Tweet Chaplin's "Shoulder Arms" to be reunited with original score

Hi All,

I'm proud to announce that on June 3, my Peacherine Ragtime Orchestra and I will be presenting Charlie Chaplin's 1918 feature, "Shoulder Arms", with its original reconstructed 1918 cue-sheet musical score. This will mark the first time since the silent era (and since the 1959 release of the "Chaplin Revue") that the film will be shown with the original period orchestral score.

We will be using a different print than the Chaplin Revue's version!

This event will be held at the AFI Silver Theatre, a restored 1938 theater in Silver Spring, MD. Tickets (which aren't on sale yet, but hopefully will be soon!) will be sold at http://www.afi.com/SILVER/ for $15. Along with the showing of "Shoulder Arms", we will also show Keaton's "Cops" and Harold Lloyd's "Never Weaken" with our orchestral scores. The time for the event is TBA.

For more information about the orchestra, visit http://www.peacherineragtime.com.

Andrew,

Sounds like another great event. I just wish that you guys could have recoded the reconstructed score you did with Keaton's COLLEGE on the forthcoming Kino Blu-ray. It would have been a most welcome addition. The John Muri Theater Organ score that has been used for 40 years just doesn't cut it. Have you approached them about the possibility I hope?

I hope this will be a complete print of SHOULDER ARMS. There were key bits and pieces inexplicably removed from the MK2 restoration of THE CHAPLIN REVUE from both A DOG'S LIFE and SHOULDER ARMS. That footage is present in my old Playhouse VHS of THE CHAPLIN REVUE, as well as the old Fox Laser-disc and DVD releases. These two films are much better with those gags still in place.

Waitasec whoa...

By "different", do you mean not the same edit? Or do you (I hope) mean the ORIGINAL print, not on commercially released DVD? The version actually released in 1919? And not the re-compiled version he did in the 40s that was in the Chaplin Revue or on the Shepard DVD?

If so, ANY ANY ANY chance for any form of DVD release of your version with your music?

Hi Gagman & Augustinius,

This is the original version as released, and is not currently commercially available on DVD. It is a complete print. If you've seen the Chaplin Revue, this will be different. As I said, it will not have Chaplin's music on it, it will have the original release music as compiled with the original cue sheet. So it will be as authentic an experience as we can get it!

Gagman, as far as "College" is concerned, we were approached by Bret Wood at Kino, however, we could not reach an agreement about using the original music for the release. I do look forward to seeing the end result, however, since his work with restoring the Keaton movies has been fantastic so far. Perhaps we can release it/record it one day.

As far as doing a DVD release with "Shoulder Arms", I'd personally love to do it, however, there are a lot of factors to put in with a DVD release. The best way to help us do that is to come out to our shows and purchase a copy of our CD for yourself, friends/family/neighbors/etc!

Thanks,
Andrew

Is this a different print than the one available from http://www.reelclassicdvd.com/silent_era.htm?

According to their catalog this is the Pathe release from the early 1920's, how is this print different from that if it isn't the same one, both of which would be different from the Chaplin release, and I would guess are superior.

Good luck, I hope it is a great night!

Hi Eric,
This print IS different than the release from the website listed.
Best,
Andrew

I don't believe I've ever seen the original 1919 cue sheet to SHOULDER ARMS. Does it list who compiled it, Andrew? That's a fairly early published sheet.

So are we talking about the original run time of 45 min.? Which is about 10 mins. longer than most versions we have been accustomed to seeing these many decades.

So are we talking about the original run time of 45 min.? Which is about 10 mins. longer than most versions we have been accustomed to seeing these many decades.

Our version is just over 38 minutes. It is noticeably different than the Chaplin Revue cut.

I don't believe I've ever seen the original 1919 cue sheet to SHOULDER ARMS. Does it list who compiled it, Andrew? That's a fairly early published sheet.

The cue sheet, which I haven't seen, is available through the collection at Eastman House.

Just a reminder that this weekend marks the show where Chaplin's SHOULDER ARMS will be reunited with the 1918 score. You can purchase your tickets (only $15 for two hours worth of films, COPS, NEVER WEAKEN, and SHOULDER ARMS) from AFI Silver, at http://www.afi.com/silver or by calling their phone line 301.495.6720.

PS: COPS and NEVER WEAKEN will be screened on beautiful 35mm prints!

I'll be there. Any other Nitratevillagers coming?