film collector BOB SIDES presented us with a perfect 16mm print projected from his 1958 projector with built in sound!
this was a two reeler, so it allowed us time to stretch our legs, chat....AND DRINK!.
this film is an absolute cult classic with an amazingly eerie piano score, and german expressionistic cinematography. the design of JEREMY, the brain within the robot monster was incredibly modern & gothic, looking like something gareth pugh or rick owens would've designed.
especially loved his boots...
the story is of the frankenstein genre... classic mad/genius scientist experimenting with the human, brain, soul- without a body. also reminiscent of THE GOLEM, classic~ 1915- german expressionistic silent horror flick.
the colossus of new york has it's own unique eerieness, from the single piano score, the film credit graphics~ "rising from the hudson," and an especially bizarre scene where JEREMY calls his human son in the woods.....
note~ blogger- "shockotheclown," labeled his video- "the iron pedophile."
i wish he hadn't, because this is very rare footage to come by and demeans the film.
antebellum cinema enthusiast LELAND BARD treated us to some amazing backstory about the screenwriter~
THELMA SCHEELEN
leland bard meet a nice young man on new years eve- 1975. ironically his name was also leland.
they spent the night @ leland's apartment on el centro, directly next to LELAND WAY.
the next morning leland met leland's mother- THELMA SCHEELEN on January 1, 1976.
That was coincidentally the day that Los Angeles woke to see the Hollywood Sign altered to read “Hollyweed.” And by further coincidence, there was a 4.2 magnitude earthquake on the Whittier Fault that morning – very jarring in Hollywood. Though my encounter with Thelma was brief, the earthquake made it extremely impressive. We were chatting at length and she gradually moved the conversation from the dining room, where her son, (also named Leland) was setting up the table for brunch, north toward the living room of his apartment [El Centro south of Sunset – near Leland Way, ironically]. We stood in the archway between the two rooms and – rumble, rumble, RUMBLE – silence – the earthquake came and went. I wanted SO much to ask if she had anticipated the earthquake and moved into a doorway, as was recommended then - ! But – the conversation took precedence.
That was coincidentally the day that Los Angeles woke to see the Hollywood Sign altered to read “Hollyweed.” And by further coincidence, there was a 4.2 magnitude earthquake on the Whittier Fault that morning – very jarring in Hollywood. Though my encounter with Thelma was brief, the earthquake made it extremely impressive. We were chatting at length and she gradually moved the conversation from the dining room, where her son, (also named Leland) was setting up the table for brunch, north toward the living room of his apartment [El Centro south of Sunset – near Leland Way, ironically]. We stood in the archway between the two rooms and – rumble, rumble, RUMBLE – silence – the earthquake came and went. I wanted SO much to ask if she had anticipated the earthquake and moved into a doorway, as was recommended then - ! But – the conversation took precedence.
Thelma scheelen went on to study and experiment with LSD, ESP, receive a United Nations award, ghost-hunting, and a faculty post at UCLA in parapsychology. this is after a long Broadway career and after writing “ The Colossus of New York”
So bummed I missed this. I hope you will continue to do this once in awhile. And yes, the robot would had made Rick Owens and Gareth Pugh proud. Such great designers.
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