This week’s story is about an exciting upcoming event, but it’s also about the local person who facilitated and nurtured the event, without whom it would never have gotten off the ground at all. First, the details.
This Saturday at Red Bicycle Hall is a motion picture experience entitled “King of the Kongo”. The show runs from 1pm to 6pm (that’s right, 5 hours!) and tickets are available at MadTixEvents.com. They are screening a meticulously restored 1929 serial adventure in 10 episodes, complete with intermission and a panel discussion. The panel includes the film’s historian and restorer Eric Grayson, and Sarah Karloff, daughter of one of the film’s leading stars, Boris Karloff.
Lots to unpack here. Let’s start with the “serial adventure” aspect of the event. Back in the early days of movies, before the main feature, they would show cartoons, newsreels, and short chapters of various adventure tales. The shorts usually ended with a dramatic cliff hanger, designed to bring moviegoers back week after week. Genres included westerns, super heroes, desert islands like Robins Crusoe, and many more. King of the Kongo was a tale of “darkest Africa” which held a fascination at the time.
This particular serial has romantic leads, who get into all kinds of danger and trouble. But what makes this film artifact especially interesting is the villain played by none other than Boris Karloff, most famously of Frankenstein fame and also, more recently, as the voice of the Grinch in Dr. Seuss’s TV special. Boris’s daughter, Sarah, now almost 90 years old, will be in Madison to talk about her father and the film.
Those of us “of a certain age” who grew up watching Saturday creature-features, like Sammy Terry out of Indy or The Cool Ghoul out of Cincy, are intimately familiar with the classic monster movies. Frankenstein, mummies, wolfmen and vampires were part of our everyday vernacular, and ruined many a night’s sleep, I can personally attest. Karloff totally inhabited the Frankenstein character, and he was the Mummy in several films also.
But while Frankenstein put Karloff on the map in 1931, he was a veteran actor by that time, having appeared in 81 previous movies. That’s why his appearance in this earlier serial is especially historical and interesting. And that’s what caught the eye of Indy-based film buff and restorer Eric Grayson. “King of the Kongo was an epic restoration,” explains Grayson, “spanning almost 5 years of work. Seventy reels of film from three different archives, as well as four private collections of shellac records containing the sound. The result is the most complete version of this serial film seen since 1929.”
This newly restored film experience promises adventure and surprises in the mysterious jungles of Africa in a somewhat campy 1920s style. This ultra-rare film cannot be seen anywhere else, and the afternoon will consist of a “binge” screening of all 10 episodes, with an intermission. Popcorn, snacks and beverages will be available throughout the show. Cosplay style costumes are encouraged!
Now, as you’ll recall, I mentioned a local person behind this event. It won’t surprise regular readers of this column to read the name Patti Cooper Wells. When Patti met Eric Grayson and learned about his epic project, she just knew she had to bring it to Madison. “I put him in touch with the folks at Red Bicycle Hall, and then I worked to get Karloff’s daughter Sarah to make the trip here to complete the experience,” explains Patti. “This is exactly the kind of fun and creative event that fits our historic and artistic heritage. It’s an experience I personally want to see and enjoy, so why not bring it to our home town.”
If you see Patti at the show, be sure to thank her, not only for this event but for all the murals and poetry readings and music jams and so much more that she fosters and nurtures. It’s people like Patti who make our quality of life here so magical and special.
HOT TIP OF THE WEEK:
The historic movie experience at Red Bicycle Hall this weekend, featuring the daughter of the film’s star Boris Karloff, is probably the most unique and interesting opportunity in Madison. (Tickets are at MadTixEvents.com if you are interested.) And of course, the Fleetwood Mac tribute show (actually 2 shows!) at Red Bicycle Hall on Friday is always a crowd favorite, and usually sells out. (MadTix for tix also.) But looking beyond these two ticketed shows, there is the usual raft of live music events, with an especially heavy concentration on Friday night, with 8 places downtown (all in walking distance!) and one on the hilltop. Oh, and if you’ve never been to one of the intimate House of Jane songwriter shows, there’s one this Thursday that will be amazing, as usual. So get out there. Wander around, take it all in. No other small town does it like Indiana’s Music City.
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