’s Box features what may be the screen’s first lesbian character, played by Alice Roberts.) At times, the film - heavily censored in its day and still incomplete - can seem like melodrama. In Pandora’s Box, Brooks’ nevertheless reveals her considerable gifts as an actress through an individualized interpretation of her archetypal character. 

Largely due to Brooks’ truly sensational performance, this G.W. Pabst directed film enjoys its current stellar reputation. It wasn’t always the case. The film made its world premiere February 9, 1929 at the Gloria–Palast in Berlin. German reviews of the time were mixed. When Pandora’s Box opened at a small art house in New York City in December of that same year, American newspaper and magazine critics were equally indifferent. Photoplay, one of the leading fan magazines of the time, noted “When the censors got through with this German-made picture featuring Louise Brooks, there was little left but a faint, musty odor. It is the story, both spicy and sordid, of a little dancing girl who spread evil everywhere without being too naughty herself. Interesting to American fans because it shows Louise, formerly an American ingénue in silent films, doing grand work as the evil-spreader.” That was a good review. Mordaunt Hall, critic for the New York Times, famously wrote “Miss Brooks is attractive and she moves her head and eyes at the proper moment, but whether she is endeavoring to express joy, woe, anger or satisfaction it is often difficult to decide.” Quinn Martin, critic at the New York World, echoed Hall’s remarks when he stated “It does occur to me that Miss Brooks, while one of the handsomest of all the screen girls I have seen, is still one of the most eloquently terrible actresses who ever looked a camera in the eye.” Variety put the nail in the coffin when its critic opined “Better for Louise Brooks had she contented exhibiting that supple form in two-reel comedies or Paramount features. Pandora’s Box, a rambling thing that doesn’t help her, nevertheless proves that Miss Brooks is not a dramatic lead.”

What is it that draws contemporary audiences to Louise Brooks? And why would 2,000 people gather to see a once disregarded 80 year old silent film? Perhaps, the answer lies in our modern ability to see beyond appearances, to appreciate qualities beneath the skin. Lottie Eisner, the great German film critic, once described Brooks as “An astonishing actress endowed with an intelligence beyond compare.” Kevin Brownlow, the great British film historian, more recently described Brooks as “One of the most remarkable personalities to be associated with films.” Louise Brooks is certainly both of those things, and more. The thousands who gather Wednesday night will be able to judge for themselves.

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Lulu in LA July 1st

Wow, Louise Brooks seems to be more popular than ever.

On July 1st, Pandora's Box will be shown at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles. That historic venue seats nearly 2,000 - and this special screening has been sold out for some time.

Hugh Munro Neely, director of the 1998 Emmy-nominated documentary Louise Brooks: Looking for Lulu, will host the evening. Acclaimed organist Robert Israel will accompany Pandora’s Box on the Mighty Wurlitzer. And Hugh Hefner, Playboy founder, film buff, and a longtime fan of the actress, is sponsor.

My just published article on the event can be found on examiner.com. Please take a look.

Vintage Austrian postcard for sale on eBay

This vintage Austrian photo postcard is for sale on eBay. The card, number 471 in a series, features a 1925 portrait of Louise Brooks by M.I. Boris, a New York City-based photographer active during the 20s, 30s, and 40s.


Interestingly, Boris was once a court photographer to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. (Years ago, I met his son, and he told me his Father's story.) Boris was a gifted image maker, and thought of himself as an artist. Notice the cross-hatch lines and pastoral background in the Brooks' image.

I wonder if Boris knew his images had made their way back to his former home. Besides Louise Brooks, he also photographed many other early film stars - some of these images were reproduced by the Austrian postcard maker, Iris Verlag.

Monday, June 29, 2009

Is your daughter safe?

While researching Louise Brooks screenings in the San Francisco Bay Area, I came across this curious advertisement for a "sex exposure film" titled Is Your Daughter Safe. The film was released as a silent by the Chadwick Pictures Corporation in 1927. And, as is evident from the advertisement, it played locally at the California Theatre in Livermore (a suburb south and east of Oakland, California).

Interestingly, the ad reads in part, "owing to the delicate nature of this record-breaking road show entertainment and the intimate manner in which it is presented it cannot be shown to both sexes at the same time." As a result, there were separate screenings for both men and women.

From the ad, you would guess this is some sort of documentary or informational film. But it isn't. From what I could gleam from the Internet Movie Database, Is Your Daughter Safe is actually a lurid drama about white slavery (the sexual exploitation of young women) and prostitution. According to Wikipedia, the "film was created as a compilation of footage that was, in some cases, nearly fifteen years old."

Today, like Reefer Madness and other topical films, this film would be considered an "exploitation" film. Whatever the case, it certainly speaks to the fears of a certain segment of the American population during the 1920s.

Has anyone seen this film? Is it as bad as it seems it would be ?

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Stunning portrait for sale on eBay



This stunning portrait of Louise Brooks is for sale on eBay. So far, there are no bids on the item, which is described as an "Original 8x10 Paramount negative" (number P703-145) by Eugene Robert Richee. This image is from one of my favorite portrait sessions, a group of pictures distinguished by the kimono seen in every image. Bidding opens at $499.00.

What Becomes of the "Follies" Girls


I found this clipping the other day while doing some research. It certainly speaks to the times - especially the public interest in the lives of show girls. Today, I suppose there is equal interest in the lives of actors and actresses, and musicians.

I don't know how accurate are its figures - even in general terms. Nevertheless, I found it quite interesting. At the time it was published, 1926, Louise Brooks would have fallen under the categories of "Married" and "In the movies."

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

A new blog for the Louise Brooks Society

After more than 6 years and some 1,327 entries, I've decided to move the Louise Brooks Society blog from LiveJournal to Blogger. The old LBS blog is located at http://louisebrooks.livejournal.com

There is still a lot of work to be done in preparation of the move. I am still messing around with Blogger settings. And, I still need to redirect numerous links to the old blog and post notices of the change. Hopefully, the handful of readers the old blog attracted won't mind the change.

This is not a decision I came to quickly. I have been thinking about it a lot. I love LiveJournal, and it has been the home to the LBS blog for a long time. Actually, since I started blogging in 2003. However, Blogger's many features make it hard to resist.

This entry is something of a test. This new blog is a work in progress.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Beggars of Life (1928)

Cliff Aliperti, who writes about classic film for examiner.com, just published a long piece on Beggars of Life (1928). Check it out at http://www.examiner.com/x-8826-NY-Classic-Movies-Examiner~y2009m6d22-Louise-Brooks-stars-in-William-Wellmans-Beggars-of-Life-1928

Friday, June 19, 2009

From Silents to Sound

A recent article for examiner.com briefly discusses Louise Brooks and some of the actors and actresses who worked both in silent and sound films. The article, a review of Roy Liebman's From Silents to Sound: A Biographical Encyclopedia of Performers Who Made the Transition to Talking Pictures (McFarland), can be found at www.examiner.com/x-7605-SF-Silent-Film-Examiner~y2009m6d16-From-silents-to-sound--book-details-tipping-point-in-Hollywood-history  Check it out!

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