9 minutes ago
What's Going On
Monday, August 11, 2008
I'd like to thank my readers for their patience once again during another lengthy absence. Without going into much detail, I'll just say that health issues involving multiple beings have taken much of my time and energy lately, and the blog inevitably finds itself towards the bottom of my daily to-do list.
Recently I've done a bit of rearranging on the sidebar and have composed an About The Blog post. Finally. After 16,000 hits and nearly a year. Never try to out-procrastinate me, friends, because you will lose.
You can see the new About post here, although those of you with SBBN on your RSS reader will see it pop up as a new entry despite it being backdated. It has also been added to the sidebar.
I highly recommend reading the About post, especially if you've always wondered why I don't update more frequently.
What brief administrative post would be complete without a picture of El Brendel? Picture is a still of El Brendel and Fifi D'Orsay in "Mr. Lemon of Orange", not a lost film per se, but I believe the only print available is a vault-only archival print at UCLA.
Posted by Stacia at 8:18 PM 8 comments
Labels: administrative, el brendel
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8 comments:
Bravo for the latest El Brendel photo, and the disconcerting news that some films are "vault only." Why is this? Lack of funds? EB bias? It's maddening to know some films exist but are hostage, however benevolent the prison.
I don't honestly know why the film isn't shown. Someone on alt.movies.silent once speculated that it's in no shape to be viewed and there are no dupes of it in the archives. Adding to that, personal copies of the film are extremely rare. However, I have heard rumors that someone has a personal 16 mm print of the film and is looking into getting it restored and/or released, but I don't have any more information.
There are probably thousands of films in this cinematic limbo, and at the rate they are restored, I don't know if we'll ever get a chance to see "Mr. Lemon of Orange" in our lifetime.
It is always quality over quantity in my book, and your posts are always quality. I look forward new posts arriving whenever your schedule permits. Believe me, I know its work, often more than folks think.
I'm amazed at what rarities are found on YouTube...old musical clips I haven't seen anywhere else, not even on TCM.
Thanks, operator! And you are so right, blog posts can take a lot of effort. Pictures alone are very fussy in the Blogger format.
King, I also hit YouTube for things you can't find in any official release. There are some clips I've seen that I was sure were completely unavailable except for archives, only to find out they were shown in another country and someone managed to record them and post them to YouTube. Amazing stuff.
Stacia,
Your posts are always worth waiting for. I hope everyone's health has improved and that you are free to procrastinate as you wish!
Stacia,
I came across your blog while checking online for info about El Brendel.
Just got back from a showing of "Wings" at the Tampa Theatre - with Wurlitzer accompaniment by 106-year-old Rosa Rio(!) - and wanted to learn a little more about El Brendel, Clara Bow, and others from the film.
Brendel, Clara Bow and Buddy Rogers, especially, came across as actors you might see on the screen today. Sure, there were plenty of affected silent-era moments, but overall they seemed surprisingly contemporary. (Sort of like Harold Lloyd has always seemed to me.)
I'll be sure to bookmark your blog. If you're interested, check out this cartoon of mine based on Rosa Rio's memories of working with Orson Welles: http://blogjamcomic.wordpress.com/2008/08/31/rosas-radio-days-rosa-rio/
Greg Williams
Tampa, Florida
Thanks, 20th C!
Greg, I agree that in "Wings" those 3 all come across as very modern. When the switch to sound occurred, I think Bow and Rogers both managed to make the switch with grace. El Brendel, however, was stuck with his Simple Swede character because that's what people wanted, and the character just doesn't have a very good shelf life. And of course, Bow's voice -- which sounds find to us nowadays -- ended up being a liability. Between the end of the flapper era and her voice, she didn't make it too far into the sound era, either. Unfortunate.
Rogers had a decent little career. He's one of the several big name silent actors who came from Kansas; he grew up in Olathe.
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