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| The
Silent Treatment |
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| Classic
films to create classic parties.
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By Jeff Fleischer
Showing a movie during a party presents
certain challenges. If you’re lucky,
the worst that happens is that your friends
crowd around the TV, engrossing themselves
in your selection—and killing the
festive mood. And when you show a movie,
you always run the risk of guests giving
away key plot developments or talking
over critical dialogue. Either way, somebody
never knows why Charles Foster Kane calls
out for Rosebud or why Michael Corleone
takes over the family business.
To avoid this inevitable tug of war between
a party atmosphere and movie appreciation
night, keep things quiet with an easy
solution: classic silent films.
Comedies usually go over best in a group
setting, and nobody did silent comedy
better than Buster Keaton. His films combine
a mastery of physical comedy with whimsical,
hilarious storylines—especially The
General (1927) and Sherlock,
Jr. (1924). With The Art of Buster
Keaton, a recently released 11-DVD
boxed set, you can entertain your guests
for hours with 10 features and 19 short
films ($199.95).
Charlie Chaplin films also work well with
company, and The Chaplin Collection,
Vol. 1, a new DVD collectors’ set
(including classics such as 1936’s
Modern Times and 1925’s
The Gold Rush), comes out this
month ($89.92). If you prefer your comedy
in color, Rowan Atkinson’s
Mr. Bean, the popular BBC television
series, draws from the Keaton and Chaplin
traditions but adds a more modern sensibility.
Depending on the company you keep, silent
movies can create a springboard for creative
party games. Theaters across the country
have screened silent films with original
scores performed by local bands. If your
guests have the musical talent, go ahead
and follow suit.
Or you can always make up dialogue as
the movie goes along, as Woody Allen did
with his 1966 dubbed spy classic, What’s
Up, Tiger Lily? Of course, that works
with any movie as long as the sound is
turned down, providing the one acceptable
excuse for renting a Steven Seagal film.
The films listed above are available at
Amazon.com,
Barnes
& Noble and other movie retailers.
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