Tweet The Marcel Perez Collection - DVD/Kickstarter

Bob, you just got your wish.

Ben

114 backers
$4,296 pledged
11 days to go


Screenland
Marcel Perez as gagman




Motion Picture Magazine (1921)
A credit (Shadowland Screen Review) not in imdb ?

What year is the article about gag writers from?

Oops....sorry:

January 1924 Screenland and July 1921 Motion Picture Magazine

What year is the article about gag writers from?

Ben

Lantern search often lists their periodicals by the volume in which they were scanned so the the gag men article from Screenland is listed as between Oct. 1923 to March 1924. The Joe Rock-produced Aubrey series that Perez worked on (in other trades he's listed as director as well) started in November of 1923, and it's probably the first thing he did after the loss of his leg.

Ben and Steve, the "Temples of Tee-Hee" article is in the January 1924 issue of Screenland.
I oughta throw in that the pic of Sennett seated next to mega-mouth Eddie Cline is from 1917-1919.

SteveR

Thanks for the date on the article!

Ben

Before Why Be Good?, William Seiter directed Wodehouse's The Small Bachelor.



Hollywood Vagabond March 24, 1927 ("Marcel Perez Gags For William Seiter")

The Film Daily April 3, 1927 (“Sign Gag-Man”)

Photoplay August 1927 ("The Elevator Camera in Action")

The Marcel Perez Collection Kickstarter has 9 more days to go . . . !

And if you haven't been fully convinced of Marcel's overwhelming sex appeal,
consider the fact that Mr. Perez directed Rubye De Remer in three feature films.
(Florenz Ziegfeld called De Remer the most beautiful blonde since Venus.)



imdb has The Lyric Opera of Chicago as the producer of two of the Perez - De Remer features !


Features

Rediscovered Silent Classics Collection:
Pioneers of the West (1927) And
Flashing Steeds (1925)
Alpha Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: September 27, 2011
101 minutes

Saddle up for Western action with this double feature offering two exceptional and very different
silent sagebrush tales, one on the "lighter" side, the other one heavy with fighting and gunplay.

Pioneers Of the West (1927, B&W, Silent): Heroic Pony Express rider "Pony Bob" battles Indians intent on stealing horses. But there's also time for Bob to romance Bright Feather, a beautiful pioneer woman raised by savages. Dorothy Earle, who plays Bright Feather, co-wrote this all-action frontier story with husband Marcel Perez, who also directed. Starring Dick Carter, Dorothy Earle, Olin Francis, Bud Osborne, Gene Crosby; Directed by Marcel Perez.

Flashing Steeds (1925, B&W, Silent): Cowboy Bill Swift is hired by "Cap" Hart, an ex-sea captain turned cattleman, to join the fight against rustlers. Bill's first job on Hart's ranch is to help entertain unexpected guests, the English Lord and Lady Rathburne. When the Rathburnes show interest in a valuable black pearl that Hart once received from a shipwreck survivor, Bill begins to wonder if they're really royals, or rogues. Starring Bill Patton, Dorothy Donald, Merrill McCormick, Ethel Childers, Alfred Houston; Directed by Horace B. Carpenter.

Snub Pollard directs SHOW BOAT ? Interesting.

[Mike Gebert]

Reading that story about the guy who preceded Pollard on Show Boat sure sounded like untimely self-inflicted death, and sure enough... yikes:

Former newspaper reporter in Iowa, Reynolds played in several films for the Burton King Company before joining Universal as a writer/director. Reynolds shot himself, in front of guests, following an argument with his wife, actress Kathleen O'Connor, during a welcome home party being held in his honor following an on location movie shoot. His final film, Back to God's Country (1919) was finished by and credited to Irvin Willat.

That's what the IMDB bio says, anyway, though obviously the date on Back to God's Country is wrong. A newspaper account: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7p ... %2C2165575

Why is Marcel Perez grinning?



Because the Library of Congress has JUST preserved the surviving 2nd reel of "Camouflage" (1918) from nitrate…and it has been added to the DVD project! This image is one of the final 4 frames of Twede Dan's face in the print, right before decomp KO's the final shot. Steve Massa, Rob Stone and I watched the nitrate a couple years ago, and including this short on the DVD was a secret wish of ours; I didn't want to say anything until we knew conclusively that the lab work was done. Which it was as of last week. Kudos to Rob, Liz Stanley, Barbara Whitehead and everyone else at LoC who helped make this happen!

In this hilarious and inventive short, shot on locations around Cliffside NJ and at the Jester (formerly Kalem) studios there, the film finds "Twede-Dan" suspicious that his girlfriend may be a spy for the Kaiser and then very cleverly disguises himself to trail her.

The Marcel Perez Collection Kickstarter has 9 more days to go . . . ! Even if you just pledge $1 you'll still get backer updates that includes insider info, as well as announcements before they go public (i.e., backers heard about this addition to the project 3 days ago).

Ben

More news for "The Marcel Perez Collection" DVD project!

I will be publishing a companion booklet for the DVD, like I did for Musty Suffer. The book will be written by Steve Massa and will include info and images that are not in his chapter on Perez in Lame Brains and Lunatics.

The Kickstarter ends in 7 days, and additional pledges will help cover costs to manufacture and ship copies to backers (if you pledge at $25 or more and will therefore get a DVD, you will also now get the booklet) as well as to hire a graphic designer to do the cover (instead of me). Plus, being a backer means you'll get updates and insider info and that you'll get the finished DVD and booklet a few weeks before it goes on sale on Amazon.

Be part of the "somebody" in "why doesn't somebody put that out on DVD?" -- click here to go to the KS page.

Ben

That's great news. Thanks, Ben and Steve.

Bob

Five days to go. More than $4500 pledged by 124 people, more than 50% over enough money to make this happen. While it would be really cool if enough people joined to double the necessary amount ($5800), $5000 is a nice round number. Has everyone kicked in?

Bob

Hi again, Ben,

I've been reading Anthony Balducci's book about Lloyd Hamilton, and was asking myself if a Lloyd Hamilton silents wouldn't be a good following to the Marcel Perez porject (which of course I'm so much expecting to watch!)

Of course there is the LOOSER THAN LOOSE set with prints taken from 16mm copies. But on Balducci's book I noticed there are plenty of virtually unseen films from his most glorious period waiting at European or American archives. All or some of them would probably make up an amazing set.

HUNGRY LIONS IN A HOSPITAL (1918) second reel was exhibited at Slapsticon 2008
ROARING LIONS ON THE MIDNIGHT EXPRESS (1918) Ceskolovensky Fimovy Ustav/Filmovy Archiv in Prague
A TWILIGHT BABY (1919) MOMA
DYNAMITE (1920) David Wyatt Collection
APRIL FOOL (1921) David Wyatt Collection
THE VAGRANT (1921) MOMA/Ceskolovensky Fimovy Ustav
THE OPTIMIST (1923) Filmmuseum Amsterdam
CRUSHED (1924) MOMA/Ceskolovensky Fimovy Ustav
HALF A HERO (1925) New Zealand Film Archive
KING COTTON (1925) Ceskolovensky Fimovy Ustav/Filmovy Archiv in Prague
WAITING (1925) MOMA/Ceskolovensky Fimovy Ustav/Filmovy Archiv in Prague
JOLLY TARS (1926) Gernan Museum Deutsche Kinemathek
SOMEBODY'S FAULT (1927) Film Preservation Associates
BREEZING ALONG (1927) Film Preservation Associates/MOMA/La Cineteca de Friuli
HIS BETTER HALF (1927) MOMA/Ceskolovensky Fimovy Ustav/Filmovy Archiv in Prague
AT EASE (1927) Library of Congress
NEW WRINKLES (1927) Library of Congress
MOVIELAND (1927) Patrick Stransbury collection
ALWAYS A GENTLEMAN (1928) Ceskolovensky Fimovy Ustav/Filmovy Archiv in Prague

A Lloyd Hamilton collection would be a great idea. Although, like you've said Dave Stevenson has already put out a fine set of these. The main issue with the list of titles above (BTW, add "His Musical Sneeze" at DFI to the list) is that most of them are held in archives that either charge very high fees or do not allow their films to be available for home video release. Something could certainly be cobbled together from quality 16mm prints held by collectors, if enough prints could be found in the hands of collectors who do not charge high fees and do allow their prints to be available for home video.

A Lloyd Hamilton collection is a great idea. So would a Lupino Lane disc, a Larry Semon disc, a Hallroom Boys disc, a Snub Pollard disc, an Al St. John disc (okay, someone's working on that already), a Hank Mann, disc etc. It's a matter of my having the time to produce another DVD around my film accomp schedule, and enough material being accessible.

Really appreciate the suggestion and the compiled list of titles.

Ben

Only $95 left to get to $5000 folks....

Thanks for your reply, Ben.

I didn't include HIS MUSICAL SNEEZE because it's already out there

http://vimeo.com/29823660

But of course it would improve in a better quality transfer. As any of the LOOSER THAN LOOSE ones if 35mm prints of them are found. I thought interesting the list above because I suposse those prints at MOMA and the European archives are all nitrate ones, and not 16mm dupes.

But of course, there's always the money thing!!!

CHEERS!

M.

Final 24 hours of the Marcel Perez Kickstarter (it ends Wed, Jul 23 at 10:42am EDT)!

Sending big thanks to anyone on the forum who's pledged to the project and to anyone who's helped promote it by re-posting on other sites or cheering the project on in this thread.

Pledge total is nearing 5K, but most exciting/humbling is the fact that this project has had more backers than my previous KS's for "Accidentally Preserved" or "Musty Suffer".

Steve and I have been in touch with Perez's two surviving grandchildren and we can tell you they are absolutely thrilled to see this project come to fruition. They've never seen any of the films. The family lore, as it was with Thanhouser, has always been that none of the films exist.

To receive insider info via backer updates (pledge min. is $1), or to just get your DVD and booklet a few weeks before everyone else does, click here to go to the KickStarter page.

Thanks!

Ben

PS - The just-preserved "wet-from-the-lab" 2nd reel of CAMOUFLAGE was screened as a surprise short on opening night of Mostly Lost, and was a big hit and impressed the heck out of everyone who hadn't seen a Perez short before.

Steve and I have been in touch with Perez's two surviving grandchildren and we can tell you they are absolutely thrilled to see this project come to fruition. They've never seen any of the films. The family lore, as it was with Thanhouser, has always been that none of the films exist.

How exciting! Now they will be able to see their grandfather's work. That makes investing in this project more meaningful than I imagined. Thank you for the opportunity.

Thank you for supporting the project, NotSoSilent!

Ben

I got my 2 cents in just under the wire. Even though you've exceeded your goal by over 100%, it's money well spent because I know you'll find a way to get more stuff out there.

Congratulations on breaking $5,000, Ben.

Bob

Thanks and congrats to all who pledged to the Kickstarter. We ended up with 153 backers (25 more than Musty) and a total of $5,330 ($66 more than Musty). Hundred and hundreds of people will now be able to discover this wonderful, undeservedly-forgotten silent film comedian. Time to roll up my sleeves and get to work.

Ben

Ben, this is great news -- Congratulations! The public support, over and above what you needed for the project, reflects well on your track record with Accidentally Preserved and Musty Suffer. And on top of being good news for silent comedy buffs, this must be really gratifying for the family of Marcel Perez.

Just got my postcard (thank you note) in the mail today. Just want to thank everyone for making it possible for ME to see these films.

And thank you (and the 150+ others) who backed the project!

Ben

Here's an update on the project (sent to backers Aug 27), with good news about the transfers, scoring et al.

**click!**

Ben

another Marcel Perez on You Tube. I don't know if this one would be in the collection.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA3TAbmoV2I

Robinet Aviator is not on the DVD. We've picked five of the Robinet shorts for the disc, all of which are much better and funnier than any of the Perez films you can find on YouTube or on Archive.

Details will be posted in a couple of weeks, along with news about a possible date for January 2015 release.

Ben

Whoops, my bad . . . film titles for the DVD were listed on the Kickstarter page in July.

Ben