Friday, December 17, 2010

the world's first ever horror film - from 1910 - to be shown downtown on Friday

This little blurb is a great example of the cool little things that keep popping up all throughout Youngstown.

On Friday, Dec 17th @7pm, the Oakland Center for the Arts will host Frankenstein, originally produced in 1910 by Thomas Alva Edison's film company.

$5 will get one in the door, which includes a lecture on the film by the great Youngstown artist Chris Yambar.

From the Oakland's press release:
"Due to the Victorian public’s outcry against the film’s content, all copies of the cinematic first were gathered and destroyed, making it one of the most sought-after “lost treasures” of Silver Screen history. When a lone copy surfaced in the silent film collection of Alois Dettlaff during the 1960s, it became a guarded reel, one shown in its entirety to only a select few over the next 40 years. The eccentric Dettlaff never allowed the film to leave his estate and refused to have it restored.

In 2003, Chris Yambar joined forces with illustrator Robb Bihun and examined the film frame-by-frame, noting everything that occurred. They fought the popular temptation to “gore it up” and decided to keep their adaptation as bloodless and straightforward as the original content. There were areas, however, that needed some bridging in order to have a cognitive narrative flow. This was done with thoughtfulness and respect. The result was a 40-page graphic telling of the legendary 15-minute film."
Coffee, cocoa, and popcorn will be available at the Oakland.

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