Silents Under the Stars is a summer-long program that screens classic silent films accompanied by a live piano performance in an outdoor setting at King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas, CA. Under the guidance of film-historian extraordinaire and long-time AMPAS vet Randy Habercamp, it provides a magnificent tribute to the many pioneers who paved the way for everything filmmakers do today. Sorry to alert the Youtube creators out there – it’s all been done before!
This year marks its fortieth anniversary and last Sunday evening I was privileged to attend a showing of The Son of the Sheik (1926). Directed by George Fitzmaurice and photographed by George Barnes, ASC, it starred Rudolph Valentino and Vilma Banky. Sadly, it marked Valentino’s final screen appearance; released just weeks after his untimely death at age thirty-one on August 23, 1926, his funeral in New York City would go a long way toward inaugurating the insane cult of celebrity.
Before the sun set, I ran into my colleague and good friend Charlie Lieberman, ASC. We ended up sitting together and were astonished at the level of craft this hundred-year-old movie continually displayed. Sophisticated lighting, compositions, camera movement and special effects had us commenting quietly back-and-forth throughout the sixty-eight minute running time. Considering the period in which the movie was made and the primitive tools at Barnes’ disposal, the look is nothing short of stunning. The Son of the Sheik is filled with expertise that would be impressive today! Much of it had to have been difficult to execute, what with the camera operator’s need to turn the crank and frame through a dodgy offset viewfinder. But the results are remarkable. The majority of stunts – some of them breathtaking – were captured in-camera along with a number of glass shots, double-exposures and matte shots that added to the drama.
The Son of the Sheik is available on DVD and I recommend seeking it out. After the screening, I gave it my highest rating – it was entertaining! Better yet, no less an authority than Jeff IV gave it four paws up, so what greater endorsement would anyone need?
Note well: A special salute must go to pianist Michael Mortilla for the flawless musical accompaniment. He delivered sixty-eight uninterrupted minutes of keyboard genius without so much as a single stray note.
Brilliant!
Agreed. Great night overall!