Peculiar Puppets vol. V (in Glorious 16mm)

As filmmaking grew into a popular and profitable medium, the ancient art of puppetry enjoyed a brand new and totally different kind of resurgence. Throughout the first half of the 20th century, some animators chose to create stop-motion films in which puppets seemed to live and move on their own. At the same time, live action filmmakers made more straightforward films of live marionette and hand puppet performances. Even later, when early television producers needed quick and low cost entertainment during live kiddie programs, show runners looked yet again to hand puppets and marionettes for help in that growing medium.

Roxy Cinema hereby presents a fifth retrospective screening featuring various peculiar examples of puppet films from the 1920s through the 1950s. Warning: You may find some of the offerings to be rather unsettling, possibly even creepy! This event is programmed by early animation archivist and historian Tommy José Stathes, and prints are hand-selected from his personal 16mm film archive. Film presentation will be followed by a live Q&A session with Stathes.