Black Maria Presents: LIBELED LADY
Written by: Jill Blake, CC2K Film Editor
Our friends at Black Maria made a huge announcement this week. Here’s CC2K film editor Jill Blake, who’s also co-founder/senior editor of Black Maria, with all the details.
ANNOUNCING BLACK MARIA’S INAUGURAL SCREENING EVENT!
Limited Seating Available!
Set your calendars, film fans and friends!
On January 30th, 2015, in Los Angeles, California, Black Maria will present a special screening of the 1936 comedy Libeled Lady, starring classic Hollywood legends Jean Harlow, William Powell, Myrna Loy and Spencer Tracy, at the world famous Silent Movie Theatre in Los Angeles. This screening will mark an exciting new phase for Black Maria, as we expand from the computer screen to the big screen! In 2015, we plan to curate a number of screenings across the country, from L.A. to Atlanta. Each screening promises a film with special significance to Black Maria staff, as well as featuring food, drink, music, local artists, writers and more!
Our inaugural screening will set the tone for our future events — which means this isn’t going to be your average screening, not by a long shot! There will be food, drink, and much merriment: classic canapés, hand-crafted themed cocktails, and live music from the lovely Elana James, one of the most gifted Western Swing/Gypsy Jazz/ Tin Pan Alley violinists in the country, with her swingin’ combo! We are also honored to have Jean Harlow historian Darrell Rooney, co-author of the book Harlow in Hollywood: The Blonde Bombshell in the Glamour Capital , 1928 – 1937, on hand to introduce the film. We’ll also have a raffle drawing with fun movie-themed prizes, as well as have tons of very cool Black Maria swag that you can’t live without. (Well, maybe you could live without it. But why would you?) Black Maria’s Jill Blake, Carley Johnson, and Wade Sheeler will also be in attendance to kick off the festivities.
Why, you may ask? Revival houses across the world play a pivotal role in keeping the public aware of the films that are a part of our cultural heritage, and Black Maria wants to turn repertory cinema into a movable feast. Designed entirely to give back to local communities, Black Maria will open up creative spaces and embrace the local community by celebrating its own unique culture, while enriching it by providing access to lesser known films that can be experienced in the format they were made for. (Hint: not an iPhone screen.) Classic films can–and should–be an important cultural centerpiece of community. By fusing local culture with film education and awareness, Black Maria will combine the age-old simplicity of going to the movies with ever-evolving 21st century sensibilities.
Please be aware that given the compact nature of the Silent Movie Theater, seating is extremely limited. So, in order to give everyone an opportunity to attend this fabulous event, we are holding a drawing! Attendance is FREE for the lucky winners. In order to enter, RSVP with your full name and contact email to: rsvp@theblackmaria.org. Winners will be notified via email in mid December.
Since this screening of Libeled Lady is a free event, we are going to need help in covering our costs. So, Black Maria has kicked off a fundraising campaign at Indiegogo. This will not only help stage our first screening, but will create opportunities for film lovers to discover lesser known films at Black Maria’s proposed screenings in other parts of the country throughout the year 2015 … and beyond. Full details can be found on our Campaign page! (And please note: you do NOT have to donate in order to attend the screening!)
We have a multitude of exciting perks for those who donate, including: luxury wines from the Sequoia Grove winery; collectible DVD box sets; DVDs and instant streaming subscriptions courtesy of our friends at the Warner Archive; gift certificates to restaurants nationwide owned by Top Chef alumni; personalized, signed editions of the critically-acclaimed coffee table book Harlow in Hollywood: The Blonde Bombshell in the Glamour Capital by authors Darrell Rooney and Mark A. Vieira; plenty of fun Black Maria swag, and much more! Black Maria has also published a limited edition cocktail recipe book especially for the campaign. (Now you can knock back knickerbockers just like Nick and Nora!)
For those who want to help, but can’t afford to donate – you can spread the word about our cause virtually! Tweet, re-tweet, then re-re-tweet using @theblackmaria and remember to use our campaign hashtag #StayClassic. Also, like us on Facebook and don’t forget to share our updates! If you want to know about other ways to get involved with Black Maria’s screenings, feel free to contact our campaign team by sending us an email!
Check back regularly over the coming months for updates, and we are truly delighted to have all of you as part of our Black Maria family. We hope you agree with us that the moving image is one of the most important forms of artistic expression. Help us shine a spotlight on the films that matter, and join with us in celebrating these cherished pieces of history and culture.
See you at the movies!