Film Friday | Weekly Roundup

So seriously, I made a little online tour of the rep cinema’s last night to see what’s on offer this weekend, and felt very disappointed that I can’t go out to a silent film screening this week. The Toronto Silent Film Festival spoiled me! It might just be me and the dvds this weekend, folks. Despite my many silent film screenings this week, I still made time to scour the interwebs for you, dear readers. First, I want to say that over the week I collected a ton of links from The Cinementals and then I thought I should just tell you to follow The Cinementals. They’re doing an awesome job! Now, let’s get down to it. Here’s the best and the brightest the interwebs had to offer this week. Happy reading and happy viewing!

D.W. Griffith’s The Battle at Elder Bush Gulch

Guess what? Today is the release 98th anniversary of D.W. Griffith’s The Battle at Elder Bush Gulch. Here’s an easy five step plan to fully enjoying this Biograph short!

Who the Hell is Joseph McDermott?

So I’ve mentioned that I have the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra 2012 silent film calendar. I hope you do too. If not, I pity the fool (who didn’t have the foresight to purchase one).

Everyday I wake up, sit down at the old Underwood HP Envy, and have a look see at what my amazing and informative calendar has to tell me. Well first, I admire the full page photo that’s at top. As it’s only March 6, I’ve yet to tire of this month’s still, Fatty Arbuckle, Mabel Normand, and Luke the Dog from Fatty and Mabel Adrift (1918). Fatty has some food on a fork and Luke is staring at the food, but Fatty is all shaking a finger and saying “No, you can’t have it!” It’s hilarious, but I digress. When I’m done chuckling at Fatty and Luke, I check the current day to see what factoid I can share with my devoted readers. I admit, this has made me a bit of a lazy silent film blogger, but interesting none-the-less, right? Right?

Today the silent film calendar notes that on March 6, 1923, Joseph McDermott committed suicide. That sounds like a promising story. I dutifully fire up the Google search engine (I like to think of it as steam powered) and search “Joseph McDermott silent movie.” Here’s what Wikipedia has to say about our tragic hero:

Joseph McDermott (1890 – March 6, 1923), was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared in 76 films between 1912 and 1923.

He died in Los Angeles, California by committing suicide.^{[citation needed]}

And that’s about it. Mr, McDermott’s impressive filmography is listed, and that’s all. I dig a little deeper into the interwebs, and that’s still all I got. Unlike the question, “Who the Hell is Elmo Lincoln?“, this question doesn’t really have an answer.

Turns out, sometimes that’s all these is to say. But of course, silent movies are not about saying, are they? They’re about doing, and Joseph McDermott, whoever he was and whatever tragic circumstances led him to commit suicide, still exists as a flickering shadow in those 76 films.

Need proof. Here he is, playing an Asylum Guard, in D.W. Griffith’s Biograph short, The House of Darkness. Joseph McDermott, we know ye not, yet we salute ye.

Film Friday | Weekly Roundup

Could it be that Pretty Clever Film Gal is nursing another cold, waking up all sneezy, and stuffy, and scratchy? I’ve already put in the cold-time this season, so I call bull on that. Fortunately, it’s Friday which means I have a couple of days of rest, fluids, and nourishing movies ahead of me. A black and white movie is just what the doctor ordered. And, since it’s Friday, it’s also time for the Weekly Roundup where I scour the best of the interwebs so you don’t have to. Happy reading and happy viewing!

Film Friday | Weekly Roundup

Pretty Clever Film Gal tried to visit her favorite pool hall last night (yeah, so what?) and found it full of people dressed in business casual, wearing name tags and eating chicken on a stick. What in the ?!?… oh right, it must be holiday office party season. Nothing says office party like chicken on a stick! As the weather cools (look – it’s snowing!) and the holiday party season heats up, don’t forget to indulge in your favorite holiday movies. My personal favorite  is Gremlins. And don’t forget to make your movie themed wish lists for friends and loved ones! (I cannot recommend The Birds Barbie enough.)  If you need some ideas, take a quick trip around the interwebs, courtesy of PCF. Happy reading and happy watching!