Oct 19, 2010
SFFILM
The San Francisco Film Society will present Sir Arne’s Treasure with the Mountain Goats in Solo Performance, a special screening of Mauritz Stiller’s 1919 silent film classic with live musical accompaniment by indie rock icon John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats, Tuesday, December 14 at 8:00 pm at the Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street.
“As a longtime admirer of Mauritz Stiiler’s remarkable film and John Darnielle’s musical artistry I’m thrilled that the Film Society is presenting this unique pairing of kindred aesthetic sensibilities,” said Film Society programmer Sean Uyehara.
For complete program information, visit sffs.org/Screenings-and-Events
Set in the 16th century against a particularly unforgiving winter landscape, Sir Arne’s Treasure (Herr Arnes pengar, Sweden 1919) is Swedish master Stiller’s haunting tale of murder, betrayal and divine redemption. This epic journey begins with the escape from captivity of three Scottish mercenaries who go on to slay the local parson-Sir Arne-and nearly all of his kin. After stealing his treasure, which is rumored to carry a brutal curse, the soldiers find themselves trapped by a frozen sea and must remain in close quarters with the vengeful townspeople. As one of them falls in love with the sole survivor of their murderous spree, the film hones in on the eternal paradox of love versus justice. What fate will the lovers choose? Employing a technical prowess far ahead of its time, Stiller’s historical melodrama is rife with both subtle beauty and supernatural intrigue.
“Young men have all kinds of crazy ideas about what they’re going to end up doing for a living,” says Mountain Goats frontman John Darnielle, the Northern California native and former psychiatric nurse who began his recording career from a humble studio apartment in 1991. Equipped with a dual-cassette recorder, a cheap guitar and several notebooks filled with poems, Darnielle released a string of critically acclaimed albums for the 4AD label. Darnielle’s musical enterprise has expanded to include bassist Peter Hughes and Superchunk drummer Jon Wurster. Characterized by a low-fi aesthetic and a poignant world view expressed through lyrics that are both raw and immediate, Darnielle’s band has attracted a sizeable international fan base and, recently, a deal with renowned indie rock label Merge Records. Writing for the New Yorker, Sasha Frere-Jones calls Darnielle “America’s best non-hip-hop lyricist” and observes that he “may be the least self-conscious singer alive. His songs, insistent and stuffed with words, are like late-night pay-phone calls from a lover determined to complete a thought before the quarter runs out.”
Darnielle will be presenting the world premiere of his live score for Sir Arne’s Treasure as part of the Film Society’s ongoing endeavor to present classic silent films with live music performed by extraordinary contemporary musicians. Previously commissioned works are 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea with Stephin Merritt, The Lost World with Dengue Fever, The Golem with Black Francis, The Phantom Carriage with Jonathan Richman, Street Angel with American Music Club, Sunrisewith Lambchop, A Page of Madness with Superchunk and Jean Painlevé: The Sounds of Science with Yo La Tengo.
Tickets $17.00 year-round SFFS members, $22.50 general, $21.00 seniors, students and persons with disabilities. Box office opens October 19 for members and October 26 for the general public: online at sffs.org, by calling 925-866-9559 or by faxing 925-866-9597.
For screeners and interviews contact hilary@sffs.org
For photos and press materials visit sffs.org/pressdownloads
SFFS FALL SEASON
September 24-26: NY/SF International Children’s Film Festival
A celebration of enlightening, inspiring and entertaining films for kids ages 6-18 and their families
September 30: Earth Made of Glass
Documentary examines personal quests for truth in post-1994 Rwanda followed by panel on documentary film as a form of investigative journalism
October 2: Film in the Fog: The Incredible Shrinking Man
Free family-friendly outdoor screening of the 1957 sci-fi classic
October 4: Film Arts Forum: Pitch Perfect
A panel and networking event focusing on the mechanics of effective pitching for documentaries and narrative features
October 22-24: Taiwan Film Days
A showcase of the best contemporary Taiwanese cinema
October 28-November 3: French Cinema Now
Significant new works from one of the world’s most renowned filmmaking countries
November 4: Edward Burns Sneak Preview Screening and Master Class
Indie director Edward Burns presents his new film, Nice Guy Johnny, and teaches Master Class, Hollywood 2.0
November 5-8: Cinema by the Bay
Celebrating the passion, innovation and diversity of Bay Area filmmaking
November 10: Roman Polanski: Short Films with Live Music by Sza/Za
Rarely seen early short films by the master director with live musical accompaniment by the Warsaw-based electro-acoustical duo Sza/Za
November 11-14: San Francisco International Animation Festival
The most exciting animated films from around the world
November 14-21: New Italian Cinema
Celebrating the rich cinematic tradition of Italy and its newest generation of filmmakers
December 14: Sir Arne’s Treasure with the Mountain Goats in solo performance
Mauritz Stiller’s classic Swedish silent film with live music by one of indie rock’s most distinctive voices