Mad Movies Bob Monkhouse

[bhowells]

I was never a big fan of Bob Monkhouse, but it cannot be deinied that he wasnt an interesting man. He had a passion for collectin old silent films, I vividly recall him presenting the Mad Movies show on tv in the sixties. What a great introduction to the world of silent films, I learnt about Chaplin and Buster Keaton and the Keystone Cops through watching that prorgamme. Fond memories of watching it on Boxing Day mornings.

Michael Bentine used to introduce silent films in a show called Golden Silents and now we have Paul Merton with his show.

I saw the programme he did whenhe presented a Chaplin film in Bristol restored to its normal speed, itg was heartening to see young people enjoying films made in a bygone era.

[donna]

IM sorry to say this but first time I saw Bob in a film I fancied him rotten, what a sad life Ive had.

[penfold]

Originally Posted by bhowells Michael Bentine used to introduce silent films in a show called Golden Silents and now we have Paul Merton with his show. I saw the programme he did when he presented a Chaplin film in Bristol restored to its normal speed, itg was heartening to see young people enjoying films made in a bygone era.

The Colston Hall clip was part of a festival I help out at, Slapstick, run in January. This last year we had 1700 people, academics, anoraks but mostly ordinary locals of all ages roaring their heads off to the proper silent version of The Gold Rush, with a fifteen piece orchestra playing a new score assembled from Chaplin's own 1940's score for fifty pieces...the first half of the show was to shorts, Keaton's One Week, and L&H's Leave 'Em Laughing....PM presents.
Do come if you can make it, we have a busy weekend....this was last January's website. Slapstick 2008 - Bristol's Silent Comedy Festival - Events No previous experience necessary......just a sense of humour.

[Harleybloke]

I loved 'Mad Movies'.just Brill...........................!

[Moor Larkin]

Weren't all those old silent movies done a terrible disservice by not being broadcast properly and so made to look all speeded up and jerky. Or maybe that's what made them seem funnier than theywere.

Something to do with the number of frames passing through a gate per second per second?



I seem to recall they used the technique in Hell Drivers too......

[booby trap]

I love silent movies, i have a box set from the USA of the lost Harry Langdon two reelers he made for the Mac Sennett studios, some real good shorts in that set.
I also have a few of the Robert Youngson comps, you know the ones that they always used to screen at Christmas in the 60's and 70's.
I too remember the Monkhouse Mad Movies, it used to be screened here on Sunday afternoons. All the films used were from Bob's own collection. That series started me collecting silent movies on the then standard 8 format and then super 8.
At the beginning of the year i was lucky to get hold of a two disc set Weiss-O-Rama, silent films made by the budget Weiss Brothers Studio's. The prints used are from the original 35mm negs, and are of super qaulity. Although not the best silent slapticks ever made, there are a few good ones in there with stars like Ben Turpin and Snub Pollard, alot of these Weiss Brothers films went on to be used in the 'Chuckle Heads' comp's that were shown in the UK on some tv regions as programe fillers in the mid to late 70's.
There are more silent movies being found and restored and becoming available on dvd, so keep your eyes peeled if you have an interest in this sort of film.

[bhowells]

I rembember the Robert Youngston compilations they evove the same kind of warm meories as "Mad Movies."

Thanks for the info about the Chuckleheads" fillers, I remember seeing them in my Htv region in the seventies, often wonder where these films came from.

I have purchased a couple of compilations which star Laurel and Hardy before they were a duo they are often packaged as Laure and Hardy films. I think quite a few of these flicks were Charlie Chase films, interesting viewing.

I will look out for further dvd releases, great to know that these films are being found again.

BH

[penfold]

Originally Posted by Moor Larkin Weren't all those old silent movies done a terrible disservice by not being broadcast properly and so made to look all speeded up and jerky. Or maybe that's what made them seem funnier than theywere. Something to do with the number of frames passing through a gate per second per second?

Just Frames Per Second; Frames per Second Per Second indicates a constant acceleration.....

They would alter the cranking speed mid film for comedic effect for Keystone-style chases, but the better comedies seldom use the technique, Chaplin, initially, then Keaton, Laurel and Hardy all spent the twenties slowing the action down, for more thoughtful, if not sophisticated always, comedy.
Fortunately, by the late silent era film speeds were approaching 24 fps anyway,so the classic late-silent films didn't suffer too much by being seen at sound speeds....just the earlierclassics, the Mutual Chaplins for instance.
With the coming of sound, and all the investment that meant for filmmakers and exhibitors meant there was a disincentive to show silent material as it was designed; what started almost as sabotage in the thirties became carelessness until by the sixties it was expected that all silent films - not just comedies - looked that way, and always had.
One of the first projects that went against this was the 1960's landmark TV series The Great War, where the extensive archive footage was speed corrected for TV speeds, and the effect astonished people by all accounts.
Even now, forty years on, there is no guarantee that a silent DVD will have been transferred at the correct speed; or that your local arts cinema have the knowledge and/or equipment to show a silent as it was intended......

[donna]

oh the quickies were brilliant, the keystone cops, fantastic stunts.