The Problem with Cinecon...

UPDATE: I finally got to the bottom of the hostility. Kooky Valentino fans were behind it. Click here for the drama.

On a friend's invite I had a free pass to the annual Cinecon here in LA last week. It was a 4 day fest that spanned Labor Day weekend. Unfortunately for me the entire thing was a mess just in planning...I didn't realize I had a full pass until late Friday night, and I had been battling a cold all week which resulted in massive insomnia. For a festival that prides itself at starting around 9am this did not bode well for me. I looked forward to the Mary Pickford screening on Saturday at 1:45pm but my alarm didn't go off and I woke up just too late to get there and see it. I was very disappointed and vowed for my next film I'd set 2 alarms (didn't help considering I couldn't sleep all night and ended up there on an hour of sleep...but I did get there!)

Cinecon was one of the first classic film festivals. Founded in 1964 its been running ever since with just a slightly tweaked formula. Originally it had a heavy focus on silents and had many silent film guests while holding the 'con' in various major cities. Somewhere along the way they stopped that and just started hosting in Hollywood where they have been for many years now.

Cinecon is like a relic in time...a time that reminds of Three's Company. Their website like many other antiquated silent film arenas is well...antique. While Hollywood Heritage can get by with a simple site and function Cinecon really cant. They post their schedule but only post a few select synopsis' which makes it quite hard to discern if this is a film or an entire fest you would want to attend. Their theory is you would just take them at their word for programming; which might be all well and good...except even veterans are starting to complain about lineup quality. While I think Cinecon and its hard working programmers are very sincere in their efforts they take too many things sight unseen; and don't care if its more interesting historically or entertainment wise. While certain festivals are based solely on historical type merits (UCLA's Preservation Fest usually goes that route, with information on the web to boot) most other film festivals try to squeeze in some entertainment. Cinecon is stuck somewhere between the two.

I honestly intended only to go to the Pickford screening until I plugged in a few more of their silents (nowadays they run about 1 or 2 a day during the fest) into IMDB only to find some gems that included my beloved June Mathis and the curious Norma Talmadge. I couldn't even figure out where the Mary film was originally! "The Dawn of Tomorrow" is one of her early features (1915) and this was the premiere of it since it was thought lost for many years. One would think that's a big deal...apparently not though. About 1 day before the screening they put a flyer for MPI on their site but by then if you had been a Mary fan unaware of Cinecon you would have never known of this screening.

For some reason they are dead set against technology and judging by the attitudes I seen at the fest I'm guessing they barely know what it is. The San Fransisco Silent Film Festival shows rarities and yet manages to post prudent information on their site as well as solid and easy ticket info. Cinecon claims they cant do this...costs too much. Yet they also claim they have enough volunteers and dont need new young ones. Wrap your head around that.

The two films I did end up making just confounded me more about the workings of this fest. "Paid to Love" was run 9:45pm on Friday night (what I would consider a prime spot) and it was just dreadful. Judging by other people's remarks they felt the same way but had found some sort of interest in it (in fairness the direction was quite good and the innuendo was divine). On the flipside "Turn to the Right" (a June Mathis film) was run at 10 something AM on Sunday (second film of the day I believe) and it was quite wonderful again judging by the consensus. Why they went this route I'll never know. The San Fransisco Fest runs stuff that early but its usually real true rarities only hardcore people will want to see. They save good movies for a more decent hour.

The atmosphere at Cinecon was quite depressing. I've been to every shade of a silent screening you can think of in LA...things heavily advertised and things not advertised at all. And I have never seen such an older skewing crowd (complete with wheezing, coughing, and constant cell phones going off...I hear a fist fight broke out over this a few cons back). There is nothing wrong with the older crowd, if it weren't for them and their work and devotion there probably wouldn't be much left in the way of silents or silent film history. I think many people mistake my words to mean I'm a youngin who fancies myself better than old folk. Actually its the opposite: most of my friends are in their 40s (or older), I feel like I'm 80 complete with various arthritic styled ailments, and I argue silent film with my 67 year old Grandmother every day (and in fact she acts younger than me!) Frankly I've been shocked and horrified with the immature behavior I've seen some of these older people take. Several times I've encountered it, mostly in what I'm certain is "waaa you cant write about that I write about that go away!" attitude. Many people have told me they thought this site (and my personality) were fake...a cover for some other silent film fan much older and most likely male. No I am real. Just as I say. Apparently some people don't like that.

Whatever the semantics it comes down to this: as humans we only live so long. We should all be so lucky to be like Frederica Sangor Maas or dearest Doris Eaton! But most of us are not, and if we be quiet, or stop sharing history, history will die with us. Maybe this now older generation of silent film fans feels they are special and should be the only ones for some reason; maybe because they discovered it while young and learned from the stars themselves. But to hoard knowledge is self destructive, and just silly and shameful in my opinion. I was shocked when I started Forget the Talkies as I thought most of this stuff would be online. Considering the internet has now had mainstream appeal for over 20 years its a shocker nothing like The Rudy Society has been online, with all the info you could ever want (that's not a shameless plug, its a sincere statement). Several times I've run into these hoarders, telling me to not research something or just take the accepted story because they wrote it and it should not be changed. Nita Naldi is a prime example (and apparently word of her story is still just getting out). In fact one such person told me Nita's story was the the common one and not to research it, why do that? This same person is a member of 'Daughters of Naldi' a vamp fan group that hasn't found the internet and is mostly Cinecon members. This same person also branded me, "Arrogant, ill mannered, and ignorant" yesterday off the same rumors they got from Cinecon. That person never said a word to me in real life yet they were able to make such an assessment. Maybe they were jealous of such research. I think more than anything all this is jealousy and petty bitchiness. Such a shame as I thought that was something only young people did. I have no urge for drama, but apparently they do. So much so they misconstrued a comment of mine into an insult of someone, and then they just went from there.

The whole reason for that rant is that is the prevailing mind set of Cinecon. They are a tight creaky clique from the 70s and they like it that way. They don't want newbies and they don't want newbies who don't worship the ground they walk on (and even if they do the prerequisite age is 55 apparently). This attitude quite frankly makes me sick, as it goes against everything I have passionately advocated for silent film. I've had quite a few people who only attended Cinecon for LA silents and report back to me they think the situation is bleak, there is no young people interested. No...young people just don't know about Cinecon. And Cinecon just doesn't know about young people.

Is that a shame? Yes. If Cinecon doesnt change a drop of programming there is still no reason to shut new people out. Who will advocate for and support and raise funds for film preservation when they are all gone and no new people know or care about these films? Maybe the stubborn old folks don't care. Again I'd like to stress ESPECIALLY in Los Angeles this is a Cinecon only mindset, other silent film screenings and groups are not this catty, cliquey or bitchy...or old.

I only made it to two screenings but there wasn't much openness in the air. The first night I got there I didn't have my pass yet, and my friend told me it would be at the registration desk. When I got there the panel of old people behind it treated me very rudely and said it was too late to register (it was the second to last film of the night if I remember right). Most film festivals sell individual tickets and day passes. Cinecon only does day and fest passes. Even if I had paid for that day pass and only wanted to go to the last 2 screenings I don't see why they would be burdened by that. If I had just wandered into the festival and wanted to see those last 2 films the 'sorry its late' excuse would have disappointed me and left a bad taste in my mouth. Especially at 9:45pm when most normal screenings run.

The second day the volunteers were much nicer, but no one really engaged me. Everyone was already in their own little cliques and did not budge a bit. I'm not a shy person, and I've been known to speak with strangers when in the mood or mode. But I was with my friend, and when I was alone I was getting ready to leave. Let me add that while just being there (talking to my friend about nothing controversial or getting validated) 1 old man glared me down, while another kept staring at me in what I'm sure is a distasteful manner. I have never seen anything like it.

Despite this mindset and hostility I met a handful of very nice people and had lunch with one of them. He must have liked what he heard well enough as he suggested working on a project I had mentioned (top secret now, trust me ya'll will hear about it soon). I spent most of the 2 screenings with my friend, and maybe 10 minutes outside both nights just getting validated or looking at flyers. Apparently just being young was too much for these people...one person left me a very nasty comment on a silent film board saying how I had too much 'attitude' (sure say that of my site but in person those 2 days...no way!) and that I wore 'ill fitting clothes and a gaudy flower in my hair'. This same person even went as far as to tell me I'd get a quick reputation for such an attitude and dress...despite the fact I spoke to maybe 4 or 5 people total at Cinecon (all of whom I was very nice to and enjoyed speaking with.)

Funny...looking around at Cinecon not only was I horribly depressed by the state of the cloistered elderly in the room but most of them resembled homeless people they were so shabbily dressed. On my way home I passed one lady who I sincerely thought was homeless until I got a closer look and seen Doug Fairbanks on her shirt. This same person said I had no clue about classic icon fashion (apparently they've never seen Perpetual Flapper?) as no icon would 'dress that way' (the hell ya say? Carmen Miranda, Veronica Lake, Natacha Rambova, Gloria Swanson, Theda Bara, Nita Naldi, Alla Nazimova, Valeska Surratt...oops sorry just tired myself out. Glad ya know what you were talking about!). I dont know who this person is but I do know the night in reference I was there barely 5 minutes outside of the film speaking with a friend. Both days I went to Cinecon I went above and beyond to dress nicely as I do with most silent film screenings (meh sometimes one grows tired but you get the jist). Several people complimented me both days on my way to Cinecon, so sorry the bag ladies didnt agree! I may be a little mouthy pudgy thing but you have to give me an A for effort! I loathe small towns and cliques for this bitchy attitude...I love LA because people are so nice. 6 people complimented me on that flower, today someone complimented me on my dress, later someone complimented my finger waves. LA doesnt need this kind of uppity bullshit from people who need to feel big in their small worlds just because they dress like homeless people.

Whatever the case I find it too funny that I'm too spicy for Cinecon on the basis of just being young and wearing a flower in my hair. I may be mouthy but I have limited my personal attacks to Kenneth Anger and other such evil (Katzenberg for one), and a wide reaching joke about shut ins which does not specifically reference any one person (just the general mean clique-y old people crowd). Sometimes I do not agree with a persons work or take on something but its not like I'm judging them based on clothing or just 'being' there (and I can say only twice have I met a silent film related person and walked away disgusted with them; needless to say it was a few rogue psycho Rudy fans in disguise).

I also want to add this hostility and critcism is not common to silent screenings. Several times at The Silent Movie Theatre I've struck up conversations with people of various ages and both genders and these people have been very nice (and usually someone nearby will jump in as well). Cupcake line alone I've told the story of Mabel Normand 3 times over! One night me and the gent behind me and the gent in front of me (both had to be near 40...possibly a little older) had a wonderful conversation about film history. People are always very complimentary and nice at these screenings. The same aforementioned 'gaudy flower' was complimented several times at the Douglas Fairbanks screening earlier this year at AMPAS. I could go on and on...but let me say I have NEVER IN MY LIFE been to a silent screening where anyone glared at me, let alone for just getting my parking validated!

To round this all up here before I start sounding like Grampa Simpson myself, this old clique-y attitude is perhaps the worst part of Cinecon. Is this Cinecon's fault? Maybe...kind of...kind of not. Obviously no festival can make people act the way they act. But then when such a clique has been cultivated and become ingrained within the ranks of an organization well...it doesnt bode well. The refusal to try and open the doors to newbies makes them a shade guiltier...if new blood were drawn in the clique would eventually have to get over itself. Maybe that's why they don't want new blood.

Finally the biggest problem with Cinecon is I don't think it knows what it wants to be anymore. In the 70s it was the pinnacle of silent film festivals...with such attendees as Lillian Gish. But it hasn't changed and it hasn't decided where its going with its programming since then. Are they showing just rarities? Are they trying to entertain? They don't know. I don't think these days they even know with what genre or era they are going for...it seems for many years it has been early talkies (30s/40s eras) though now its segueing into bad 40s and 50s films of various genres. The few films I caught snippets of other than the ones I mentioned just screamed one thing to me: old guy humor. These seem to be the films my father or Grandpa would watch on TCM and have a laugh at and a fantasy ride in while flipping between ball games. That speaks well to the crowd they are courting now, but its a very limited pool. And frankly for such an illustrious festival to fall to THAT...well I find that very sad. It's like watching Kiki on rerun...so very wrong for so very many reasons.

As for my own festival, and my own silent film work, I'm gonna keep doing what I'm doing and much to their surprise its already miles ahead of what these old cliques think it is. I can just see them at Rudy Fest now...branding the belly dancers as loose bimbo whores with attitudes for showing their belly buttons and performing before a film that includes a rape.

Silent film is a beautiful art. These films, and these stars, are still very relevant. Put on "Son of the Sheik" or "Sparrows" or "City Lights" for a youngin and they will enjoy these films. I didn't just pull this theory out of my behind or base it on myself. I've seen it time and time again. And frankly I find this elitist attitude sickening and I will have nothing to do with it.


Good thing I'm an arrogant ill mannered spicy youngin.