Friday, July 31, 2015

Louise Brooks film and blues moaner Clara Smith

Over the years, I've come across newspaper advertisements for one or another of Louise Brooks' films which have included musical acts on the bill. That's because back in the 1920's, many theaters programmed musical or vaudeville acts to accompany films.

For example, I have found advertisements which had a Brooks' film and performances by Paul Ash and Vincent Lopez (each a noted band leader of the time), as well as another with a Brooks' film and the great jazz pianist Art Tatum!

And here is another I just came across, proclaiming an appearance by the great Clara Smith (c. 1894 – February 2, 1935), an African America blues singer billed as the "Queen of the Moaners". Also showing was the 1926 Louise Brooks' film Love Em and Leave Em.



This particular ad promotes the Royal Theater, one of Baltimore finest and one of a circuit of five such theaters for Black entertainment in big cities. (Its sister theaters were the Apollo in Harlem, the Howard Theatre in Washington, D.C., the Regal Theatre in Chicago, and the Earl Theater in Philadelphia.) The biggest stars in Black entertainment, including jazz and blues singers aand musicians, performed at the Royal. Ethel Waters debuted there, as did Pearl Bailey, who sang in a chorus line. Louis Armstrong and Fats Waller worked as accompanists, while Louis Jordan, Duke Ellington and others performed at The Royal.

Thursday, July 30, 2015

Sacred Space: Louise Brooks in India

Found these two selections of quotations in the Times of India. Each date from the early 2000's and each include Louise Brooks.




Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Lulu in Bollywood - Louise Brooks in India

In search of all things Louise Brooks... I had the chance to look through past issues of the Times of India, the English-language daily newspaper. Today, it is the largest selling English-language daily in the world.

Back in the 1920s and 1930's, the Times of India covered the Bombay (now Mumbai) and New Delhi entertainment scenes. That included films, and of special interest, the films of Louise Brooks.

As far as I could find, at least eight of the actress' films were shown in India. I found editorial coverage and / or advertisements for The American Venus (1-26 / 9-27), Just Another Blonde (12-26 / 7-27), Evening Clothes (3-27 / 5-29), Now We're in the Air (10-27 / 9-29), Beggars of Life (10-28 / 3-29), The Canary Murder Case (2-29 / 5-30), and as well, When You're in Love (2-37 / 9-37), and King of Gamblers (5-37 / 11-37). The dates in parenthesis represent the month of the film's American release / followed by the month of the film's showing in either Bombay or New Delhi, India.

In terms of editorial, both Beggars of Life and The Canary Murder Case received a fair amount of coverage, as did When You're in Love. In terms of newspaper advertisements, many of the ads were something like the one pictured to the left for Now We're in the Air. Cool, but somewhat modest. However, I did find a couple of rather large advertisements for both The American Venus and Beggars of Life. Each took-up nearly 1/5th of the page! Wow!!



Monday, July 27, 2015

The era's attitudes toward bobbed hair

This UK editorial cartoon from 1926 reflects the era's attitudes toward bobbed hair.


Sunday, July 26, 2015

Wurlitza plays live soundtrack to Louise Brooks' film Diary of a Lost Girl



Wurlitza, a five piece band from South East Cornwall in England who have been specializing in adding live soundtracks to silent films since 2006, will be playing their live soundtrack to the Louise Brooks' film Diary of a Lost Girl in Yelverton Village Hall, Devon, England on Sunday, July 26th.

The group will also be performing their live soundtrack on other dates later in the year including Thursday, July 30th at the Port Eliot Festival and possibly on Friday, November 6th  at the Newnham on Severn Film Club. More about the band and their music can be found on their website at www.wurlitza.co.uk/










From the Wurlitza website: "Two years in the making is Wurlitza’s soundtrack for GW Pabst’s 1929 movie Diary of a Lost Girl. Fast moving and at times shocking, Diary of a Lost Girl traces the story of Thymian, played by the mesmerising screen idol Louise Brooks, as her life yoyos between episodes of lightness and innocence, darkness and despair. Moments of great comedy involve life in a reform school for fallen girls headed by a villainous nun, and a modern dance lesson with an incompetent buffoon. This gripping film defies convention, confounding expectations as joy and compassion are found in the most unlikely places. Repertoire for the soundtrack of Diary of a Lost Girl includes music by Jango Reinhardt, Fun Boy Three, Portishead, Wire, Chopin, Leonard Cohen, Madonna and Grace Jones. "

Saturday, July 25, 2015

Lulu, by Alban Berg performed in Oakland, California

West Edge Opera is presenting Alban Berg's opera Lulu in the abandoned 16th Street Train Station in Oakland, California. A very blonde un-Louise Brooks like Emma McNairy takes the role of Lulu. More information HERE.

Lulu, by Alban Berg
The summit of German Expressionism in opera

SATURDAY JULY 25, 8PM
SUNDAY  AUGUST 2, 2PM   
SATURDAY AUGUST 8, 8PM
     
Lulu, the second and final opera of composer Alban Berg (1885 - 1935),  is considered one of the masterpieces of 20th-century composition. Berg, a pupil of Arnold Schoenberg, adapted the libretto himself from two plays by Frank Wedekind.

The central character Lulu is the embodiment of sex appeal - Lulu is married to three men successively in the opera. They worship her, but her untamed sensuality spells their ruin, with Lulu even killing the third, the wealthy Dr. Schoen. Jailed for this murder, she escapes, but she descends into poverty and ultimately prostitution. She is killed by a client, Jack the Ripper.







Friday, July 24, 2015

Louise Brooks & Frankie Trumbauer - Bye Bye Blues, 1930

Here is a delightful vintage recording by Frankie Trumbauer paired with a contemporary video of images of Louise Brooks. The song is "Bye Bye Blues", from 1930.


I have seen this recording on a newish CD suggesting it is sung by Louise Brooks. It ain't.
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