Kansas Silent Film Festival will celebrate 25 years: 'Silent films create a whole new movie experience'
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Topekan Jim Rhodes says when he founded the Kansas Silent Film Festival in 1997, he had no idea it would still be going 25 years later.
But it is, in part because the festival has filled a gap in people's lives, Rhodes told The Capital-Journal this week.
"Silent films create a whole new movie experience for everyone," he said. "Come and find out for yourself."
Kansas-born Buster Keaton is among the stars of the 25 films being shown at next week's festival, as are early motion picture greats Charlie Chaplin, Lon Chaney Sr. and Gloria Swanson.
"25 Years/25 Films" is the theme of this year's festival, which takes place from Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 24 to 26, at three separate sites in Topeka.
The theme focuses on this year's being the 25th live edition of the festival, which was held virtually last year because of COVID-19.
Films will be shown beginning at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Historic Jayhawk Theatre, 720 S.W. Jackson; 1 p.m. Friday at Grace Episcopal Cathedral, 701 S.W. 8th Ave.; and 7:30 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Washburn University's White Concert Hall, 1700 S.W. Jewell Ave.
Masks will be required at all three locations.
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Admission will be free for all showings but Thursday's. There will also be a charge for an optional dinner event taking place Saturday.
Tickets will be required because seating is limited. For more details and ticket information, go to the event website at kssilentfilmfest.org.
'Like they were meant to be seen'
The festival has traditionally been held "come rain or snow" on the last weekend of February, said Bill Shaffer, one of its organizers.
The festival's mission is to present classic silent films made between 1900 and 1929 with live musical accompaniment provided by local musicians and guest artists.
"It is a part of movie history that is unknown to most people today, and that has shown itself to be popular with persons from 3 to 93," Rhodes said.
This year's festival will spotlight classic silent film shorts and features, many of which have not been previously shown at the Kansas festival, Shaffer said.
This year's festival will include live musical accompaniment for every short and feature, he said.
"The films will be shown on the big screen like they were originally meant to be seen," Shaffer said. "Some will be shown on 16mm film, but DVD or Blu-ray will be used for the newly restored films."
Kansas City, Mo., historian Denise Morrison returns as host and will provide brief introductions for each film.
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Cinema-Dinner
The festival's 13th special "Cinema-Dinner" event will be from 5:15 to 7:15 p.m. Saturday at White Concert Hall, where J.B. Kaufman will speak about "Silent Film: The Midwestern Connection."
Kaufman, a film historian and author, has written extensively about topics that include American silent film and Walt Disney animation history.
Attendance is by reservation only, with the dinner costing $40. Nonrefundable tickets can be bought by making the check payable to Kansas Silent Film Festival and sending requests to KSFF Cinema-Dinner P.O. Box 2032 Topeka, Kansas 66604-2032.
Because the dinners are often sold out, Shaffer said he recommends getting a reservation early.
If Saturday's dinner isn't sold out by that time, tickets will be available for purchase Friday evening and part of Saturday in the "will call" area in the lobby at White Concert Hall.
Opening night to include Buster Keaton film
A $10 fee is being charged to attend Thursday's opening "Comedy Night" at the Jayhawk Theatre. It will feature the showing of three short films as well as 1928's "Steamboat Bill Jr.," featuring Keaton, and will last one hour, 15 minutes.
"Steamboat Bill Jr." is one of Keaton’s best-remembered features and features a cyclone sequence worthy of the term "jaw-dropping," Shaffer said.
The stone-faced Keaton was born in 1895 at Piqua, an unincorporated community eight miles west of Iola in Woodson County, as his parents toured with a vaudeville troupe. He died in 1966.
Advance tickets for Thursday's event will no longer be available by mail after Sunday. To get tickets in advance, mail payment to KSFF, P.O. Box 2032, Topeka, KS 66601-2032. Tickets will be for sale Thursday at the door if they're still available, Shaffer said.
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Friday's and Saturday's offerings
One short film and two longer features — 1926's "Tell It to the Marines" and 1923's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," both featuring Chaney — will be shown Friday afternoon at Grace Episcopal Cathedral.
Friday evening's program at White Concert Hall will feature four short films and one feature, 1925's "The Goose Woman," starring Louise Dresser and Jack Pickford.
Saturday morning's program at White Concert Hall will include two short films, a 55-minute special documentary and one feature, 1925's "Peter Pan," starring Betty Bronson and Ernest Torrence.
Saturday afternoon's program at White Concert Hall will include three short films, including "A Film Johnny," starring Chaplin, which will be the only Chaplin film shown at this year's festival. There will also be two features: 1925's "Stage Struck," starring Swanson, and 1920's "Within Our Gates," directed by Oscar Micheaux.
Saturday evening's program at White Concert Hall will offer three short films and one feature, 1926's "The Winning of Barbara Worth," starring Ronald Colman and Vilma Banky.
Further details about the festival can be found on the event website.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: 25th annual Kansas Silent Film Festival to be held next week in Topeka
