ANNOUNCEMENT: THE SILENT MOVIE DAY BLOGATHON

It’s been a long time since I last updated my blog, but now after several months I’m ready to make a comeback. Before we get down to business, I want to fill you in on my whereabouts. As some of you know, I suffer from excruciating headache attacks, which have resulted in me being hospitalized more than once this pass year. During my first stay that lasted for four months, I experienced by far the worse headache in my entire life. The pain was that serious that it instantly made me fall into a coma. Needless to say, it was an extremely terrifying situation that I hope I never endure again. In addition to my incapacitation in hospital, I am detained with my research for my Katharine Hepburn book, which I am under contract for and my freelancing work for an online publication.

Now that I’ve explained the reason for my absence, it’s time to get to the core of this post. September 29th was recently inaugurated National Silent Movie Day. The idea was initially coined by Chad Hunter, the executive director of Video Trust and director of the Pittsburgh Silent Film Society, Brandee B. Cox, archivist of the Academy Film Archives, and Steven K. Hill, one of the leading archivists at UCLA Film & Television Archive. For the occasion Lea from Silent-oligy and myself are hosting a blogathon dedicated to the lost art of silent cinema. This event serves as a great excuse for us to honor the bygone era and its an occasion for newcomers to take their first steps into the world of silents.

Anyone can participate! Ask your local cinema to show a silent picture with live music; watch a silent movie on a streaming platform or on disc; write a blog or an article for your local newspaper; read a book about your favorite silent movie star; or create a podcast. Use your imagination and post on your social media on September 29 to show how you celebrate the day. This is our moment as silent movie fans, academics, programmers, and newcomers to share our mutual love and appreciation for this unique period in motion picture history. It is also an opportunity to rally around surviving silent pictures that are still in need of preservation.

Without further ado, bloggers and writers in general are invited to join Lea and myself on September 29th, as we flashback in time for this fun one-day event that is guaranteed to thrill movie audiences worldwide.

THE RULES

1. Bloggers are welcome to write about any topic that pertains to silent cinema. You can choose any film, an actor or an actress whose career harkens back to the silent era, a director from that particular period in time, or even a top list. Whatever subject piques your interest. The sky is the limit.

2. Despite the diversity of the subject matter, we are allowing duplicates. We realize that not all silent films have been preserved and not all folks have easy access to these movies – so duplicates are 100% allowed. Besides, everybody has a different take on things.

3. We are not proposing any hard restrictions. We only ask that there be no more than two posts per participant.

4. The purpose of this blogathon is to honor the films and the stars who graced the silent screen. Any post that appears to be derogatory and disrespectful will not be accepted.

5. All contributions must be new material only. Previously published posts will not be accepted.

6. To express your interest in participating in the blogathon, please leave a comment on my blog or on Lea’s blog, along with the name and URL of your blog, and the subject you wish to cover, or you can always register by email at: crystalpacey3@gmail.com. For those of you who wish to register by email, please be sure to include the name and URL of your blog, and the topic you wish to cover. Once you get confirmation, please spread the word about this blogathon by selecting one of the banners created by Lea and advertise the event on your blog. The more publicity we get, the merrier.

THE ROSTER

In The Good Old Days Of Classic Hollywood: TBD.

Silent-ology: TBD.

Cinematic Scribblings: Tokyo Chorus ( 1931 )

Real Weegie Midget Reviews: Silent Movie ( 1976 )