Changes at The Silent Movie Theatre

AH my poor heart! Once dearest Bob Mitchell passed in July, The Silent Movie Theatre began to change things up...I'm undecided as to for better or worse (in fairness its impossible to say right now). For those not in the know, I probably owe my love of silents to The Silent Movie Theatre, a historic theatre in the Fairfax area of Hollywood (think: The Grove, Jews, and Hipsters) from the 1940s. It hasn't shown silents exclusively since I believe the 90s. But it did for much of its history.

In 2007 it was taken over by the non profit 'Cinefamily' who vowed to keep silents showing. They hired Bob Mitchell, and put a silent on every Wednesday night, i.e. 4 a month less any special events. The theatre is what I call 'hipster heaven'. When I'm an old woman and hipster is the equivalent of hippy or flapper I will proudly remember this place and the nice youngins it attracted. Sure the audiences usually skews male, but ages are usually split between 20, 40, and 60 quite evenly. In addition they have the 'membership' program of $25 or $40 a month, giving a pass holder unlimited access to as many films as they wish. I thought this was golden as at about $10 a screening it paid for itself in no time in silents alone...and occasionally there were interesting talkies to catch. The theatre used to skew more a wide mix, Carmen Miranda and Japanese horror films. Now its become almost exclusive of the weird, post 1960, obscure, and hip.

They haven't shown a silent since late August (less you count the token Haxan in October). Changes were announced. People were whispering and afraid ever since Bob passed..."Are they gonna do away with silents all together?" Then news came that the long standing Silent Treatment would take over...but silents would be cut to one a month instead of one a week, starting in February 2010.

The good news is the Treatment folks have good taste, kicking off with "The Flapper" (OLLIE!) Judging by the small blurb it looks like they're also doing away with that 'god bless him he tried' organist who just...put me to sleep (mellerdrama music does NOT go with Laurel and Hardy...NO!) Putting modern music with silents might be a very good angle indeed to draw youngins in.

Then there's the bad news. Looks like Silents will now be part of their 'Special Programs' i.e. no longer counted in the membership. I'd much rather have 4 for $25 than 1 for $12. BUT I am also happy to pay a price that allows them to show silents. Why it annoys me isn't so much my cheapness/grand poverty (which usually inhibits many of my decisions), but that I always felt that program would be golden for doing just what I hoped to see: introducing silents to newbies.

Bless em...I think the staff there is just wonderful, and they have taken my requests numerous times (in fact I requested Olive last May or so...whether this is related I have no clue). So I can not say one bad word about them as I adore them and everything they are trying to do. But I wish they had cross promoted more. Many people AT the theatre were not even aware they still ran silents, let alone regularly. If you attended a horror screening it would not be announced or mentioned in any form or way (in fairness what they promote during their pre-speeches always varies widely, so this can not be a silents only thing.) And they too were shunned by 'the community' for the longest time. Both Hollywood Heritage and The Egyptian had no clue they were screening silents, let alone regularly (and this was as late as 2009!) Maybe shunning is the wrong word, but there was definitly a lack of communication and awareness. There was always the regulars in the crowd, but never the OTC...it wasn't on their radar. For that, Cinefamily holds no fault.

This move may or may not be a bad thing. Making it special with a well chosen film and selected live music just might bring in more youngins, while making it profitable for the theatre. But something in me still greatly laments the fact that my once a week treat is gone...maybe they spoiled us too well. Bob Mitchell and a good silent every week? No one since 1927 has been so lucky!!! And the crowd the theatre attracts is so nice and so open. So diverse. It truly is the perfect atmosphere to be introduced to silents.

One thing I fear ever so much in this Great Depression 2 of ours is the excuse for anywhere to cut Silents due to 'the recession'. I've noticed a huge drop in screenings this last year, all over let alone in LA. Silents are a tough sale no doubt, but to give up when we were so close is just stupid. What with the interweb and all. Maybe someday our weekly screenings will be back, if not at The Silent Movie Theatre than somewhere else. Or just maybe this change will help bring that back to a reality.