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The Silent Film Universe: Exploring Silent Movies” on Thursday, December 4th at 6:00 P.M. (In-Person and Online Program)
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 THE GENERAL SOCIETY OF MECHANICS & TRADESMENOF THE CITY OF NEW YORK FOUNDED 1785 Artisan Lecture Series Fall 2025 The Silent Film Universe: Exploring Silent Movies With Film Historian, Accompanist and Presenter Ben Model Thursday, December 4th at 6:00 P.M. An In-Person and Online Program. The in-person program will be followedby a book-signing and a reception. To register for In-Person attendance, please click here To register for Online attendance, please click here All registrants will receive a link to the recording approximately 10 days after the lecture.  Ben Model, one of the nation’s leading silent film accompanists and resident pianist at MoMA and the Library of Congress, will unveil the secrets behind the timeless allure of silent movies.  Buster Keaton and Sybil Seely in a scene from ONE WEEK (1920) In a talk based on his groundbreaking new book, The Silent Film Universe, Mr. Model will reveal the engaging formula that makes silent films a universal language. Accompanying silent film clips with live piano music, he will dive into the dreamlike world of silent cinema, where visual storytelling and audience imagination blend to create an immersive experience unlike any other. He will discuss how filmmakers intentionally left gaps for viewers to fill in, making each film a personal journey.  Douglas Fairbanks and Noah Beery in THE MARK OF ZORRO (1920) With music and words, Ben Model will explain how this works – for both yesterday’s and today’s filmgoers – and, through his insights, provide us all with a new appreciation of silent film. “I adore this book. Not only does Ben Model articulate why we love silent movies, but he educates us for the first time about the brilliance of silent film artistry in its techniques of cranking and projecting. Fascinating, essential reading for both lifelong silent film enthusiasts like me and newcomers to the medium.” – Alexander Payne, film director and screenwriter  Billy Bevan and Sid Smith in the Mack Sennett comedyGALLOPING BUNGALOWS (1924)“Because he accompanies showings of silent films for modern audiences, Ben Model knows what people understand and relate to right away—and what requires some explanation and historical context. That, paired with his encyclopedic knowledge, makes him a perfect guide to these intoxicating movies and the era that produced them.” – Leonard Maltin, film critic, and historian  Ben Model Ben Model accompanies silent films on piano and theatre organ regularly at MoMA, the Library of Congress, the Silent Clowns Film Series (NYC), and at many theatres and schools around the US and internationally. Over the past 44 years, he has created and performed several hundred live scores for silent films. His composed silent film scores are performed regularly by orchestras and concert bands around the U.S. and Canada. His recorded scores can be heard on numerous releases from Kino Lorber, Milestone Films, on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) and from his own boutique Blu-ray label Undercrank Productions. Mr. Model is a Visiting Professor of Film at Wesleyan University, where he teaches silent film history. More information on Mr. Model can be found here. The book can be purchased in person at the talk and online here. |
| To register for In-Person attendance, please click here To register for Online attendance, please click here General Admission: $15 General Society Members & Senior Citizens: $10 Students: $5 Advance registration is required. to the People of New York City The General Society of Mechanics & Tradesmen of the City of New York 20 West 44th Street New York, NY 10036 www.generalsociety.org |
