Plans and Arts (and Some Maybe Other Things)

[scifirenegade]

Was thinking that, for 3weeks4dreamwidth, I should host ficathons over at my communities. All three of them. Oop.

Under the cut, there's some art.



An experiment. Think it could be done better.


Things for no one: Todd from Mario and Tod von Unheimliche Geschichten. Todd from Mario is a character from comedy-art YouTube channel Drawfee, btw.


Because I bet Roger of Judex would let the dog smoke!


And now for some interesting links:

Scripts from the Crypt #19: Der Januskopf (1920), Apparently a full script of Der Januskopf was found, but whoever found it has been sitting on it for months. Hoping they actually get to release it to us peasants. I shall refrain from complaining about these guys' "amazing" opinions.

How missing episodes from ‘The Daleks' Master Plan’ were found, an interview with Sue Malden, former BBC archivist.

TCM's Classic Film Festival (2026) will premiere a new restoration of Letty Lynton, the "forbidden illegal", as the hotvintagemod on Tumblr put it, Joan Crawford movie. At this point, I should just embrace I quite like her work. Johnny Guitar was the last one I saw and it was mesmerising.

Ivor Novello: A Story of the London Fog, a very short article, but Michael Williams wrote an entire book about Novello, his movies and his persona (plus him being a gay icon, which at the time was largely ignored, and without a doubt some today still make an effort to straightwash him). Good little intro and a taster.

In other news, I'm becoming obsessed with The Rat trilogy. Why do I think it's slowly becoming a commentary on Novello's fame and how the critics, erhm, critisised him for being too pretty (and not of the marrying kind)?

Comments

[liadt]

Nice art! Naughty letting the dog smoke, these 1910's people honestly;p

I'm glad you're enjoying The Rat films! And in hopefully better quality than the ones I saw.

I've read James Harding's biog of Ivor Novello, but I can't remember much about it!

Johnny Guitar is great! Title is a bit misleading, lol.

[scifirenegade]

XD

I don't think so, the only copies of the first two I found are what, 8 years old? And it's basically akin to someone filming a CRT showing a rough scan. Return is in decent shape compared to the others. I say, for a trilogy that was so popular, how come it hasn't had the HD restoration treatment yet? They coulf even put it on BFI Player and everything!

On Novello, I only have the most recent one that's on the Internet Archive (Paul Webb's) and William's. Harding's in on IA too, I see. Who knows when I'll get to 'em. (That happens to me as well. Which wouldn't be a problem if that massive Van Gogh bio wasn't so, well massive.)

It should have just been called Vienna! Maybe a western novel named after a woman wouldn't sell...

[liadt]

I'm surprised the BFI haven't done something with 'The Rat' as someone there loved it and there is more appreciation for British Silents outside of Hitchcock ones and the White Coffin gets everyone excited, lol.

[scifirenegade]

there is more appreciation for British Silents outside of Hitchcock

Been so out of the loop, but 👀

the White Coffin gets everyone excited, lol.

As it should! It's a vibe!

But yeah, it's baffling they aren't doing anything with The Rat. Copyright law/public domain law in the UK is, shall we call it, interesting, so maybe that's why?

[liadt]

Until recently-ish British silents on the whole were considered to be inferior to other countries silents unless Hitchcock or foreign directors were involved and were not bothered with by British academics.

I've no idea what the rights situation is or isn't with 'The Rat' maybe the BFI don't know who has the rights either! They've released far queerer films.

[scifirenegade]

Did watch a documentary a few months ago exactly about that. I think it was over 10 years old (it did its job I see). The Cinema Europe series may be the one to blame for the UK's bad reputation (I blame the quota more, but it did give us Todd Slaughter).

maybe the BFI don't know who has the rights either!

It's possible! I know the Bundesarchiv was on the fence about who owns that Around the World in 80 Days adaptation from 1919 (they were like "I guess it's this company??"). But I guess in that case, doesn't it automatically become public domain/an orphan work? That's the case with video games, at least.

[liadt]

Silent Britain?

I have no idea, if it's on IA I say it's PD;p

[scifirenegade]

That's the one! Thank you!

Pretty sure they have movies from the 2010s on IA ;)

But seriously, they're movies from 100 years ago. If there seems to be no desire to profit off of them, they should just be PD and everyone can have a good time.

[liadt]

Yesterday I had a brain!

Of course modern things can be released PD which I'm sure all of the 2010's films are totally 100% are;D

I agree they should let old films out, outside of the few big hitters, few of them are going to make money.

[theseatheseatheopensea]

Yay art! And good luck with the ficathons!

Johnny Guitar was the last one I saw and it was mesmerising.

It's awesome! <3

[scifirenegade]

Thank you! At least got something (anything) finished. Not sure if the ficathons will go up today or tomorrow, but will make an effort to at least get them running.

Teen!me thought it would probably be nothing special, from the little text in one pretentious book I still have (one of those Movies and Book You Must Consume Before Perishing). Guess it's my favourite American western now (deal with it, teen!me lol)