Early Women Filmmakers and a Blu-ray/DVD Giveaway From Flicker Alley - What's Not to Love?
May 8, 2017
The fabulous folks at Flicker Alley are at it again. And by 'it,' I mean creating and distributing a gorgeous box compilation, Early Women Filmmakers: An International Anthology, full of rare and many unjustly forgotten works by some of cinema's earliest female pioneers across the globe. I'm excited to announce that I'm one of several bloggers participating in a giveaway of this brand new set. Want to win a free copy? Read on!
Did you know that more women worked in the film industry during its first two decades than at any time since? Or that a woman created some of the first narrative films ever made? Or that in 1916, the highest-paid director in Hollywood was a woman?
Despite their incredible achievements, many early women filmmakers have been largely written out of film history, though in recent years many scholars and companies have been working hard to correct that injustice by uncovering and sharing their valuable contributions to the industry. On May 9th, Flicker Alley presents Early Women Filmmakers: An International Anthology on Dual-Format Edition Blu-ray/DVD, showcasing the work of 14 of early cinema's most innovative and influential women directors and celebrating their rightful place in film history. As a woman - one who studies classic Hollywood and who also works in the industry - preserving and sharing female cinematic contributions is important to me, which is why I'm incredibly excited about this release.
International in scope, this groundbreaking collection features over 10 hours of material, comprised of 25 films spanning 1902-1943, including many rare titles not widely available until now, from shorts to feature films, live-action to animation, commercial narratives to experimental works. These women were technically and stylistically innovative, pushing the boundaries of narrative, aesthetics, and genre. Directors include Alice Guy Blaché, Lois Weber, Mabel Normand, Madeline Brandeis, Germaine Dulac, Olga Preobrazhenskaia, Marie-Louise Iribe, Lotte Reiniger, Claire Parker, Mrs. Wallace Reid (Dorothy Davenport), Leni Riefenstahl, Mary Ellen Bute, Dorothy Arzner, and Maya Deren.
I'm going to be honest and admit that I haven't heard of half these women before, and I'm sure others are in the same boat, which is why this set seems a great primer on the vast accomplishments of women during cinema's early days - I, for one, have a lot of learning ahead of me, and I'm looking forward to it.
Still from The Peasant Women of Ryazan (1927), directed by Olga Preobrazhenskaia. (Courtesy of Flicker Alley)
Still from La Cigarette (1919), directed by Germaine Dulac. (Courtesy of Flicker Alley​)
Still from Dance, Girl, Dance (1940), directed by Dorothy Arzner. (Courtesy of Flicker Alley​)
Beautifully restored in high definition, Early Women Filmmakers features new scores by Sergei Dreznin, Frederick Hodges, Tamar Muskal, Judith Rosenberg, and Rodney Sauer and the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra.
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Bonus Materials Include:
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Booklet Essay: By film scholar and Women Film Pioneers Project Manager Kate Saccone.
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Audio Commentary: For Lois Weber’s The Blot by author, professor, and expert on women and early film culture Shelley Stamp, courtesy of Milestone Film and Video.
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For a complete list of films included in the set, please click here.
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Release Date: May 9, 2017
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L̶i̶s̶t̶ ̶P̶r̶i̶c̶e̶:̶ ̶$̶6̶9̶.̶9̶5̶
Order now on sale for $49.95 through May 16!
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Check out the trailer below:
One lucky winner will receive a copy of Early Women Filmmakers: An International Anthology on Dual-Format Edition Blu-ray/DVD from Flicker Alley! Giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada and ends on May 22, 2017.
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To enter, simply fill out the form below, and make sure you follow me on Twitter, if you don't already! Good luck!
thanks for stopping by!
I See a Dark Theater is a website dedicated to classic movie-going—and loving—in the City of Angels. Whether it's coverage on screenings, special presentations, or Q&As around Los Angeles that you're looking for, or commentary on the wonderful and sometimes wacky world of classic cinema, you've come to the right place for a variety of pieces written with zeal, awe, and (occasionally) wit. Enjoy.