1. BILLY BLAZES 7.30pm Friday 2nd ~ starring Harold Lloyd
The mining town of Peaceful Vale is a rough place, and sheriff 'Gun Shy' Gallagher can do little about it, since the town is ruled by Crooked Charley, the gambler. Charley runs Pierre the tavern keeper out of town, and takes Pierre's daughter Nell as his prisoner. But when Billy Blazes sees Charley's henchmen harassing Pierre, he rescues Pierre and then proceeds to confront Charley back at the tavern.
2. THE NAVIGATOR 2pm Saturday 3rd September ~ (59 mins) Buster Keaton With Piano Accompaniment
Brilliantly exemplifying Buster Keaton's ability to mine rich humor from the inanimate, "The Navigator" is a classic of the Golden Age of Comedy. Keaton stars as Rollo Treadway, an inexperienced lad of extraordinary wealth, but little common sense. He finds himself adrift on "The Navigator," a 500-foot yacht, with no one but an equally naive girl (Kathryn McGuire). Together they face the misadventures that befall them on the high seas, from cannibals to unfamiliar domesticity.
3. Author LLOYD JONES reads from his book: THE BOOK OF FAME 4pm Saturday 3rdSeptember
Lloyd outlines the background to his book which weaves a narrative around the facts of the first New Zealand All Blacks tour back in 1905. The Originals, as they came to be known, faced the daunting prospect of being overseas for the first time. The story touchingly recalls their journey, which begins with them as simply names on a ship’s passenger list, and charts their progress as they develop into famous legends.
Followed by...
ALL BLACKS (1 hr) with piano accompaniment
2011 Rugby World Cup Tribute with 2011 World Premiere of silent film compilation‘All Blacks’ which features footage of the 1905 Originals NZ touring team plus the 1924/1925 Invincibles.
New Zealand vs England 1905
Stills Collection, New Zealand Film Archive
Ngā Kaitiaki O Ngā Taonga Whitiāhua
4. THE THREE MUSKETEERS with piano accompaniment 7.30pm Saturday 3rdSeptember ~ (120mins)
The young Gascon D'Artagnan arrives in Paris, his heart set on joining the king's Musketeers. He is taken under the wings of three of the most respected and feared Musketeers, Porthos, Aramis, and Athos. Together they fight to save France and the honor of a lady from the machinations of the powerful Cardinal Richelieu. Stars theever-popular Douglas Fairbanks.
COMEDY CARNIVAL ~ Sunday 4th September
5. The Langdon Collection 11am Sunday 4th September
LUCKY STARS (1925) 20 mins Advised by a stargazer to follow his destiny, wandering Harry (and his life savings) are taken under the wing of a medicine show charlatan (Vernon Dent). They settle in a Spanish town to ply their trade, but the local druggists' daughter has other ideas. Don't miss Harry's infatuation with a mug of beer!
FIDDLESTICKS (1926) 20 mins Poverty driven Harry is compelled to learn to play the bass fiddle and become a musician. His teacher (Vernon Dent) and family forsake him, so he tries his hand as a street player.....with detritus thrown at him from every window he plays under. A junk man (also Vernon Dent) takes notice and enters into a bizarre yet highly successful partnership with Harry.
SOLDIER MAN (1926) 31 mins The Great World War is over - but nobody bothered to tell Harry - who is still wandering the front. After an episode with a cow and dynamite leaves him unscathed, he is nabbed by nefarious powers to be the puppet double of the King of Bomania!
6. COMEDY SHORTS 1pm Sunday 4th September
CAUGHT IN THE RAIN 1914 (16 mins)
Starring Charlie Chaplin, Alice Davenport and Mack Swain. In this, Chaplin's first effort as a director, a drunken Charlie falls for another man's wife in the park. The other man, Mack Swain, is none too pleased when Charlie follows them home and it turns out he lives right across the hall. During the night, the wife walks in her sleep and winds up in Charlie's room! Chaplin's influence as a director is evident in this Keystone film. While there are plenty of laughs and action, the pace is not as frantic as the typical Sennett fare of the time.
SMITHY 1924 (20 mins)
Starring Stan Laurel and James Finlayson. After being discharged from the army due to a bean shortage, Smithy (Stan Laurel) is hired as a house builder. The problem is he knows nothing about building houses which he quickly proves by destroying everything he gets his hands on. His former sergeant (Finlayson), is the unfortunate victim of most of his not so little accidents. When Smithy is mistakenly left in charge, he manages to actually finish the house. All that's left to do is remove the last supporting beam...
SOLD AT AUCTION 1923 (19 mins)
Starring Snub Pollard and James Finlayson. As a baby, Snub is left abandoned in a basket on a stranger's front stoop. Twenty five years later, he's still living in the basket! Snub gets a job helping an auction house sell off their merchandise. They have a large selection of brass knuckles and blackjacks. Snub's job is to demonstrate how these handy items are used -- on him! When Finlayson goes on vacation, Snub and his pals accidentally sell off his furniture. Now Snub's job is to get it all back. This film is absolutely hilarious! The action is almost impossible to describe! It's jammed with comedy, stunts and amazing special effects for the day
SAFETY LAST 1923 70 mins 2.30pm Sunday 4th September
Country boy heads to the big city to seek success. While working as a clerk in a department store, he talks the manager into offering $1000 to anyone who can bring more customers to the store. He then arranges for a friend, a "human fly," to climb the face of the store building as a publicity stunt. Unfortunately the "human fly" is a wanted man, and when "The Law" shows, our hero must make the climb, himself. At each ledge he encounters new difficulties, climaxing in the famous 'clock scene.'
Acknowledgements to:
New Zealand Film Archive,
ReelClassics.com,
Harold Lloyd Trust,
Ben Model, Douris.com
Acknowledgements to:
New Zealand Film Archive,
ReelClassics.com,
Harold Lloyd Trust,
Ben Model, Douris.com, Horizon Energy.
