Alfred Hitchcock’s genius was manifest the moment he first took up the director’s bullhorn. Unfortunately, the calculus of time plus wear-and-tear has had its way with his ten earliest—and silent—films. One of them, The Mountain Eagle, even
appears to be lost for good. Now, thanks to the British Film Institute’s painstaking digital restoration of the nine survivors, you can watch them in prints that
are as fresh as my favorite coffee. Few living people have seen any silent films this pristine. To see
nine in a row? A revelation.
Even better for me, the full collection, dubbed the Hitchcock 9, is coming to Portland. Each one features live musical accompaniment from some of the region's best talent and will be presented in a state-of-the-art theater. Fist
pump!
Where: Northwest
Film Center's Whitsell Auditorium
Portland Art
Museum
1219 SW Park
Avenue
When: October
12-27
Admission: $15, Silver Screen Club members $10. Series passes: $95, Silver Screen Club members $60
As I’ve mentioned before, the importance of the Hitchcock 9 can’t be overstated. Their
appeal isn’t limited to geeky completists (like me) with an OCD-like craving to see all his films, they’re simply
good flicks that’ll entertain and stimulate anyone with at least
“one eye open.” They’re sexy, funny and stuffed with Hitchcock’s special brand
of worldly-wise psychology and bravura cinematography. Biographer Patrick
McGilligan wrote:
With The Pleasure Garden and The Lodger Hitchcock had arrived, full-blown, at the tender age of 26. He was touted as the boy wonder of British film…. A “Great White Hope,” in [Hitchcock blonde and star of The Lodger] June's words: a wunderkind who might grow up to bring maturity to British film and drag the entire industry out of “its superannuated swaddling clothes” and “into long trousers.”
Young Hitch was box office gold. And if I have anything to say
about it, he’ll remain that way. Join me for this festival. I’ll be at the
shows and hope to see you there too. And here’s a special teaser: I’m in
discussions with the event organizers to throw an after-party so we can all
meet up and geek out. Stay tuned.
Saturday, October 12 – 8 p.m.
BLACKMAIL
Live musical accompaniment by 3 Leg Torso with special guest Mark Orton
Sunday, October 13 – 7 p.m.
THE LODGER
Wednesday, October 16 – 8 p.m.
THE FARMER’S WIFE
THE FARMER’S WIFE
Live musical accompaniment by Reed Wallsmith with Battle Hymns and Gardens
Wednesday, October 23 – 8 p.m.
CHAMPAGNE
Live musical accompaniment by The Bill Marsh Ensemble
Watch a clip
CHAMPAGNE
Live musical accompaniment by The Bill Marsh Ensemble
Watch a clip
Comments
BFI will likely release them in the U.K. Look for Criterion or Kino (or some other like-minded art house label) to do it in the States.
And I'm hoping there will be multiple options on those home versions for the score, as the one written by Nitin Sawhney for THE LODGER has some truly terrible missteps (maybe you've heard about the lousy pop songs that crop up in two scenes?).