We are pleased to announce the next Movie Matinee at Beit Knesset Hanassi. On Tuesday, August 8, we will present the highly acclaimed, multi-multi-award-winning film THE ARTIST.
This movie is one of the most, if not THE most, honored films in cinematic history. It has won an incredible 162 awards from international film festivals, guilds, critics’ and other awarding organizations including the Best Picture of the Year Award from the Academy Awards (United States), the Best Picture of the Year Award from BAFTA (Great Britain) and the Best Picture of the Year Award from the Césars Awards (France).
What is this marvelous movie about? In 1927, Warner Bros. Released The Jazz Singer starring Al Jolson. It was the first feature-length motion picture with speech and singing. Thus began “talkies” and thus ended the silent-movie era.
Numerous silent-movie stars did not make it in the “new Hollywood”—the Hollywood with movies where the actors talk and sing and the audiences hear them. The star power of Mary Pickford, Buster Keaton, Norma Talmadge, Clara Bow, John Gilbert and others did not transfer to the films with talking. Perhaps the voice did not match the appearance or persona of the actor. Maybe there was an accent or a slight impediment. Or maybe it was simply that the new movies were exciting, new. Audiences’ tastes change especially when there is something totally different and dramatically innovative.
THE ARTIST portrays what happened when one silent-movie star was “discarded” by Hollywood. What is most relevant about this movie is that it, itself, is a silent-movie! What better way to portray the story of a fictitious but representative star than in a silent-movie?
And what could be more courageous for the filmmakers than to present a silent-movie? Who is going to pay money to see a black-and-white, silent-movie in 2011? This film was a financial risk, to be sure.
The movie was on track to make a very modest profit. But after all of the many prestigious awards, most especially the ten Academy Award nominations and the Best Picture Awards from the movie academies of the United States, Great Britain and France, the box office receipts for the film sky-rocketed. (In Hollywood, this is called “the Oscar bump”.)
THE ARTIST made money, for sure. Even more, it won industry and critical praise as well as the affection and gratitude of discerning audiences (like the people who come to the Movie Matinees at Beit Knesset Hanassi!).
THE ARTIST is what is known as a prestige picture. A prestige picture is a film produced primarily for critical acclaim, cultural and movie-industry historical value and awards recognition rather than immediate box-office profit. Traditionally, the major Hollywood studios used prestige pictures to boost their public image and cultural standing. Studios recognized that these films would most likely lose money or make only modest profits. But it would be worth it to the studios if the movies won Academy Awards and burnished the studio’s reputation.
These films did not appeal to the audiences looking for “pop entertainment”, often called “popcorn movies”. “Popcorn movies” are the big-budget, popular, “low-brow”, low mental-effort, entertaining films meant to provide fun, escapism and distraction from daily life.
Prestige pictures are made to attract and please film critics and serious, art-house audiences. They are produced to stimulate cultural conversation and to enhance the studios’ and filmmakers’ long-term legacy.
The words of one reviewer exemplify this response: “This film is an absolute marvel—charming, witty, surprising, moving, clever and beautiful. It is one of the most enjoyable movie experiences I have ever had.”
THE ARTIST is a very special movie, not to be missed.
There is a small amount of talking near the end of the film. It is in English with English subtitles.
The Movie Matinee is at 2:00. The film is 1¾ hours in length.
There will be a brief introduction of the film and a short talk and discussion after the screening. There will be refreshments. No reservations are required.
Beit Knesset Hanassi is located at 24 Ussishkin Street. The admission is 20 shekels for members of the shul and 30 shekels for non-members.
If you can please bring the exact change, we would greatly appreciate it. Thank you.
For more information, please contact Mark at 0548 01 1957 or [email protected].
