Topic: Cinema
(I was having problems posting to this blog for months...finally figured out what's wrong, so following are some long overdue entries!)
Today the Silent Film Festival hosted something not entirely silent, it was a program of early and formative Disney Silly Symphonies. Yes, yes, I know. Silly Symphonies aren't silent. Bur the films exhibited spanned the awkward era of the transition from silents to sound, so it was suitable subject matter of the Silent Film organization. I'd forgotten about the program until Becky reminded me of it a few days earlier. I asked Jim Shelton and his girlfriend (also Becky) to go, as well as co-worker Rob and his girlfriend. I also asked John-O to go, but he was too busy, but did offer to join for brunch. The day started with John beating us (myself, Jim and the two Beckys) to Ti Couz for crepes. After stuffing ourselves we lost John and headed for the Castro. I bought tickets while Jim got a haircut. After some window shopping and the purchase of a mooing can fort Jim's Becky (don't ask), we got in line for the film. This was Jim and Becky's first time at the Castro, and luckily the organist was playing before the show. Rob and Stephanie showed up just before the curtain rose, and had to leave right after the film due to a two hour parking meter limit. Hi...bye!
The films were fun, if crude. Many I had not actually seen before, but knew of from all the books on animation I read in the 80s and 90s. Technically brilliant for their time, as in typical of Disney films, some still left me a little underwhelmed in their entertainment value. As much of a film history buff as I can be, I often find Disney shorts to be cloying. After the film there was a panel discussion about the them. I didn't get much from it, as I've read extensively on the subject, and I outright disagreed with a few points (no, there was nothing innovative about a character moving towards the camera and into extreme close-up, even in 1929...it was a common gag). Still, some of the films were fun, and I'm glad I went.Afterwards we went to Cafe Flore for a post-cinema refreshment, and after returning Jim and his Becky to their abode, my Becky and I went to the ocean and watched the sunset. Since our lateness out of the Castro caused her to miss her dinner plans, there was nothing for it but a margarita at Tommy's (and food). We tried a tequila I'd not had in a long time, but neither of us was hot on it, so we won't be having that one again in a margarita.
