Questions for Kevin Brownlow

[Synnove]

Dear Mr Brownlow,
I am a big fan of Kenneth Branagh, I saw him last year at a Bergman festival when he presented his film The Magic Flute, and talked about his life. I could forgive him for not getting the names exactly right! Especially after seeing all the Swedish documentaries where Charlie Chaplin is pronounced 'Sharlie Shaplin'.

Since you were only given six episodes, I am even more glad that you included the Swedish one. It's my favourite.

Synnove

[silentscreen]

Dear Mr. Brownlow,

Thank you so much for your kind response! The Hollywood series is very dear to my heart and made the silent era of film making and all the creative people in front of and behind the camera come to life for me! Thank you so much for this amazing filmed record of their thoughts and contributions! It would be lost to time otherwise. The Viola Dana story is fascinating, stranger than fiction as they say! Her parts were some of my favorites from the series and made tears come to my eyes at the point where she talks about losing Omer Locklear.

By the way, who was the most difficult person that you interviewed for The Parade's Gone By and why?

With Sincere Regard,

Brenda

[drednm]

Mr. Brownlow..... a cooperative is an excellent idea, but how to go about it? Who has the clout?

I've commented before that UCLA, AMPAS, Eastman House, Library of Congress and others all seem to work separately (sometimes with corporate partners like TCM, etc) to restore films, but each then holds the films in vaults with occasional, rare in-house showings.

Eastman House explained to me that even though they hold thousands of films, they represent many separate collections, with different copyrights, etc. Eastman House didn't even have one database (in 2006) of their film holdings. Each collection had a separate database in the works. How confusing!

Like Warners or Paramount, they seem to jealousy guard their holdings yet have no way to market the films. I don't think any of the orgs mentioned above actually MARKET films. So the films just sit.

Once a film like THE BARKER, THE TRESPASSER, or HER WILD OAT is restored, how hard it is to make DVDs to sell? I mean, I have no technical background at all, but I mean really, how hard is it to make a DVD and sell it through their in-house museums? Or does it all come down to copyright issues?

By the way, Mr. Brownlow, I recently found Bessie Love's old memoir and absolutely LOVED your anecdotal intro to her book. The story of the draperies coming down on her head made me laugh out loud!

[MissGoddess]

Sue Sue Applegate

Dear Christy
Thank you for your welcome!
You have asked me a very tricky question. I have to admit that when i hear the term 'Media Studies' I reach for my revolver. So many film teachers transform this wonderfully democratic art into something incomprehensible by devising a new language. Here's an example; The adversary possesses such weaponry as 'a structuralist grid focussed around the frontier's dialectical play of forces embodied in the master binary opposition of the wilderness and civilization.' (Horizons West, Jim Kitses) And that's from a book about westerns! I have been in the film industry for fifty years and I've never met anyone who uses this language. But i have met students who have fled from such lectures in despair. (David Weddle wrote a marvellous article about this problem in the L A Times Jul 13 O3 under the title 'Lights, Camera, Action, Marxism, Semiotics, Narratology.' And Robert Fisk wrote in our English newspaper The Independent (14 May 2005) 'Let us rebel against poisonous academics and their preposterous claptrap of exclusion' ) Why do we need to learn a new language? Isn't English the most expressive language there is? The lack of rigour in American schools may be a blessing in disguise!

I must confess I adore you, Mr B, for your reply. This has always been my particular bete noir regarding the study of film. I've put down so many books because I frankly found them incomprehensible---including a couple about westerns! Henry James is beach reading in comparison.

[MissGoddess]

Miss Goddess
Thank you!
I would have a hard time picking 'the most interesting' because the silent film veterans were the most remarkable people I have ever met. I select Abel Gance because he made my favourite silent film, NAPOLEON, even though he may not have made anything subsequently of comparable quality. Going to his house was like meeting a great French author, like Victor Hugo. He had books everywhere and slogans stuck on his wall to keep his spirits up. He was fantastically eloquent. A handsome man, he looked as a great artist should, and while he could lecture you with great intensity, he could puncture any pomposity with a joke. He was very endearing in that way and I cursed at my limited French (I always had to take an interpreter). He had cupboards full of unrealised scripts. One always came away from a meeting with Gance exhilarated and enthusiastic about this extraordinary art we work in.

Thank you kindly for your reply! I have just seen TCM's promo for your documentary on Mr Gance, who I must confess I have overlooked---until now. I look forward to seeing it and his films. And I'm so pleased for you that TCM is presenting this.

[Lzcutter]

Mr. Brownlow,

Thank you for all the replies! It is truly wonderful having you here. David Shepard was here a few months ago and talked a bit about the making of "Hollywood".

Which got me wondering what was the inspiration for you to write "The Parade's Gone By"?

What did you learn during those interviews that surprised you the most?

For the book, who was the hardest to interview?

In our talk with David Shepard he related about the dinners that Bessie Love would fix for the two of you while you were preparing to shoot "Hollywood".. She sounded like a great lady.

I wish TCM would do an evening on film restoration and preservation with you, David, Bob Gitt, Marty Scorsese and George Feltenstein. I think it would be a great way to spend an evening listening to all of you talk about how important our film heritage is.

[moira finnie]

Thanks so much for visiting with us this week, Mr. Brownlow. Though I've only seen it once, (on TCM), as a history buff, I'm a fan of "It Happened Here" (1964), the film that you and Andrew Mollo made (as youngsters!) depicting an alternative, fictionalized history of what might have happened if the Nazis had successfully invaded Britain after Dunkirk. I loved the semi-documentary feel of the movie which made it somehow fresher than most big budget movies.

1.) I understand that Colin Jordan, a real life fascist at the time of the movie's production, was in the original cut of the movie. Why did you include him and why did you remove his scenes from the final
edition of the movie?

2.) Rumor has it that there was once a chance that you might oversee a remake or sequel to this movie. True?

3.) Were you ever approached to make a Hollywood movie during your career as a writer, producer, director or editor? If so, why did you turn it down?

Thank you for your replies and for all your brilliant work in film restoration and preservation. I can't believe you're here!
Moira

[Avalon]

Avalon
Dear Jennifer
I am thrilled to know that my book had such an effect on you. If you have an original edition, send me your address and I'll mail you the Additions and Corrections pages that appear in the Univ of Calif edition.

I wish I knew how to advise you; I got into this career by accident. I set out to be a feature film director - and didn't make it. Not a path I would recommend for you! While there are quite a few outlets for articles on silent films, few of them pay...and those that do, pay very little. If you have a good knowledge of the period, perhaps you could offer lectures to film schools - especially the archive school at Eastman House. But this, too, is a difficult route.
In any case, i wish you luck.

Thank you very much Mr Brownlow, I do appreciate it. I'll also check my edition of "Parade" when I get home tonight.

[drednm]

Well I guess I need to add my appreciation also for Kevin Brownlow. As others here have stated, Mr. Brownlow, you are a personal hero of mine. Thank god you've had the career you've had and tackled the projects you (and David Gill and others) have tackled.

Any book you've written or endorsed, I've bought (most recently THE SEA GULL by Linda Wada).

I wish I were further along in my attempt at a Marion Davies book but oh well..... You are a class act all the way!

Ed Lorusso

[Gagman 66]

Mr. Brownlow,

Thank you very much again for your response to my inquires. Are you saying that Paramount will not allow your version of WINGS, and THE WEDDING MARCH to be seen at all? Many of us were still hoping TCM would be able to air these in the future. If Paramount have no interest in the versions why should it matter one way or the other? I do not understand? In all honesty, I would tell them to go jump in the river, and show it anyway! Who restored the films? You did, not Paramount, these versions were produced by you, It was you who paid Carl Davis for the scoring the Orchestra etc, it's your product!

As for James Cruze THE COVERED WAGON (1923), I have the old VHS, and I agree even in that format the print is so beautiful! Also it has great historical significance, as it is as close as we will ever get to seeing a living breathing history of the Prairie Pioneers! So their statement that it has no value, is to be frank, little short of Asinine! Also why Paramount won't even consider the possibility of some Clara Bow, or Josef' Von Sternberg collections on DVD is beyond me?

I have many of the Grapevine, and Sunrise Silents releases, and I concur most of the transfers are poorly done. I just saw James Cruze THE PONY EXPRESS (1925), and the print would look very good, if it were not so dark. Some of the Sunrise prints like the new release of ELLA CINDERS (1926), are good quality, but the majority are not. I am a huge Colleen Moore fan, and keep hoping that Warner's will restore LILAC TIME (1928), while it can still be done proper justice. I am excited about the 3 films of Her's that were recently found, and that they are being restored, but I anm unclear if LILAC TIME is also part of the project? I have received conflicting information about this.

Last year when Henry King's THE WINNING OF BARBARA WORTH (1926) was released on DVD so unexpectedly, many people thought it may start a trend, and were under the impression that they might see some other Gary Cooper Silent's soon, to follow such as CHILDREN OF DIVORCE (1927), and LILAC TIME, only to be disillusioned!

I agree that if the studios are going to let the movies, even the indispensible ones like THE BIG PARADE, SEVENTH HEAVEN, WINGS, STREET ANGEL, Etc sit and rot, than they should relinquish all rights to these films entirely! What they are doing is nothing short of criminal! I mean, If I destroyed a great Art work in a Museum someplace, I would be arrested and thrown in Jail, and in my opinion what company's like Paramount, Fox and Universal, are doing is infinitely worse than this!

Even Warner's has been slow getting most of the better Silent's that they own the rights to out on DVD! I continue to be befuddled that Fox actually produced a DVD version of 7TH HEAVEN four years ago with commentary track, and it remains un-released to this day? Many of us are losing patience with Warner's too, we keep asking about potential King Vidor, and Marion Davies DVD set's for example, allot of us feel that these are long over-due already! But such projects appear to be no more than "Wishful Thinking" at this time. I respect that Warner's has had allot of the films restored, but an occasional debut on TCM, often merely severs to wet the appetite for more!

I had better rap this up, because I could easily go on typing for hours here. Let me say in closing that I hope that you will continue to try and strike new deals to get more of the Photo-play Productions product on TCM, as well as commercial DVD. One of the first Thames Silents presentations I ever saw was Fairbanks THE THIEF OF BAGDAD, back in the early 80's I have the old Laser-disc, but I still can't believe this superior version is not on DVD from someone?

I also was fortunate to see the Photo-play version of De Mille's THE GODLESS GIRL (1928), that you and Patrick Stansbury produced last year for Film 4! Such a brilliant film! I think among De Mille's finest works! And a fabulous score by Carl Davis! I saw it well in advance of the Image TREASURES FROM THE AMERICAN FILM ARCHIVES 3 DVD release. while I was disappointed that your version of the film was not included in the set, I must say I was not at all surprised. I immediately hoped that Kino here in the States, and Eureka in the U. K. would still issue your fabulous version of the picture later on?

My trouble is I don't know how to end a post! So I will just say goodbye for now, and thank you so much for being here! You are a much respected and much loved figure in this community, and many others that I belong to! We just can't thank you enough for all your tireless efforts, dedication and perseverance!

[Sue Sue Applegate]

Mr. Brownlow wrote :

Why do we need to learn a new language? Isn't English the most expressive language there is? The lack of rigour in American schools may be a blessing in disguise! I just hope you have been lucky enough to avoid all this nonsense, and that if you become a teacher, you will respect your pupils and talk about films in terms that will not put them off for life.
Now be as rude as you like in your reply; I would be most intrigued to read your comments.



Dear Mr. Brownlow,

I agree. Nothing at all is wrong with the English language.

I must admit that I also agree with you completely on how some sectors, American and British, make film discussion so elitist that even the most well-informed students are afraid to comment. That scenario always makes me squirm in my seat because I know how important it is to have questions answered and not feel foolish for the asking.

I already am an educator (English, Spanish, ESOL at the secondary level), and I find that with the right introduction and the proper setting, even 9th graders (14-and 15-year-olds) respond well to silent films.

While teaching a unit concerning the future even the right group of freshmen students can enjoy a silent movie like Metropolis, use it for debate and discussion, and even claim they enjoyed seeing a black and white movie with "just music." I would like to see a more concerted effort by all educators to encorporate more classic films into current core courses.

If you could choose a silent film or two that would be required viewing
for secondary students in the U.S. or U.K., what might they be?

I also would like to see Lynn's wonderful idea come to fruition. A night of discussion concerning film heritage and restoration would be marvelous!

Thank you for visiting us here at the SSO!

[KevinBrownlow]

Dear Synnove
Yes, Kenneth Branagh is brilliant - and so enjoyable to work with.
If the Swedish episode is your favourite, you'll notice it was directed by Michael Winterbottom (with the editor, Dan Carter). He did it while he was setting up his first feature. Now he has become England's most prolific director.

[KevinBrownlow]

Sue sue Applegate

Thanks for your enlightening response. As you know, it takes time to learn to 'read' silent films, so I tend to start people off with a Harold Lloyd - KID BROTHER is his masterpiece, but FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE is irresistible (as are all his silent features). .And they're all on DVD. When you feel your audience is watching silent films without strain, move on to THE CROWD, or SUNRISE.
We are about to see BEN-HUR at the Royal Festival Hall with live orchestra conducted by Carl Davis - the 1700 seats are sold out, and yet the (new) director of the orchestra has decided this is the last such event. To quote Oliver Hardy, 'I have nothing to say'! BEN-HUR is on DVD (with the l959 version) and is full of the kind of film-making that astonishes people who think of silents as primitive and crude - see the galley battle and chariot race. It also has the courage to climax not with a spectacular scene but with a movingly directed moment between the mother, sister and a sleeping Ben-Hur.

[KevinBrownlow]

gagman 66
1) If only these wonderful films did belong to us! Alas, WEDDING MARCH belongs to Paramount and is not ours to sell to TCM or anyone else.
2) Glad to hear THE COVERED WAGON works on VHS - I often think the antipathy it seems to arouse is due to miserable prints. Incidentally, Bologna is showing a von Sternberg retrospective this July. We very much wanted to include THE LAST COMMAND in our Live Cinema presentations...and somehow I think one day it wmayhappen. When my partner David Gill died, I was startled to see that the next grave was that of Lajos Biro, who wrote the story for THE LAST COMMAND.
3) PONY EXPRESS was put out by Kodascope in a gorgeous black and white print that did justice to Karl Brown's cinematography. How depressing that the available version is so incompetently done. Silent films - even the bad ones - were always of a high technical quality. Careless laboratories and telecine technicians were the ones who degraded them.
I didn't know about WB's plans for LILAC TIME. I remember Colleen Moore coming to London to present that at the U S Embassy in the early l960s - she ran a very good quality l6mm print and it went over extremely well.
4) An unexpectedly fine Gary Cooper film that never gets shown is DOOMSDAY, directed by Rowland V Lee,. Based on a story by Warwick Deeping (who wrote SORRELL AND SON) and set in a very convincing England with Cooper as a neighbouring farmer to Florence Vidor. Very quiet but very effective -- I have a VHS which looks like the first images from the moon, but the Library of Congress has a gorgeous 35mm original print.
5) We are concerned about silent films, but the problem stretches down the years. Whoever would have thought it would be necessary to restore LAWRENCE OF ARABIA? What were those studio people DOING?? However, some studios are now making amends. I believe Fox is bringing out what's left of Borzage's THE RIVER - with a fine documentary containing astonishing archive footage - by Janet Bergstrom, who made the film on THE FOUR DEVILS. It is about Murnau and Borzage, so should be accompanied by the release of 7TH HEAVEN. The British Film Institute is planning its release here, along with LUCKY STAR.
6) Still no plans for the Carl Davis version of GODLESS GIRL to come out on DVD, alas. Mind you, what a fabulous collection the TREASURES contains. I never thought I would have a copy of REDSKIN - 2 colour Technicolor and all. An outstanding collection.

Thank you for your very touching remarks

[KevinBrownlow]

drednm
Dear Ed Lorusso
Thank you so much. But keep going on that Marion Davies book. I once made a film that took me eight years -- it doesn't matter how long a project takes so long as the final result comes somewhere near your expectations.
If you post me your mailing address, I'll send you my list of references for Marion D. - there may be something that will be new to you. Incidentally, do you have OIL! republished over there? It is the Upton Sinclair book which inspired THERE WILL BE BLOOD, and it is a breathtakingly good novel, 90% of which was jettisoned for the film. It includes a number of references to a character based on Marion Davies.