Monday, February 27, 2012

Balboa Birthday Bash

I got this email a few days ago from Gary Meyer, Co-Director of the Telluride Film Festival, and I'm happy to pass it along. I just wish I could go...

Balboa Birthday Bash Features Harold Lloyd and George Melies, March 4

Sunday, March 4, 2012
Doors open at 6:45pm
Show starts at 7:00

The Balboa Theatre will celebrate its 86th Birthday on Sunday, March 4. Presented in association with the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, a night at the movies circa 1926 will be the order of the day.

Inspired by Martin Scorsese and Brian Selznick’s HUGO, the evening’s feature film will be Harold Lloyd’s silent classic SAFETY LAST (1923) with a 35mm print directly from the Lloyd family.

It will be accompanied with an original score by pianist extraordinaire Frederick Hodges preceded by a program of short subjects including films by George Méliès. (HUGO again).

There will also be a live vaudeville show featuring George Méliès himself performing some of his famous magic effects on our stage. Songstress Linda Kosut will sing the songs her mother sang.

Author John Bengtson will offer an illustrated lecture exploring the locations Harold Lloyd used to make SAFETY LAST. Bengston will sign copies of his newest book, Silent Visions: Discovering Early Hollywood and New York through the Films of Harold Lloyd.

Take the SAFETY LAST tour.

Everybody will get birthday prizes and the evening will conclude with a special birthday cake created by The Cake Lady, Diane Boate, served with liquid libations.

Audience members are encouraged to dress in their best jazz age clothing as we recreate a night at the movies in 1926. Vintage cars will be in front of the Balboa.

Advance tickets are on sale at the Balboa and online at www.BalboaMovies.com.

The Balboa Theatre is located at 3630 Balboa Street (@37th Avenue) in San Francisco’s Richmond District.

For more information visit www.cinemasf.com/balboa/.

For more about Harold Lloyd:

www.haroldlloyd.us
www.picking.com/harold.html

Roger Ebert on SAFETY LAST: rogerebert.suntimes.com

Senses of Cinema feature on Méliès:
www.sensesofcinema.com

Brian Selnick, author of THE INVENTION OF HUGO CARBET on Méliès:
www.theinventionofhugocabret.com

LA Times of revived interest in Méliès:
articles.latimes.com