Cinecon 49 opened today in Hollywood and is once again providing archivists, authors, collectors and film fans with the opportunity to celebrate classic films through screenings, celebrity guest appearances and one of the country’s best movie memorabilia shows. A highlight of the five-day celebration is sure to be John Bengston’s presentation titled “Hollywood’s Silent Echoes.”
For those who aren’t familiar with Bengston’s work, he is one of the foremost experts on silent film locations and has written three highly acclaimed books about the giants of silent film comedy – Harold Lloyd, Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin. Attendees of his talk will gain new insights into the historic settings of a selection of classic silent films and will be treated to his painstakingly compiled visuals that link historic settings to the present.
As part of his talk, Bengston has prepared this six-page tour of Hollywood silent-era film locations. While I haven’t taken this particular self guided tour myself, I have gone on some others that he’s put together. Each of those was excellent and enabled me to see my surroundings in a new light and feel a greater connection with the black and white images that I love watching on screen. If you’re a silent film fan, Bengston’s presentation and this tour are not to be missed.
DETAILS
When: Friday, August 30 at 10:30 am
The Cinecon 49 Festival runs from August 29 through September 2nd.
Where: Egyptian Theater, located at 6712 Hollywood Boulevard
Registration: Information available here
John Bengston’s Books:
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