Christmas Past - Vintage Holiday Films
Christmas doesn't come any more old-fashioned than in this inspired collection of vintage holiday films from the silent era. Amidst the melodramas (D.W. Griffith's 1909 "A Trap for Santa Claus") and comedies (the "amateur" detective lark "The Adventure of the Wrong Santa Claus") are some delicious Christmas treats. The 1925 "Santa Claus" combines magical images of Santa's workshop elves with thrilling documentary footage of icy Alaskan landscapes and herds of wild arctic creatures, and the 1910 "A Christmas Carol" condenses the Dickens classic into 10 minutes by layering all the ghosts and memories into one brief but visually imaginative scene. The delightful "A Winter Straw Ride" (1906) transforms into a snowball free-for-all to celebrate the giddy antics of adults reverting to childhood innocence. Al Kryszak's new, melancholy score for strings and harp is often lovely but out of place amidst the cheer and holiday celebration of the films. --Sean Axmaker
A collection of enchanting silent films, "A Christmas Past" offers a nostalgic peek into the Yuletide pleasures of the early 1900s. Evoking the Victorian charm of Currier and Ives prints, these picturesque comedies and tender dramas were produced as cinematic Christmas cards offered to moviegoers of the silent film era. Includes D.W. Griffith's "A Trap For Santa" (1909, 16 min.); the Edison Studio's "A Winter Straw Ride" (1906, 7 min.), "A Christmas Accident" (1912, 15 min.), "The Adventures of the Wrong Santa Claus" (1914, 14 min.), "Santa Claus Vs. Cupid" (1915, 16 min.), "A Christmas Carol" (1910, 10 min.), and "The Night Before Christmas (1905, 9 min.); plus "A Holiday Pageant At Home" (1901, 5 min.) and "Santa Claus" (1925, 29 min.). Features an original score by Al Kryszak.
