Beginning on Sept. 26 and lasting until Oct. 13, Lincoln Center is hosting their 63rd annual film festival. The New York Film Festival has become a highly anticipated event since its start in 1963 by Richard Roud who worked at the London Film Festival, as well as Amos Vogel who had previously worked with Cinema 16 Film Society. Only four years after its start, Film at Lincoln Center (FLC) was founded as a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and showcasing films from all different parts of the world as well as different time periods. Now, the two work together to put these great films together in one location for all to enjoy.
This year, the festival showcased almost 100 different films ranging across 35 different languages and spanning 96 years of production. Some of the most anticipated films included “Mr. Scorsese,” “The Arch,” “I Only Rest in the Storm” and “The Razor’s Edge.” Each film offered multiple showings with tickets priced between $20 and $30, allowing people a chance to enjoy these hard to find films on the big screen. For anyone interested in film, writing, history, art, makeup, set design and so much else, this is the perfect option for a quiet night out. With all of the options available there was something for everyone each day of the festival.
Taking full advantage of this opportunity, I chose to attend the 1929 silent film “Queen Kelly” directed by Erich von Stroheim. Going into it, I was apprehensive. I have never watched a silent film before and I worried that due to being made almost a century ago, it would be too outdated, causing it to be difficult to relate to or understand. Even still, it was the only film that I could fit into my schedule, so I decided to give it a chance. Prior to going I had researched the plot but somehow missed the fact that the movie, the one von Stroheim believed would be his best work, was never finished.
The beginning of the movie was well produced, and even with my lack of expertise in this style of film I could tell it would have been a classic. At the end, however, certain scenes began repeating just with different words, and in some, there was only a still image. After the incomplete ending a short description of what would have occurred after appeared on screen. The runtime is 106 minutes, but based on the script, it is believed that the original movie would have been closer to five hours. The chances of a movie like this getting the opportunity to be shown in a theater nearly 100 years after being partially made are incredibly unlikely, which is why I feel so lucky to have been able to witness it at the New York Film Festival.
From what I was able to see in the film, I realized the reality is that people have not changed much since the time it was made. The movie, as far as I could tell, was an early 20th century version of a romantic comedy — a highly popularized genre. There were certainly aspects of the plot and characters that are no longer as acceptable in modern times, yet I still found myself able to understand and appreciate the many jokes and humorous moments throughout. Silent films and black-and-white films are not as archaic as I had been expecting.
Had I not known about the New York Film Festival and decided to see this specific film, I do not know if I ever would have been exposed to the artistic beauty of silent film. Since there were rarely titlecards, the actors had to show everything with exaggerated acting and expressions. I felt so much more emotion than I would have if the characters had been talking. The slow-paced scenes alongside instrumental music made it quite peaceful — something that we do not get a lot of in modern media that is full of rushed scenes, loud talking and trending lyrical music.
I walked into the theater not knowing what to expect and left with a new understanding of film and the power it holds. As someone who is only just beginning to explore New York City on my own, this experience is one to remember as well as something to look forward to for next year.
