1933 Italian crossword puzzle with Louise Brooks

Here is a page from a famous weekly Italian puzzle magazine, published in Italy and distributed in other European countries. This special number, with an image of Louise Brooks, dates from 1933. The first issue of La Settimana Enigmistica was published in January 1932, and featured the Mexican actress Lupe Vélez on the front cover. The magazine is still published to this day. [Special thanks to Gianluca for finding this treasured item.]

New Zealand premiere of silent Prix de beauté

The New Zealand International Film Festival have announced they will screen the rarely shown silent version of Prix de beauté, the 1930 French sound film starring Louise Brooks. The film was initially shot as a silent, and was then adapted to sound. The sound version, with dubbed dialogue and music, was released as "talkies" were beginning to dominate the film world. The silent version quietly faded away. This special screening on August 3, 2014 features Marc Taddei conducting the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra in a single performance of Timothy Brock’s recent original score. More information on this event can be found at http://www.nziff.co.nz/2014/auckland/prix-de-beaute/.

New Zealand Truth: In dreams invention we bestow to change

New Zealand Truth, October 10, 1929

Must watch: Andy McCluskey introduces Louise Brooks on the big screen at an OMD concert

Here is another must watch video of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) performing their hit song "Pandora's Box (It's a long, long way)" live in concert, with images of Louise Brooks projected on the screen behind the band. YouTube has a number of similar videos.What I love about this particular video is the song's introduction given by OMD singer and big-time Louise Brooks fan Andy McCluskey.

 Yesterday, the Huffington Post ran my article on Louise Brooks and popular music. The article, "Natalie Merchant's 'Lulu' Latest Pop Tribute to Silent Film Icon Louise Brooks," features an OMD concert video, and a slideshow of album covers related to the silent film star. Check it out.

Huffington Post article on Louise Brooks and popular music

Today, the Huffington Post ran my article on Louise Brooks and popular music. The article, "Natalie Merchant's 'Lulu' Latest Pop Tribute to Silent Film Icon Louise Brooks," features a couple of videos and a slideshow of album covers related to the silent film star. Like this one from The Freeze, a little known Scottish punk group (think The Buzzcocks meet The Cure). This 1980 single is in all likelihood the first rock tribute to the actress. Vocalist Gordon Sharp went on to work with the Cocteau Twins.

The World of Josef von Sternberg, by Kevin Brownlow (1967 mini documentary)

An approximately 20 minute, 1967 interview and profile with film director Josef von Sternberg, researched, written, and directed by Kevin Brownlow. In the this interview Sternberg talks about Hollywood, his career, and  Marlene Dietrich (star of The Blue Angel), with whom he made and directed seven films. Sternberg also give a practical demonstration of his lighting and camera techniques. Presented in two parts.

The first part can be seen here on YouTube: http://youtu.be/6DX7sll9Gug

The second part can be seen here on YouTube: http://youtu.be/aRW5WPW0uqw

San Francisco Screening of Anna May Wong documentary

For PBS viewers in the San Francisco Bay Area: Join KQED and Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) for an Asian Pacific American Heritage Month celebration and film screening on Wednesday, May 21, 2014 from 6:00 - 8:30pm. The film to be screened is a 2012 PBS documentary, Anna May Wong: In Her Own Words, by Yunah Hong.

"Anna May Wong knew she wanted to be a movie star from the time she was a young girl—and by 17 she became one. A third generation Chinese American, she went on to make dozens of films in Hollywood and Europe . She was one of the few actors to successfully transition from silent to sound cinema, co-starring with Marlene Dietrich, Anthony Quinn and Douglas Fairbanks along the way. She was glamorous, talented and cosmopolitan—yet she spent most of her career typecast either as a painted doll or a scheming dragon lady. For years, older generations of Chinese Americans frowned upon the types of roles she played; however today, a younger generation of Asian Americans sees her as a pioneering artist, who succeeded in a hostile environment that hasn't altogether changed." For more information, visit http://www.wmm.com/filmcatalog/pages/c830.shtml

Breaking news: Natalie Merchant releases video for her Louise Brooks song "Lulu"

Natalie Merchant performs "Lulu," from her self-titled album, out now on Nonesuch Records. The video features excerpts from the silent film masterpiece Pandora's Box (1929) by Austrian director, Georg Wilhelm Pabst. American silent film legend Louise Brooks stars.


Used with kind permission from United Film Enterprises, Praesens-Film AG, Zurich/ / Switzerland © 1929. Special thanks to The Criterion Collection.

Music & lyrics by Natalie Merchant

Order Natalie Merchant's self-titled 2014 album at:
http://nataliemerchant.shop.musictoda...
http://www.nonesuch.com/albums/natali...
iTunes: http://smarturl.it/natalieitunes