Phil sees LOVELACE at the Camera 12 Downtown San Jose-August 11, 2013

On June 12, 1972, the adult film DEEP THROAT premiered at the World Theatre in Times Square in New York City. And the world hasn't been the same since. It helped coin the phrase "Porno Chic" and ushered in what has been called "The Golden Age of Pornography," which lasted between 1972-1984. This little film that was made for a mere $25,000 went on to gross allegedly between $100,000 and $600,000 and gave Hollywood a run for it's money. It also transformed a young unknown girl named Linda Boreman into the international porn star Linda Lovelace. However, she was the first to pay the price for all this fame and notoriety. All her struggles, pain, and humiliation she suffered with in her life during this time period are chronicled in the new film LOVELACE.

Actress Amanda Seyfried, (MEAN GIRLS, MAMMA MIA!, LES MISERABLES) portrays Linda in three different phases of her life: the shy, naïve girl who meets her future husband, the infamous Chuck Traynor (Peter Sarsgaard), her rise to stardom after the success of DEEP THROAT, and her crusade against the porn industry. Then the film back tracks to these events and examines more closely the violent and horrifying relationship with Traynor. The regular beatings, pimping her out to men, being forced to do porn by gunpoint, and the controlling her overall career so he can milk her for all her worth.

The film actually opens on a ravaged Linda Lovelace taking a polygraph test to prove that her story is authentically correct. At the end, her book Ordeal is released and she's on the old Phil Donahue Show telling her sad story and survival. The movie ends with a happy like ending, but in reality, it wasn't even like that. After she divorced Chuck, in 1974 she married Larry Marchiano and had two children: Dominic and Lindsay. After she divorced him in 1996, she claimed that Larry was an alcoholic who was verbally abusive to their children and was violent towards her. According to those who knew her personally, Linda always played the victim, never really taking any kind of responsibility on her part.

The film was made by directors Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, who are more famous for their award winning documentaries such as THE TIMES OF HARVEY MILK, THE CELLULOID CLOSET and PARAGRAPH 175, along with the Allen Ginsberg biopic HOWL. While the film was entertaining, I felt that it was two-dimensional, filled with caricatures of those involved with DEEP THROAT, and Linda was somewhat under-developed. Now Amanda's performance of Linda was excellent, bring the iconic porn star to life is no small feat giving the complexity of the character, but it felt as if there was more to her that was left out. Granted, the film is told from Linda's perspective, but it left out a lot of details of her life.

The main focus of the film was her relationship with the abusive Traynor, which was played with such intensity by Sarsgaard. His performance was unbelievable. It's a well known fact that Chuck Traynor was the biggest schmuck and asshole to have ever lived, but seeing him in the movie only establishes it even more.

Linda Lovelace (1949-2002)

Also turning in memorable performances are Robert Patrick and Sharon Stone as Linda's parents John and Dorothy Boreman. However, the caricatures I mentioned earlier were by Hank Azaria's performance of Gerry Damiano and Adam Brody's Harry Reems, the other star of DEEP THROAT. I was appalled by their portrayals of both Gerry and Harry. They made them look like idiots and lacked any real personality! In real life, Harry was a smart, sweet and funny guy who almost went to jail for acting in the film. Gerry was very intelligent who after DEEP THROAT went on to make the other classic adult film THE DEVIL IN MISS JONES, which was owed more to European art house films. And like most filmmakers of that era, Gerry never made any money from his films, thanks in large part of the industry being controlled by the mob. These two men also paid a high price of fame as well, and I felt they should've been portrayed my realistically and honestly.

The film drew quite a bit of controversy before it was even released. On January 22nd of this year, the AVN (Adult Video News) website ran a story about how Harry Reems was unhappy that, "the filmmakers didn't see fit to consult him while writing the script." Then on August 8th, AVN ran another story about "the lawsuit that Arrow Productions owner Raymond Pistol has filed against The Weinstein Company and several other corporate and individual defendants for their alleged infringement of Arrow's copyrights and trademarks to the classic 1972 adult movie DEEP THROAT and its star, Linda Lovelace."

On April 22, 2002, Linda died from injuries sustained in a car accident. Then on October 28, 2008, Gerard Damiano died from complications from a stroke he suffered a month before. Finally, Harry Reems passed away on March 19, 2013 from pancreatic cancer. Whether they like it or not, these three individuals will forever be remembered for making DEEP THROAT and for creating the multi-billion dollar porn industry we know today.

Overall LOVELACE is an interesting film, but it's far from being historically accurate and with its grotesque depiction of real people, it falls flat in my eyes. I love movies, and I love researching about movies, even those films in the porn genre. I know the stories about the making of DEEP THROAT and about Linda Lovelace, and there's much more to the story that is being shown here. 3 out of 5 stars! Mediocre at best and more of a rental!

LOVELACE is currently playing in theaters nationwide, including the Camera Cinemas here in the Bay Area. To view showtimes, visit their website at www.cameracinemas.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil is quoted in the new advertisment for the indie film THE CITIZEN-August 9, 2013

Last Friday while at my meeting at the office, my good friend and fellow blogger Jason Wiener (Jason Watches Movies) posted something very special on my Facebook wall. Now before I go any further with this story, let me take you back to March of this year. It was Day Ten of the Cinequest 23 Film Festival and I had the privilege to see the amazing film entitled THE CITIZEN, starring Khaled Nabawy, Agnes Bruckner, Cary Elwes, William Atherton, and Rizwan Manji. In case you didn't get the chance to read it, here's what I said in my review:

"The second film I saw was the political drama THE CITIZEN. The film focuses on Ibrahim Jarrah (Khaled Nabawy), an Arab immigrant who five years ago won the green card lottery which allows him to became an American citizen. He arrives in America on September 10th, 2001. On his first day he's held at the airport for security reasons, then he checks into hotel where the meets Diane (Agnes Bruckner), who hides her from her abusive boyfriend. The two strike up a friendship and she shows him around New York. Then the next day, the world changes. He is then detained for six months by the government for no reason other than he's from the Middle East. Once released he's faced with racism, his friends being beaten and nearly shot; in short he's forced to see the ugliness in America, the country that he still wishes to be a citizen of. Five years later, Ibrahim receives a letter that threatens to take away his dream of becoming an American citizen.

What I loved about the film that it doesn't shy away from the themes it's addressing: racism, fear, intolerance, injustice, but more importantly, never giving up on your dreams. It's very easy to take things in life for granted, especially if you were born here. Those who come here have to try so much harder than I do, and are faced with so many obstacles that it's staggering. This was the feature film debut by director Sam Kadi, who did a tremendous job of telling this story that was "inspired by many true stories." The entire cast turned in outstanding performances, making this film a must-see!"

So now back to my story. Jason posted on my wall an advertisement that the filmmakers had posted on Facebook. It was a screen shot from the film featuring Elwes, Bruckner, and Nabawy, and right there in the middle of this shot was MY QUOTE!! I couldn't believe it!! This was such an honor!! And again in case you didn't get to see it, here it is!!

I am so honored to have my quote attached to this prestigious and incredible film! If for some reason you have not seen this yet, I strongly encourage you all to see it! This is what I love about independent films! They take chances and break the constraints of what a movie should be. They inspire you, they challenge you, they are literally works of art that deserve your time and attention! If you're tired of seeing the barrage of brain dead schlockbusters coming out of Hollywood (and don't tell me you aren't), do yourself a favor and see this film, as well as other indie films. You'll thank me later for this!

THE CITIZEN was one of my favorite films at Cinequest 23 and it was nominated for the Audience Choice Award! The film has played at several other film festivals, such as the Tri Media Film Festival, the Hollywood Film Festival, and the Abu Dhabi Film Festival. This past May the film was picked up for distribution by Monterey Media! Look for the film to be playing in select cities nationwide this summer and then on DVD and VOD in October. To learn more about the film, visit www.montereymedia.com (you can also see my quote there as well). Also don't forget to follow the film on Facebook and Twitter!

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show! 

Phil attends a special screening of Miss Misery's A NIGHTMARE TO REMEMBER VOL. 1 Red Carpet Premiere at the Clay Theatre in San Francisco-August 3, 2013

Hello again from San Francisco! Last Saturday night I was at the Clay Theatre over in the Filmore District to check out the special midnight screening of A NIGHTAMRE TO REMEMEBR VOL. 1, the first installment of Miss Misery's series of DVD releases showcasing the very best of indie horror short films! There was a lot of excitement that night as well as special guests, like director Mo Whelan and her good friend and model Julia Lee. Also in attendance were directors Bo Campbell and Gino Oddone as well as John Gillette and Adam Richardson from the Bay Area metal/punk band Dammit! After mingling with the filmmakers in the lobby, we all made our way into theatre for the show. Miss Misery welcomed the audience and soon, the lights dimmed and the horror shorts began!

The A NIGHTMARE TO REMEMBER DVD is hosted by Miss Misery and has her introduce each of the seven short films. The first short up was COMPANION, written and directed by Tonjia Atomic. The film takes place in a fairy-like world of the past and is about a woman who must travel through a haunted forest to save her dying father. There she meets a demon spirit that wants to make a bargain that will affect her and her unborn child's lives forever. A very unique and original film! To learn more about this film and all her other films, visit Tonjia Atomic's website at www.tonjiaatomic.com.

The second short shown was EVERYTHING I WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT ZOMBIES I LEARNED FROM THE MOVIES! The film was directed by Sherezada Kent and it's about a three co-workers that are hiding out in their office basement from an army of zombies. When they figure out a plan, they make a startling revelation about the zombies! And it's hilarious! The short film was made back in 2008 and has appeared at numerous film festivals. You can follow Sherezada Kent on Facebook.

Our hostess Miss Misery.

Film short number three was entitled HELP WANTED and was directed by Waylon Bacon. The film's about a college graduate who gets hired at a large warehouse company, where they kill off hookers, homeless people, degenerates, minorites, etc. Almost sounds like working for the government! A lot of social commentary can be found in this short film, which I would love to see more of! To learn more about the director and his films, visit his official website at www.waylonbacon.com.

The fourth film of the night was LADY IN THE KITCHEN. Directed by Bo! Campbell and Gino Oddone, the film stars Victoria Gauthier and is supposedly set in the 1980's (check out that aerobics attire and those big earrings). While cooking up something in the kitchen, she hears a strange sound coming from the kitchen sink. Is the garbage disposal backed up, or is it something else? Something demonic? This very short film (a whopping two minutes!) was quick, fun, and cool, with a nice blood soaked homage to FLASHDANCE at the end!

Fifth film shown was Dave Reda's MY UNDEADLY. In the film a woman is being stalked by an undead zombie, but this awesome horror/comedy has a fun twist ending that made the audience laugh! For those who wish to spice things up in the bedroom, take notes from this film! Reda wrote, produced, directed, and starred in the film along with scream queen Michelle Tomlinson. A cool bonus trivia: the film was shot in the original Michael Myer's house that was used in the original HALLOWEEN! Overall a great short film! To learn more about Reda and his production company Elftwin Films, visit their official website at http://elftwinfilms.com.

Director Mo Whelan, myself, and model Julia Lee.

The next short screened was Mo Whelan's A SIN THAT CANNOT BE FORGIVEN. This interesting film involves a man alone in his apartment where he killed his girlfriend earlier. The film is very much like an Edgar Allen Poe poem come to life; complete with rhyming dialogue, death, and guilt. Truly outstanding piece of art! I can't wait to see what her next film will be! So make sure you look for more films from this amazingly talented director soon! To learn more about Miss Whelan and her work, visit her production company Probell Films' website at www.probellfilms.com.

The last two short films were both directed by the fantastic Reyna Young. First up was LITTLE MISS MUFFIN; a black and white silent film about Little Miss Muffin eating a muffin, then a big ass spider ripping her throat out! Classic!! Loved it!! The second short UNDER THE BED tells the story of a young girl who makes the mistake of looking under her bed! Naughty, naughty girl!

Overall the screening was freaking awesome!! And I for one cannot wait for Volume 2!! For those of you who wish to learn more about Miss Misery, visit her website at www.missmisery.net. To learn more about her company Last Door Productions, and all her future projects, please visit www.lastdoorwayproductions.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil's DVD Review: GAYBY (2012) from Wolfe Video-July 24, 2013

GAYBY
Starring: Jenn Harris, Matthew Wilkas, Anna Margaret Hollyman, Mike Doyle, Alycia Delmore, Jack Ferver, Jonathan Lisecki, Charlie Barnett, Alex Karpovsky, Sarita Choudhury, and Adam Driver.
Cinematography by Clay Liford
Written and Directed by Jonathan Lisecki
Distributed by Wolfe Video

When I attended last month's Frameline 37 Film Festival, I saw some of the very best queer films I have ever seen. These films were funny, touching, shocking, educational, but above all, they were made by some of the most talented filmmakers out there. Today's movie review had the pleasure of being the Closing Night Film at last year's festival, and it's been distributed by the fine folks over at Wolfe Video (located right here in my hometown of San Jose). While comedic and heart warming at the same time, GAYBY also touches upon a subject that is very relatable regardless of sexual preference.

Straight yoga instructor Jenn (Harris) and gay comic book store owner Matt (Wilkas) have been best friends since college. Now being in their 30's, they're starting to feel old, especially Jenn, who really wants to have a baby. Problem is that she has no boyfriend and no potential suitors. Matt is also single and still trying to get over his ex-boyfriend. In the end, Jenn proposes to him their old plan of having a baby together....the old fashioned way! While preparing for parenthood, they both continue dating in an attempt to try to find love and happiness, but will it ruin their plans of having a baby together?

Both Harris and Wilkas have great on-screen chemistry together, playing off one another with precise comedic timing and flawed vulnerability which makes them relatable and believable. We know people like these in our everyday lives. They work with us, they're our friends and neighbors, and our relatives. Harris's Jenn looks, talks, and acts like a normal woman who is desperate to have a child of her own. Also, Ferver and Lisecki as Jenn and Matt's gay best friends bring so much comedic relief that I almost died laughing everytime they came on screen! These guys are hilarious!!

Now the film is based on a short that Jonathan Lisecki did a couple of years ago. Here, we see the continuation of that short, expanding the characters and the situation that ties everyone together. Here is a film that is both funny and romantic, but I wouldn't label it as a romantic comedy. It transcends the normal formality of labeling and really distinguishes itself as a uncategorized movie. It's queer, it's funny, it's silly it's romantic, it's sad, it's topical, it's everything that you the audience projects into it. Therefore, you cannot label the film; by doing so, you're limiting its potential and visibility as a crossover film.

The film has been screened at numerous film festivals, such as the Los Angeles Film Festival, SXSW, and of course Frameline 36. It has also won several Best Film awards, including from Out On Film Atlanta LGBTQ Festival and Boston Independent Film Festival.

The DVD has some cool bonus features: audio commentary, deleted scenes, previews, and the original GAYBY short I mentioned earlier.

GAYBY is one of my favorite DVD releases of 2013 thus far! It's wildly entertaining, full of interesting and believable characters, laugh out loud funny, and touching as well. This is one of the best LGBT films I've seen in a while! 5 out of 5 stars! Highly recommended!!

GAYBY is currently available on DVD at your local retailer. You can also purchase a copy at the Wolfe Video website at www.wolfevideo.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil sees DESPICABLE ME 2 in 2D at the Camera 7 Pruneyard Campbell-July 23, 2013

You want to know something? Kids movies are a lot of fun to watch! It reminds me of when I was a young and my folks taking me to see all those awesome kids movies that I now look back with fond memoriance. Nowadays, kids movies (or called family films) have become even cooler, thanks to computer animation and 3D effects. But in the end it all comes down to the story and the characters. Are we being entertained? Do we care about the characters? Are we having a good time watching the movie? Well, after seeing the new family film DESPICABLE ME 2, I can say yes to all three questions.

A secret laboratory in the arctic (developing a super secret serium) has just been stolen by a new mysterious villain. In need of assistance, the Anti-Villain League (or A.V.I.) sends out their top agent Lucy Wilde (voiced by Kristen Wiig) to recruit former evil villain Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) to help them save the world from this super evil genius.

Returning to lend their vocal talents to the film are Miranda Cosgrove (Margo), Dana Gaier (Edith), Elsie Fisher (Agnes), Russell Brand (Dr. Nefario), and Pierre Coffin, who did a number of Minion voices. They're joined by newbies Nasim Pedrad (Jillian), Kristen Schaal (Shannon), Steve Coogan (Silas Ramsbottom), and Benjamin Bratt as Eduardo, better known as El Macho.

I liked this film better the first one. For starters, thanks to screenwriters Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul, this film has a much better script and better character development, which I thought the first one lacked. Gru's personality is enhanced, especially with the chance of saving the world. Plus being teamed up with Agent Wilde, we get to have a love interest that will take Gru to the next level. And having him be the hero gives the film a dimension, thus propelling the character to new realms.

The film is packed with action and laughter, mostly from the scene stealing Minions, which are super funny, cute, and adorable! One dresses up like a French maid (oh-la-la), one looks like a fireman, one looks like a firetruck (see trailer), and one looks like Carmen Miranda! OK, what kid born in the last ten years will get that joke? Not one of them, but for us adults, we'll get that reference because we grew up watching that same joke in all the old Looney Tunes cartoons we used to watch back when we were kids. See, that's the beauty of cartoons. Some jokes are for the kids, and some are for the adults.

Also looks for references to Saturday Night Live, The Village People, lucha libre wrestling, and an Minion karaoke version of All 4 One's "I Swear." It's really, really hilarious!

Now I saw the film in standard 2D version, so I cannot comment on what the 3D effects looks like. But since it's a well written, well directed, very funny film, then you probably won't need to see it in 3D. But if the kids want to see it that way, then go for it. They will love you for it.

DESPICABLE ME 2 is guaranteed fun time at the movies! If you're tired of the heat that's sweeping the nation, take the whole family out to see this movie! And remember to switch your brain from adult to kid. That way you'll be able to enjoy it more with your family! 4 out of 5 stars! Recommended!!

DESPICABLE ME 2 is currently playing in both 2D and 3D in theaters nationwide, including the Camera Cinemas here in the Bay Area. To view showtimes, visit their website at www.cameracinemas.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil sees THE CONJURING at the Camera 7 Pruneyard Campbell-July 23, 2013

So far this year, there has only been one horror film that has seriously chilled me to the bone, and that was MAMA. It relied more on chills and scares rather than blood and guts. Now don't get me wrong, I love a good gory slasher flick, but I enjoy a cool, spooky, "things that goes bump in the night" kind of film. And after my screening of the supernatural horror film THE CONJURING, I can honestly say that I have just seen this year's best fright film.

Based on true events, the film's about married couple and paranormal investigators Ed (Patrick Wilson from THE WATCHMEN and INSIDIOUS) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga from ORPHAN and SOURCE CODE), who must help a family in Harrisville, Rhode Island from being haunted by a demonic spirit. After some research, they discover the origin of the evil spirit and that the mom Carolyn Perron (Lili Taylor from SAY ANYTHING, THE HAUNTING, THE NOTORIOUS BETTIE PAGE ) is its link to the real world. Along with the help of some friends, Ed and Lorraine must fight the evil entity and save Carolyn's soul.

Director James Wan (SAW, DEAD SILENCE) continues with the supernatural angle that he started with 2011's INSIDIOUS. Since the story takes place back I'm 1971, he employs some of the old traits of filmmaking back then; incorporating special lenses, long takes, zooms and pans. Even the font in the opening titles are very 70's. But he's very specific of his set ups, having standard shots during dialogue and then getting wild and crazy as the story progresses, especially when the scares come fast! Of course it helps to have an smart script, and thanks to brothers Chad and Carey Hayes, they deliver one terrifying story!

The production value is top notch, everything from the clothes to the cars, and even Patrick Wilson's sideburns scream 1971! But what's really amazing is that it's the little things that makes the audience scared: the creaking of a door, the give of a wooden floor board, windows and doors slamming shut, the chimes of the grand father clock, it is these simple sounds that sends a wave a fear washing of us. Case in point; at the screening I was at, there were four teenage girls sitting a couple of rows down from me. During the duration of them, they were so terrified that I thought one of them was going to have a heart attack. That's how scary this film is!

The acting in the film was perfect! Lili Taylor is just the constamment actress and it's wonderful to see her in another horror film.She played the part of Carolyn with believability and vulnerability. Again a great performance! Vera Farmiga also turned in a stellar performance as Lorraine; bringing depth and understating to this real life character. And of course, Patrick Wilson is great as always, and it looks like we'll being seeing him again this September in the horror sequel INSIDIOUS PART 2.

Now, I too have done some research and came across some interesting facts about Ed and Lorraine Warren. They were the very first investigators of the now infamous Amityville Horror (yes, THE very same investigation that spawned the 1977 book The Amityville Horror and the 1979 film and 2005 remake). Because of this one case, they garnered world wide attention as well as criticism. However, their contributions to the field of demonology is unmatched. They founded the New England Society for Psychic Research back in 1952, which is also the oldest ghost hunting group in New England. They have trained other future demonologists such as their nephew John Zaffis, plus Dave Considine and Lou Gentile. Unfortunately Ed passed away in 2006, but Lorraine is still alive, and at the age of 86, she still continues to assist with investigations and also runs her private Occult Museum in the back of her house. To see what it looks like, click here to watch this amazing video.

Overall THE CONJURING is, without a doubt, THE best horror film of 2013!! If you're a horror fan and you're sick and tired with the recent bombardments of crappy remakes, re-imagines, and reboots, then you're gonna love seeing this modern day horror classic! This is one hell of a scary movie! You need to see this! 5 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!

THE CONJURING is currently playing in theaters nationwide, including the Camera Cinemas here in the Bay Area. To view showtimes, visit their website at www.cameracinemas.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil attends the 18th Annual San Francisco Silent Film Festival: Day Four-July 21, 2013

Hello again everybody and welcome to the fourth and final day of my trip to the 18th Annual San Francisco Silent Film Festival! Oh how time flies, especially when you're watching silent movies for the past three days! It was a bittersweet Sunday. Hard to believe that it's all over! *sniff* It's OK, I'm not gonna cry yet. But before I let the fat lady sing, I still have five movies to talk about. So ladies and gentlemen, without any further ado, let's get to the reviews!

The first program of the day was KINGS OF (SILENT) COMEDY. This particular program is a festival staple, encouraging the whole family to come out and watch classic silent comedies. The program was introduced by board member and film critic Lenord Maltin via pre-recorded video (he was actually at the San Diego Comic Con this weekend. I'm biting my tongue on this topic). After that, it time for the laughter to begin! It's just amazing to hear the theatre filled with children laughing at old silent films. It just proves that there's a reason that these films are timeless classics. The program consisted of four classic comedy shorts:

FELIX GOES WEST (1924): Our favorite silent film feline gets the idea of traveling out west in search of a better way of life. When he gets there, all he finds are bears and Indians! Hilarity ensues!

MIGHTY LIKE A MOOSE (1926):From Hal Roach Studios comes the ver funny short starring funny man Charley Chase. In the film Charley gets his extreme overbite corrected so now he looks rather attractive and somehow unrecognizeable to his wife, who also gets an upgrade when she gets a nose job. The two meet and go out to a party and they don't recognize one another!! Charley is one of the great unsung comedians of the silent film era and it was great to see him up on the Castro Theatre screen!

THE LOVE NEST (1922): The last silent film short that the great Buster Keaton made. In the film Buster gets dumped by his fiancé. Devestatedly heart broken, he moves in on a boat and sets sails. First he's picked up by a pirate ship (he sinks it), then he lands on some sort of platform (cuz he sinks his rowboat that he took from the sunken pirate ship), but the platform is a floating target practice for the Navy (Buster get blown up). However it has a happy ending so don't worry about Buster. He's alive at the end.

THE IMMIGRANT (1917): Charlie Chaplin stars in this short as an immigrant on a very rocky ship that's sailing for America. He meets a beautiful girl on the boat ride, Edna Purviance. They part ways but meet up again at a eatery with Eddie Campbell as the waiter/bouncer who serves them. And poor Charlie is broke!

The amazing Günter Buchwald provided the music for this screening, playing the grand piano and violin. Look for this guy to come back next year!

Next up was the Swedish film THE OUTLAW AND HIS WIFE (1918). It is a beautiful and emotional melodramatic feature that's about an outlaw (disguised as a common farmer) who falls in love with a village woman. Once the truth is discovered, they both runaway to the mountains to live the outlaw's life. Years pass and the two know have a daughter and they're living the quite life, living off the land and they're happy. That is until the law comes looking for them, and as a result, they must make a tough decision that will alter their lives forever.

The movie was directed by Victor Sjöström, who also stars in the lead role. He is considered to be the father of Swedish film and is ranked as one of the masters of world cinema. His work highly influenced another legendary Swedish filmmaker; the late Ingmar Bergman. The film was just exquisite! Sjöström captured the beauty and the brutality of the Swedish landscape. This film is one of many films that made him an international star, and it wasn't before long that Hollywood came knocking on his door. Under the name Victor Seastrom, he directed such classics as HE WHO GETS SLAPPED, THE SCARLET LETTER, THE WIND, THE DIVINE WOMAN, and THE MASKS OF THE DEVIL.

It was only fitting that the Swedish Matti Bye Ensemble would provide the musical accompaniment to this amazing film!

The third film I saw was having its world premiere at the festival! The lost silent film THE LAST EDITION (1925) takes place right here in San Francisco. It tells the story The McDonalds family; the father Tom (Ralph Lewis) works at the San Francisco Chronicle's printing press, his daughter works as a telephone operator, and his son just became a lawyer. But when an investigation into a local bootlegger lands his son in jail due to their evil set-up, Tom has a moral crisis which lands him in jail with his son! So now it's up to his daughter and her reporter boyfriend to help catch the bootleggers so they can clear their name!

This brand new restoration of the film came out of the partnership between the EYE Film Institute Netherlands and the San Francisco Silent Film Festival. Back in 2011, festival president Robert Byrne learned of the existence of the only nitrate print of THE LAST EDITION was in a Dutch film vault. The end result is this historical time capsule that features the great San Francisco in all its glory! The city was finally rebuilt after the devastating 1906 earthquake and it looks brand new. The film has it all: a great story, good acting, an awesome chase through the city, and we see the historic Chronicle building. This screening attracted a lot of attention, and as a result, it completely sold out!!

The great Stephen Horne did the musical score for the film. To be honest, I lost track of what he played during the screening. I know he played the piano, but that's all I remember.

Film number four was the German export THE WEAVERS (DIE WEBER) (1927), which was based on the 1892 play by Gerhart Hauptman depicting the Silesian cotton weavers uprising of 1844. The people of this village are poor and hungry. They are kept this way thanks to the evil Dreisiger family, who pretty much control the cloth trade here. Tired of starving to death and only getting half wages for their weaving, the march onto the Dreisiger manor and completely tear it apart. Unfortunately, the Dreisigers manage to escape, but the angry weavers don't stop there. Next stop is the manufacturing plant were they destrory the very machines that destroyed their lives as well.

Wow!! This is a powerful work of art, depicting the poverty and injustice at its ugliest. The film has been dubbed, "the German POTEMKIN" and the comparison is rightly called for. Director Friedrich Zelnik really does an impecible job of telling the war between the poor and the rich and the idea of change brought on by revolution. Truly one of the greatest silent films I saw this past weekend!

Once again Günter Buchwald provided the music, and he also sang the weaver's anthem! Prior to the screening, the festival screened the two minute trailer of Dziga Vertov's THE ELEVENTH YEAR. Beth Custer and Ken Winokur from the Alloy Orchestra provided the music for this added bonus!

The last film of the night was also the the last film of the festival! SAFETY LAST (1923) stars Harold Lloyd in his most famous and popular film ever. Our four-eyed friend heads to the big city to make it big, but unfortunately comes up short. He lives with his friend (Strother) and can barely eat and pay the rent. When his fiance (Davis) arrives, he pretends to be the manager of the department store he works at. Desperate for money for his wedding, he convinces his boss to pull off a publicity stunt to attract more customers to the store so he can claim the $1000 bonus. With his pal being chased by a police officer (Young), it's up to Lloyd to climb the outside of the department store!

The image of Lloyd hanging on to the clock while hovering above traffic is one of the most iconic images in not only silent film history, but of film history in general. Whenever you open up a book that talks about the silent film era, you will see this picture. Lloyd was one of the "Big Three" comedians from the silent era (the other two being Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton). Even 89 years after the film's release, it is still being played to sold out crowds (like tonight) and it can be found on many top ten lists by both critics and fans. A true comedy classic that still stands the test of time!

Providing the musical accompaniment for this screening were my good friends the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra, who once again knocked it outta the park!! Another standing ovation!! Preceding the screening, festival artistic director Anita Monga conducted an interview with visual-effects expert Craig Barron and Suzanne Llyod, Harold Lloyd’s granddaughter!

Well folks, there you have it! Another SF Silent Film Festival has come to a close. I just want to say "hi" to all my friends that I got to see again, and to all my new friends that I meet this year, I cannot wait to see you all again at next year's festival (which will be on Memorial Day weekend May 29th-June 1st)! I had so much fun this past weekend! Now if you'd like to learn more about the SF Silent Film Festival, and how to become a member, visit their website at www.silentfilm.org.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!