THE DUMB GIRL OF PORTICI
dirs. Phillips Smalley and Lois Weber, 1916
United States, 115 min.
Silent with English intertitles.
SATURDAY, MAY 10 – 7:30 PM – ONE NIGHT ONLY! LIVE SCORE BY JAKE PEPPER AND ZACH KOEBER
Spectacle is proud to present one of American cinema’s first true epics, with a new original score performed by esteemed local musicians Jake Pepper and Zach Koeber.
With a production budget of $250K and based on the 1828 French opera La muette de Portici, THE DUMB GIRL OF PORTICI was Universal’s first blockbuster gamble, showcasing ballerina Anna Pavlova’s elegant dancing against the backdrop of a tragedy of star-crossed lovers. Pavlova plays Finella, our titular “dumb girl,” whose hopelessly romantic personality attracts a powerful Spanish duke (Wadsworth Harris). However, this affair complicates Finella’s relationship with her brother Masaniello (renowned silent filmmaker Rupert Julian), a determined fisherman slowly rallying the people toward revolution.
Elevating melodrama to violent heights, THE DUMB GIRL OF PORTICI is one of the earliest examples of movie magic, with biblical images of public chaos and heavenly, spellbinding dance footage from Pavlova and company. The film originally screened with orchestral accompaniment; while we don’t necessarily have the space for a full symphonic group, we are pleased to work with two of the DIY music scene’s finest, Jake Pepper and Zach Koeber. Appearing for the first time at Spectacle, they’ll provide a music accompaniment to match the picture’s majestic presentation.
…a crucial rediscovery—as are the art of Weber over all and, for that matter, the celebration of Pavlova’s single screen performance … Along with the specifics of their genius, “The Dumb Girl of Portici” is a welcome reminder that the history of cinema still belongs to the future.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker
Jake Pepper and Zach Koeber make up half of Ace Bandage, the jam-heavy rock band based in Brooklyn. Their fondness of improvisation and vast knowledge of timbral music allows them to shift seamlessly through varied sonic palettes. Pepper also performed in Brooklyn synth punk outfit Future Punx, while Koeber got his start in the local scene as one-third of Archie Pelago, and he currently collaborates with deep house producer Max in the World. Both Jake and Zach have also guest DJ’d on the prestigious independent station The Lot Radio.
Special thanks to George Schmalz and Kino Lorber.