The following is a guest post by Jenny Paxson of the Packard Campus.
Thursday, January 24 (7:30 p.m.)
The X-Files: I Want to Believe (20th Century-Fox, 2008)
When a disgraced priest claims to have visions of the disappearance of a current FBI agent, the agency calls on Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), both of whom left the FBI years ago, to use their paranormal expertise to tackle the case. This supernatural thriller directed by Chris Carter is the second feature film installment of The X-Files franchise which began as a science fiction drama television series (1993-2002) created by Carter. Unlike the first film, released in 1998, the plot does not focus on the series’ ongoing extraterrestrial-based mythological themes, but instead works as a standalone thriller horror story. Rated PG-13. 35mm archival film print, 104 min.
Friday, January 25 (7:30 p.m.)
Husbands and Lovers (First National, 1924)
John Stahl may be best remembered for directing the original versions of the melodramas Imitation of Life (1934) and Magnificent Obsession (1935), but in the silent film era he turned out a number sophisticated comedies and dramas dealing with marriage and divorce of which Husbands and Lovers is an especially clever example. Lewis Stone stars as an insensitive cad of a husband with Florence Vidor as his long-suffering wife. Lew Cody, who specialized in playing smooth scoundrels, has the “other man” role. This new 35mm film print produced by the Library of Congress Film Preservation Lab made its debut at the Le Giornate del Cinema Muto Film Festival in Pordenone, Italy in October, 2018. Live musical accompaniment will be provided by Andrew Simpson. 80 min.
Saturday, January 26 (2 p.m.)
Charlie Chaplin Comedy Shorts from the Mutual Years (1916-1917)
When Charles Chaplin signed a record-setting contract with the Mutual Film Corporation in February 1916, it was the culmination of events that changed the motion picture business. He turned out 12 outstanding comedy shorts in a row that have stood the test of time for more than a century. Author Michael J. Hayde, whose book “Chaplin’s Vintage Year: The History of the Mutual-Chaplin Specials” was named by Leonard Maltin as a “New and Notable Film Book” for 2013, will introduce this program of Chaplin’s Mutual comedies which includes The Fireman (1916) – 24 min., The Pawn Shop (1916) – 25 min. and The Adventurer (1917) – 24 min. Live musical accompaniment will be provided by Andrew Simpson. Digital presentation.
Saturday, January 26 (7:30 p.m.)
Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd (Warner Bros., 1952)
Archivists Bob Furmanek and Jack Theakston present a program of Cinecolor rarities, including film clips and trailers in this unique and forgotten two and three-color process. The feature attraction is the only surviving 35mm SuperCinecolor print of Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd co-starring Charles Laughton recreating his famous role as the bloodthirsty pirate. As the original ads proclaimed, “It’s one big roar from shore to shore!” As a special bonus, they will also screen a classic Abbott and Costello TV show from 1953 in 35mm, co-starring Sid Fields, Bingo the Chimp and Joe Besser as “Stinky.” 70 min. feature, 30 min. television show.
For more information on our programs, please visit the website at: www.loc.gov/avconservation/theater/.