Criterion Close-Up – Episode 42 – Silent Film Music with Ben Model

Mark and Aaron welcome Ben Model, silent film historian, accompanist, distributor, and enthusiast. He gave a presentation about “undercranking” on Criterion’s release of Chaplin’s The Kid. We discuss the idea of undercranking, scoring silent music, and the state of silent media today theatrically and in the home video market.

Episode Links & Notes
Special Guest: Ben Model from Silent Film Music and Undercrank Productions. You can find him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
0:00 – Intro and Welcome Ben
1:15 – Ben’s Criterion Connection
4:00 – Discussion and explanation of undercranking
18:20 – Ben’s background
24:00 –Silent films on Criterion and other labels
27:20 – Silent Film Kickstarters
38:00 – Silent Film discussion

Silent Film Music – YouTube
Silent Film Music podcast
Kickstarter – Accidentally Preserved Rare and Lost Silent Films
Kickstarter – When Knighthood Was in Flower
Kickstarter – The Bridge’s Play
Kickstarter – Pioneers of African-American Cinema
Movies Silently – Top Five Silent Film Directors
Seriously Funny – The Films of Leo McCarey

Episode Credits

Mark Hurne: Twitter | Letterboxd
Aaron West: Twitter | Blog | Letterboxd
Criterion Close-Up: Facebook | Twitter | Email


Next time on the podcast: The Player