The explosively growing San Francisco Silent Film Festival is presenting a rich, musically adventurous program during its Silent Autumn series at the Castro Theater on Sept. 20. These comic and dramatic classics of the 1920s will have live musical accompaniment by prominent composer/performers.
It features well-known greats such as: The General (USA, 1926, directed by Clyde Bruckman and Buster Keaton, with Keaton, Marion Mack, Glen Cavender, Jim Farley; music by the Alloy Orchestra; 7 p.m. Sept. 20) and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligary (Germany, 1920, directed by Robert Wiene, with Werner Krauss, Conrad Veidt, Friedrich Feher, Lil Dagover; music by Donald Sosin; 9 p.m. Sept. 20). There are a half dozen films, including The Son of the Sheik (USA, 1926, directed by George Fitzmaurice, with Rudolph Valentino, Vilma Banky, George Fawcett; music by the Alloy Orchestra; 1 p.m. Sept. 20).
And one exciting novelty: a compilation by the British Film Institute, marking the centenary of the start of World War I — "A Night at the Cinema," at 3:30 p.m. Sept. 20. With feature films still rare back then, the program is a roster of short items with live musical accompaniment by Donald Sosin. Among the highlights: an episode of the American film serial The Perils of Pauline, an early aviation display, scenes of suffragettes protesting at Buckingham Palace, and Allied troops celebrating Christmas at the front.