The Wingham Advance-Times, 1979-07-25, Page 12■ 1)
tW 12--7y Wingham Advance Times, July 25, 1979
J
Wingham film festival
Old movies never die
BY HENRY HESS Rudolph Valentino, Clara Bow, screen are alive and well and records, books and old radio
Old movies never die; they Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, living in private collections premiums.
don't even fade away. Film buffs Laurel and Hardy and countless around the world. Mr. Schedler explained the
and collectors won't let them. lesser known stars of the early And every once in a while they radio premiums were giveaways
come out to greet, the public, used in the days before rating
`> renewing their acquaintance systems. A radio station could
with old admirers and attracting determine the popularity of a
new fans. program by offering a flee
One such occasion—and one of Captain Midnight Code -O -Graph
.» or something from Tom Mix and
the only ones in Canada—is the g
Wingham Film and Nostalgia see how many kids wrote in for it.
Festival, which will be held this The Tom Mix promotions were
44
a year on July 28 and 29. Now "good stuff", he said, but some of
entering its third year, the the other giveaways were
festival features two days of chintzy.
�, �,•. " virtually non-stop screening of
old films as well as displays of old ANATOMY OF A COLLECTOR
posters, comics'padio remiums Both Mr. Frank and Mr.
d related nostalgia tams. Schedler are confirmed collet -
f d
�IThe core of the festival is the tors o movies an movie
dealers and collectors of movies memorabilia and so far as they
and movie memorabilia, many of know they are the only two in the
whom travel long distances to area, although others are Into it
attend such events where they in a smaller way.
�:. can buy sell and trade with other Mr. Schedler said he got into
e sttataht aoods
collectors. The Wingham festival collecting one day about dine or
will bring dealers from across 10 years ago when he wandered
into a small bookstore in Kit
Ontario as well as some from the
U.S. to display their wares. chener and came upon a copy of a
P y maga called The Classic
Equally important to the
success of the event is its ability Film Collector". He got a sub
to attract large numbers of
scription to the magazine and on
people from the surrounding area discovered that all the old films
Rudolph Valentino is attacked by bandits in 'Son of the interested in watching the films, such as Chaplin, Kegton and
light eer,,
Sheik'. browsing through the displays others which he had never seen
and hopefully discovering were a ailable it 8 mm. He m On Tinfight his
something which strikes a
started uying films and later
chord th ou ca
attended a nostalgia and film
1 o 0
ries.
familiar c or among e
festival in Ohio where he
nostalgia items offered for sale. discovered the wide range of
other memorabilia that is also
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
available. Check the label on your light beer and
a e The audiences at film and
nostalgia festivals tend to be "I have a reverence for things +
made up of mostly young and of the past," he explained. See how It StaCl(S up against Trlllght.
middle aged people, organizers "Things of the past should be ,
Nelson Frank and John Schedler Preserved." Know What you'll find. When It comes
He added he feels thins like
commented, although some g
the old radio premiums help him
people in their 50s or early 60s P P to light beer...
come to see the things they relive his childhood and as a
remember from their vo,inoer consequence he can deal better
l hworld. The
h itthe real days. At the other end of the scale wy Provide
ages range from 10 right on up. a relief from everyday pressures.
Interestingly, men Mr. Frank said he got started
predominate since film and in collecting by buying a book,
nostalgia collecting seems to be Classics of the Silent Screen. Just
" mostly a male hobby, Mr, reading about them was fairly
5.Schedler observed. "Women exciting, he commented, and
don't collect things." then he
saw an ad in a magazine
A%
He said they try to have an scovered you could still
something for everyone at the buy these films so he sent away
it
festival, with films running for a catalogue. NbN*
brewsghter
li
:> The first film he bou ht was •
practically at all times in g
i screening rooms in the town hall called "Wife and Auto Trouble" 1
with the ever popular May Bush,
and the Lyceum cinema. The he recalled.
films range from vintage
Charlie Chaplin and friend encounter the law in 'City
Superman of the 1940s throughAbout a year later Mr.
Westerns, serials and earSchedler moved to Wingham•
Lights'.feature films. y they met, and both have con -
"The Jazz Singer", featuring tinued collecting ever, since.
Al Jolson and billed as "The film The cost of films can range
that started the sound anywhere from $10 for an 8 mm
revolution" tops the list. The short to over $200 for a feature
organizers worked for two yearn film in 16 mm. However
to get a copy of the film and this videotape, which allows a viewer
to watch a film on a televi ion
{ ' will be one of its first Canadian set, is now available at about a
showings in over 30 years. a o
uarte Ir of the cost and this
o
Other features include should, lead to an upsurge f
"Wings", the first Academy interest in film collecting h
Award winning film; ' ` Gulliver s g,
Travels", an animated feature said.
classic; and Dick Van Dyke in
"The Comic" as well as many STARTED M
more including Buster Keaton, FESTIVAL
VAi.
The air, who o
� Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and 's L operate
Winham
a Hardy, Harry Langdon, Orson g Lyceum Theatre as a
Welles, Janet Gaynor and car partnership, came up with the
toons from the '30s to the '70s. idea for a film and nostalgia a a 1
A schedule showing ap festival here after attending and a
= proximate screening times for enjoying similar events in the
the various films will be States.
available and a mere $3 per day "We had such a good time we
decided to tr
r or $5 for both days entitles you to y one here," Mr.
watch as many films as you like Frank noted. "We really enjoy
a{
from 10 a.m. to midnight films and wanted to share them Before going to the next frame and col-
r•�.. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. with other people." ouring the relay race in the park, list
Sunda The admission fee also He commented the never
y y 3 safe and 3 unsafe places to play.
entitles you to wander at will expect to make a profit on the
among the displays and the event and it's not really intended
dealers' tpbles in the town hall. to make money.
The dealers will have movies "If we had to worry about a
for sale in eight, Super -8 and 16 profit the fun would go out of it," SAFE
A rare production still of Charlie Chaplin directing 'The mm as well as videotape— Mr. Schedler agreed.
Gold Rush'. something new. There will also Stilt the two previous festivals 1
be comics, movie posters, last year and the ar before /
were sufficiently s cessful to 2.
'-` �����' encourage them to gi a it another
3.
g try this summer.
They said the most difficult
thing is to get the dealers and to UNSAFE
x .
attract people for "traffic"We 1.
know people out there like films,
a pct but in a low budget event like this 2
one it's difficult to get the in-
formation out to let the people 3
Y know about it, Mr. Frank
ex-plained.
He noted that film' his been
= called the 20th century's only
true art form—one which is
r ; unique to this era—and said he rnNTFST #3
thinks there is a renewed interest ELMER'S SIX RULES
among some
jA
F < vintage films. young people ,n 1. Look all ways before MAIL BEFORE JULY 27
R "What captured the you cross the road.
imagination of a child in the '20s
and '30s can still capture the 2. Keep away from all NAME... .
imagination,'' Mr. Schedler parked cars.
added. Adults• look at things 3• Ride your bike safely ADDRESS. .
differently and might find fault and obey all signs and
with the concepts filmmakers signals.
AA then had about rocketships and 4. Play your games in a .....
outer space, but for children safe place away from (town. city and postal code)
these films have lost none of their
magic. traffic.
r 5. Walk, don't run, when TELEPHONE..... ... '.
you cross the road.
6. -Where there are no AGE.. BOY f l G I R L f l
G G sidewalks, walk off
May Macvoy and Al Jolson starring in 'The Jazz singer', widely acknowledged as the first I the road to the left and
successful sound film. It was made in 1927. face on -coming traffic. NEWSPAPER......... .
�V.
E
ELMER CONTEST,
ONTARIO SAFETY
LEAGUE,
409 KING STREET
WEST,
TORONTO,
ONTARIO
M5V 1K1.
ONLY CORRECTLY COMPLETED
ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED ANY
ONTARIO CHILD . BETWEEN THE
AGES OF 6 AND 14 MAY ENTER.