Saturday, June 19, 2010

Charles Chaplin Mutual Cinema Concert (piano: Maud Nelissen)

The Sodankylä Big Tent, 19 June 2010. Introduced by David Robinson. Grand piano: Maud Nelissen.

PC: Lone Star Corporation, for Mutual Film. D+SC: Charles Chaplin, DP: Roland Totheroh, starring Charles Chaplin, Edna Purviance, Eric Campbell.

Easy Street / Hiljainen katu. US 1917. CC opus 59.
The Cure / Luonnonparantolassa. US 1917. CC opus 60.
The Rink / Rullaluistimilla. US 1916. CC opus 58.

These films, made during "the happiest time of my life" (Chaplin), are at their best seen with a full audience - and with a good audience like that in Sodankylä. There are now good prints of these films; these prints were of used 1950s sonorized versions, and the projection light was somewhat too bright. The speed 18 fps was correct yet seemed fast, but that was probably the original idea. No matter. The reaction was great to the films and to Maud's inspired music.

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