SIFF: The Thief of Bagdad as Re-imagined by Shadoe Stevens . . .

[scarlettina]

There seemed to be quite a bit of chatter about SIFF's showing of The Thief of Bagdad as Re-imagined by Shadoe Stevens with the Music of E.L.O.. I wanted to see it because I've never seen this classic 1924 silent film starring Douglas Fairbanks Sr end to end. The ELO music was an added fillip as far as I was concerned.

I had no idea who Shadoe

Comments

[prettyshrub]

I caught part of the Thief of Baghdad on tv years ago. I remember how completely impressed I was by the special effects, Fairbanks and the movie in general. I should really watch the whole thing.

I wish modern audiences would take time to look at black and white movies. Some of them are so incredible that they put some modern movies to shame.

[scarlettina]

Well, I don't know if this puts modern movies to shame, but it certainly holds up incredibly well. The print was gorgeous and Fairbanks still casts a spell, nearly 90 years later. Totally worth seeing.

[prettyshrub]

I did say SOME modern movies. To be fair, there are plenty of old movies that aren't any good either.

[scarlettina]

That is a true thing.

[irrationalrobot]

Shadoe Stevens holds a special place in my heart for his work hosting American Top 40. From 1987 until maybe 1989, The vast majority of my exposure to music was listening to American Top 40 on the way to and from church. I'd usually catch numbers 11-8 on the way there, and then when I got home, I'd get there in time for the complete replay, and I would meticulously track the rise and fall of songs on the chart, week to week.

[scarlettina]

Hm. Maybe it's generational then, or maybe regional. I totally missed him.

[irrationalrobot]

He was post Casey Casem (who was, I think, hosting "Casey's top 40" some other radio network at the time).

[scarlettina]

See, Casey Kasem I totally remember. He was a legend. :)

[seankreynolds]

Someone didn't watch much Hollywood Squares!

[scarlettina]

Well, I did, but I watched in the 1970s and early '80s. After college I rarely watched it again, which have been well before Stevens' time. I know, I know, I'm dating myself here, but I've got to own it. I remember the days of Florence Henderson, Wayland Flowers and Madame, Barbara Eden, Charo, Sandy Duncan, Jonathan Winters, and Joan Rivers. I occasionally saw the version with Tom Bergeron as host with Whoopi Goldberg and Bruce Villanch in some of the squares, but was never a regular watcher. (And for the record, the WIkipedia article about the series helped jog my memory here. I would never have remembered some of this without a little help.)

[randy_byers]

The sets for the 1924 Thief (by William Cameron Menzies) are utterly incredible. I saw an interesting argument somewhere on the intertubes that Dr Seuss must have been influenced by the production design of that movie.

[scarlettina]

Interesting thought. Hm.

[markbourne]

The question of a Dr. Seuss connection comes up periodically in forums discussing The Thief of Bagdad. I first heard about it some years ago and wondered about it while watching the film. It's certainly possible, but apparently unprovable. Cool notion, all the same.