All of the links to which you can find, as usual, at our MN Films at the Internet Archive page.

For such as might have missed it, here is the improved, more complete version of "The Gusher" (1913) and as found on the Kino Video DVD of "The Extra Girl."

While I have hitherto made an effort to put up at the Internet Archive and my YouTube channel (the latter at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiNxWoOJDqZAzp1yhGg8nJg/videos as many Mabel Normand films from my video collections I could, there are still some left over; including better versions of those I've already uploaded. The reason that I did not always start with the best versions was economical. Some films I conveniently had all on one VHS tape; so it made it easier to do a transfer of that compendium tape (and where the quality was or might have been somewhat less); rather than do a transfer of another tape that had just this one film or other. Similarly, some films are already on YouTube; such that it made it that much less compelling for me to post the particular copy in my possession. Yet now that I have put up the main body of the collection, and having much more leisure time at my disposal for this sort of thing, in weeks to come I will upload upgrades of some films; for example, a few of the Keystones and two of the Hal Roach films.

As some of you are doubtless aware, in very recent years some beautiful prints and restorations of Mabel's films have come to light, and which I can no way pretend to compete with as far as quality. Of course, a source of some of these is the as yet unsurpassed "Chaplin at Keystone" DVD set issued by Flicker Alley. Though it would be mistaken to view this set as the last word -- as someone has pointed out they could probably do even better restorations of some of the shorts -- nonetheless, it is definitely a must have and one of the best DVD investments you could make.

Watching the films again it gave me a somewhat refreshed perspective on Chaplin and Mabel, and I am more convinced than before that there was some romantic rivalry -- real or imagined -- between Sennett and Chaplin over Mabel, and I do think Sennett may have become sour with Chaplin because he sensed that Mabel was perchance too fond of him; with Chaplin himself, to some unstated extent, infatuated with her. This would possibly explain why Chaplin was pointedly and repeatedly cast as a foolish or inept lover (e.g., "Mabel at the Wheel" and "Mabel's Married Life" -- either to dispel Sennett's misgivings or else to ridicule Chaplin himself in that light. "The Fatal Mallet" seems a blunt statement by Sennett that Mabel was, after all, his; and yet why make it in the first place? Perhaps Mabel then, and in turn Sennett, was why Chaplin ultimately had no choice but to leave Keystone -- Broncho Billy Anderson or no.

In "Tango Tangles" where Chaplin is without mustache he comes across as an entirely different person, and which might lead us to think that for Chaplin, unlike say Buster Katon, his make-up was absolutely necessary to get him in the proper comic mood, and perhaps without this mask and its trappings he would have found himself lost and disoriented to perform.

In Keystone they would think up gags and situations and then compile them together as repertoire with which to build up or over a basic story framework; later occasionally improvising on and embellishing what they had thought of in advance. The difference with Chaplin was that he improvised a lot more, and had an increased awareness of all that was going around him. And aided and bolstered as he was by a non-stop energy to create while filming, he expanded on the original material and framework more than had been done previously. So that between Keystone and Chaplin, it wasn’t so much a difference in kind as much as a dramatic difference in degree. Like Keystone, Chaplin resorts to certain stock formulas and mechanical devices -- in his case, and for instance, mimicking maudlin sentiment; satirizing his own tramp’s pathos; exhibiting belligerent feistiness; smiling at the audience (i.e., the camera); acting with vehemence, sheer lunacy and kooky playfulness; while mistaking the meaning or significance of an event(s) taking place within the film’s story; all of which were ingredients both carefully and intuitively mixed and separated for purposes of coming up with numerously diverse and varied, as well as sometimes repeated and similar, performance results. In addition, Chaplin made for a wonderful, indeed perfect, clown -- in the circus sense of that title -- and as such was a master at directly appealing to audience sympathy; something rarely seen in Keystone films (though not entirely unknown, e.g., the affectionate petting of the calf in "The Bangville Police.") And yet as the years, then decades, went by, Chaplin lost much of this energy, and though advancing as a craftsman, became less naturally funny as a comedian.

On related, but separate notes, a well done article by author Jon Boorstin, entitled "Who Invented Chaplin's Tramp?" of late appeared in the Los Angeles Review of Books, and which you can read at http://lareviewofbooks.org/article.php?id=492

Last but not least, Paul Gierucki, one of our favorite silent film re-producers, this September (commencing the 6th) is coming out on Turner Classic Movies with a mammoth television screening of some 100 Keystone films, including the as yet unwatched by me "Grocery Clerks Romance" (1913) starring Ford Sterling and Mabel. For more, see: http://www.tcm.com/schedule/september2012.html

In view of recently announced screening of the supposedly re-surfaced "Won in a Closet," I would take the occasion to reiterate once more my strong conviction that this supposed Keystone short is, in actuality, a hoax film.

Reasons for my believing this to be the case are 1) the only recognizable Keystone players are Normand and Davenport; while none of the rest of the reported cast are present, 2) Although film preservation.org (which hosts the film online) speaks of Charles Avery as Mabel’s beau, Charles Avery also is no where to be found here; in addition to being not listed in the original cast; 3) “Won in a Closet” is reported a 1 reel film. The “discovered” short is a 2 reeler; 4) Except for the interior at the police station (and possibly also the interior of the home), none of the interior sets or exteriors matches anything I have seen in a Keystone film; 5) Again, based on other Keystone films, the cast is much too large for such a trivial short, and it is unlikely Sennett would be spending so much extra for what is obviously not needed; 6) The film has what strikes one as a claustrophobic and, if I may say so, “dirty” feel, and Mabel is notably and uncharacteristically stiff and devoid of any REAL warmth; 6) It is an obvious semi-remake of “The Bangville Police” made almost a year prior; with Mabel wearing the identical clothes she wore in that film. And there are other reasons. But these I hope will in the meantime suffice. As to exactly how such a fabrication was done, I admittedly could not quite tell you; yet I can mention seeing other silent comedy hoax films; such as, for instance, the supposed “Charley Bowers” short found in “The Slapstick Encyclopedia” put out by Kino video at one time, but no longer currently available.

For more, see:

http://looking-for-mabel.webs.com/hohaugloc.htm
http://www.filmpreservation.org/preserved-films/screening-room/won-in-a-closet-1914

Two noteworthy books out of recent date, and which come with high recommendation, are Delores Hanney's The Lure of a Land by the Sea: Venice Vignettes (i.e., Venice Beach, Los Angeles; site of many a Keystone picture) and William M. Drew's Mr. Griffith's House with Closed Shutters: The Long Buried Secret That Turned Lawrence Into D.W.

Ms. Hanney, as some of you are aware, has a Mabel Normand tie-in with Venice website at http://www.mabel-in-paradise.webs.com/ ; while many will already be familiar with Mr. Drew, consummate gentleman and veteran film scholar, whose many silent film books we've enjoyed and availed ourselves of over the years.

Came across this by chance. Isn't it adorable? From left to right: Natalie, Constance, and Norma -- i.e., Buster Keaton's first wife and his co-star in "Our Hospitality;" the mountain girl from "Intolerance;" and the putative inspiration for the has-been silent movie star in "Sunset Boulevard."

Just posted -- a .pdf of all the known Mabel Normand sheet music collected and compiled by Marilyn Slater and myself over the years. You can download it from this website at http://www.mn-hp.com/Mabel-Normand-sheet-music.pdf (right click on link and "Save as...) or else obtain it at Scribd at http://www.scribd.com/doc/96928706/Mabel-Normand-Sheet-Music-c-1917-1926 The scans for the "Raggedy Rose" song contained in the .pdf leave much to be desired at the moment, but very possibly we will be able to replace them (including of course in the .pdf itself) in the not so distant future.

In the past couple months I was busy uploading Mabel Normand and silent comedy related films to both the Internet Archive and YouTube. Yet having done with that for now, I am ready to return to my studies in early American history and literature, and writing on varied and assorted topics; while relegating my Mabel Normand and silent film interest to more of a hobby. For this reason, I don't anticipate posting any new announcements here for at least some time to come, and until the spirit, and circumstances, move me to do so.

Meanwhile, there is the ever tireless effort of Marilyn Slater to keep you apprised and abreast of all things Mabel. As I have emphasized before, though she and I do not always see eye to eye on everything, she is the person to follow respecting Miss Normand. Consequently, and if you don't do so already, I recommend regularly stopping by her "Looking for Mabel" website to see what she is up to, especially in her "Mabel's Log" section. The above collage of Mabel pictures, for example, taken from International Photographer, March 1930 is one of the many sorts of items Marilyn very kindly and regularly brings back from oblivion to share with us.

As well in lieu of my absence, I would also direct you to David Menefee's silent film newsletter. To my knowledge, he does not have a regular website, but if you write him at Davemenefee@aol.com I'm sure he will gladly put you on his mail list. Every month the versatile and energetic Mr. Menefee issues a veritable silent film magazine by way of his monthly email, and, odds are, included in a given issue is something or other to intrigue and or else tickle your silent film fancy. Earlier (and you may recall) he tipped us off to a scarce and splendid radio interview by the Canadian Broadcast Company with Mary Pickford. And to give you another instance, in this month's installment of his email-magazine he furnished a link to a website which makes available .pdf copies of home film catalogs that began and spanning from the 1920s -- a wonderful source for tracking down rare and usual movie titles that may still exist (you'll have to investigate.) The URL in question is at http://mediahistoryproject.org/nontheatrical/ It is interesting to note in this regard that the copies of Mabel's Hal Roach films that have survived are based on 9.5 mm prints made for home viewing. Using then these catalogs as a starting point, who knows then what else is still be out there to be uncovered by dogged film sleuths?