A Fool There Was + The Vampire
With live musical accompaniment from the Broken Hearts DJs and Jane Gardner
Theda Bara and Alice Hollister fight over the title of cinema's first sex symbol in this double-bill of bewitching vampires. With new music from Broken Hearts DJs and pianist Jane Gardner.
A Fool There Was Was directed by Frank Powell in 1915. A wealthy married diplomat falls head over heels for ‘The Vampire’ - bewitchingly played by Theda Bara. Astonishingly parasitic, she completely ruins the initially self-respecting family man, depriving him of home and social status. Sniffing, and then crushing some roses, it seems this mysterious vamp is not just out for money but revenge.
Theda Bara One of the most famous actors of her day, ranking third in popularity after Chaplain and Pickford, Buxom Bara with her fierce, heavily charcoaled look popularised the notion of the screen vamp. She often cited as the first sex symbol of her era, known for her skimpy costumes.
The Broken Hearts present their own weekly music and culture show on QRadio, the 'Broken Hearts Mystery Hour', which takes listeners on a fantastical journey to a land of eclectic tunes and eccentric curiosities. Their live DJ sets are unsurpassed in terms of style, panache and sheer dance-ability and their show is a technicolour extravaganza that takes the DJ out from behind the decks and into the limelight. They have played at some exclusive London venues as well at clubs in Paris, New York and Milan and have also collaborated with the musician Whitey on an album of original recordings. Their debut single "Black Cat"/ "Blanco" was released on Mute Irregulars imprint, and the hotly anticipated follow up, "Count Those Freaks!" will be out soon.
The Vampire Even earlier than Theda Bara's vamp, this rarely screened gem directed by Robert Vignola and starring Alice Hollister boasts a Vampire Dance by Alice Eis and Bert French, inspired by Philip Burne-Jones’ 1897 painting, which had toured the vaudeville circuit before it was recorded in this film for posterity.
Jane Gardner is pianist, composer and teacher based in Edinburgh. She has worked as a composer/performer/musical director with many theatre groups, in film and in the concert hall, and holds a PhD in Composition from Goldsmiths College. Her performances to films made in the silent era include The Navigator and Steamboat Bill Junior (Buster Keaton), He Who Gets Slapped (Lon Chaney), Safety Last! (Harold Lloyd)), The Love Expert (David Kirkland), Show People (King Vidor), Bluebottles (Adrian Brunel) and My Best Girl (Sam Taylor).