The Silent Film
Society of Chicago
4050 N. Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60641
(773) 205-SFSC
Sunday, May 16, 2010 at 3:00 p.m.
The Adventures of Prince Achmed
The Silent Film Society of Chicago proudly presents The Adventures of Prince Achmed, a first-of-its-kind feature length animated film by Lotte Reiniger, at its annual fundraiser on Sunday, May 16 at the Portage Theater in Chicago. Proceeds from the event will go toward the continued restoration of the Portage Theater's Grande Cinema Organ. Acclaimed photoplay organist Jay Warren will provide live theater accompaniment and filmmaker Jacqueline Smessaert Brennan will introduce the film. Show time is 3:00 p.m.
About the film
The Adventures of Prince Achmed is the genius of German animator Lotte Reiniger.
The 1926 feature-length film is the oldest surviving film of its kind and is
based on the stories from One Thousand and One Nights, better known in
the United States as the Arabian Nights. In this tale, an evil African
sorcerer tricks a young prince name Achmed into riding a wild magical flying
horse which he does not know how to control The sorcerer assumes that the Prince
will be thrown from the horse and plunge to his death. Somehow Prince Achmed
manages to tame the beast and is whisked away into adventures with Aladdin, the
Witch of the Fiery Mountains, and the beautiful Princess Pari Banu.
It took Reiniger three years to complete the color-tinted film. Although it failed to find a distributor for nearly a year, once it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, it became a critical and popular success.
Film Introduction
The film will be introduced by Jacqueline Smessaert Brennan, an animator and
filmmaker. Brennan studied film at the University of Illinois and has worked in
all forms of animation, including clay, stop motion, tradition cel and
3D-computer animation. Brennan has worked on several award-winning independent
films, including Stubble Trouble (nominated for an Academy Award in
2001), Amerikan Passport (Best documentary at the Slamdance Film
Festival), and The Secret (voted best feature film at the Rhode Island
Film Festival, Moondance International Film Festival and Flickapalooza) as well
as several national advertising campaigns. Her directorial debut film BOTNIK!
won the award for Best Animation at the 2009 Beverly Hills Film Festival.
About Jay Warren
Chicago's foremost silent photoplay organist is regularly featured at the
Silent Film Society of Chicago events, including the highly regarded SILENT
SUMMERŪ Film Festival. Warren has also been a guest photoplay organist at the
University of Chicago's Rockefeller Memorial Chapel, playing the $2 million
restored E. M. Skinner pipe organ. Warren will provide live accompaniment to The
Adventures of Prince Achmed on the Portage Theater's Magnificent Portage Grande
Cinema Organ, which was rescued from another theater and was restored to its
former glory.
Ticket Info
Regular advance tickets are $10 for adults, $9 for seniors and
students and $5 for children under 12. Tickets can be purchased at the Portage Theater box office
at 4050 N. Milwaukee Avenue and at the City Newsstand at 4018 N. Cicero. All
tickets day of show are $12. Contact the SFSC box office for details at
773-205-SFSC. You may also pay in advance using PayPal below.