Thanks to French filmmaker Michel Hazanavicius’ lovely black and white silent film homage, The Artist, which swept the Oscars claiming five statuettes including best director for Hazanavicius, best actor for Jean Dujardin and best picture, the once-ubiquitous, bygone film genre is enjoying a welcome resurgence. It’s garnering a whole new generation of fans who likely would have never given the genre a chance otherwise.
Milwaukee Film has partnered up with the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee’s Center for International Education’s (CIE) conference entitled “World Cinemas, Global Networks” to stage a free screening of the silent film classic, Pandora’s Box, directed by G.W. Pabst, and starring the incomparable Louise Brooks.
Considered by many to be a masterpiece of atmosphere, composition and editing, Pandora’s Box is one of the most sexually charged films to be made in Hollywood before the establishment of the rigid Production Code of 1930, thanks in no small part to Brooks’ smoldering performance. Based on two plays by the late-German playwright Frank Wedekind, Pandora’s Box casts Brooks as Lulu, an amoral woman who destroys the lives of every man she seduces.
This one-time free screening, set for Wednesday, April 25 at 7 p.m. at the Landmark Oriental Theatre, will feature live musical accompaniment by renowned Swedish film score composer Matti Bye.
The RSVP list is now open. For this special screening, all Milwaukee Film members are allowed to bring up to three guests. Please RSVP to Kristopher Pollard at membership@milwaukee-film.org by Monday, April 23.
Usually Milwaukee Film screenings are for members only, but this special presentation of Pandora’ Box is open to non-members as well. Just fill out the non-member RSVP form, and you’re all set. Non-members are allowed up to two tickets each, so please RSVP now.
