This is an interesting NYT article on the restoration of G.W. Pabst’s film version of The Threepenny Opera, released in 1931. I saw the film years ago. I hated it. Well, maybe not hate. The scenes with Lotte Lenya were interesting.One of the perks of attending UCLA was that the film department and its library were incredible. Most Friday nights I attended film showings on campus with my friends, and the showings were usually double bills. On that night I saw Fritz Lang’s great “M”. (Incidentally, Peter Lorre had originally been cast as the Beggar King, Mr. Peacham in the original Berlin stage production, but had to withdraw for some reason I can’t recall.) “M” was shown first, “Threepenny” next and the contrast was remarkable. “Threepenny”, as filmed by Pabst, sucked. And, the linked article shows why. Pabst really didn’t want to make a musical. In any event, the restoration does sound different, and I’ll check it out.
3 comments:
Lucky you, Dan.
At the University of Illinois, we had the midnight showing of Rocky Horror Picture Show and the usual slasher flicks … although I do seem to recall a handful of halfway decent movies now and then; nothing out of the ordinary, though … maybe Psycho or Nosferatu (the 1979 remake, that is …)
Then again, we did have the Morrow Plots, the oldest experimental corn field in the nation. Woo woo!
So sacred are the Morrow Plots that the U of I built its underground, so as not to throw shade on the corn.
Damn those tricky html tags. That was supposed to say “… had to build its undergraduate library underground …” Dunno what happened to half that phrase …
Dave,
Do you happen to know whether or not Karo syrup is named for Cairo, Illinois? Inquiring minds want to know. The story about the Morrow Plots and the undergraduate library is pretty interesting. 'Course you have to go to London to see The Vine, which predates the State of Illinois.
Anony D
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