Curtis's Landmark 1914 Silent Film of Pacific Northwest First Nations Culture— Restored, Re-evaluated, and Framed with a Live Orchestral Arrangement of the Original Score and a Performance by Descendants of the Indigenous Cast

Tuesday, June 10, 2008
7 pm

The Moore Theatre
1932 Second Avenue (at Second & Virginia)
Seattle, WA

In 1914, famed photographer Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952) produced a melodramatic, silent film entitled In the Land of the Head Hunters, the first feature-length film to exclusively star Native North Americans. The film had gala openings in New York and Seattle in December 1914, accompanied by a live orchestral score composed by John J. Braham (1848-1919). Unfortunately, Head Hunters was a financial failure, quickly overlooked and barely preserved. In 1947, a single copy arrived at the Field Museum and these damaged and incomplete reels were re-edited by Bill Holm and George Quimby and released in 1974 as In the Land of the War Canoes.

We are privileged to present a restored copy of In the Land of the Head Hunters, accompanied by a live orchestra performing the original score written for the film. The music will be complemented by a Native dance performance by the descendants of the original Kwakwaka'wakw cast. Intended as an innovation in feature film—to stand out in the already crowded field of popular Westerns or "Indian Pictures" of the time—Head Hunters documented a moment of cultural encounter between Curtis and the Kwakwaka'wakw actors, depicting Kwakwaka'wakw culture.

This collaborative project approaches the film from two distinct but overlapping perspectives: As a scholarly recovery and restoration of the original melodramatic film and musical score; and as an indigenous re-framing of the material given unique Kwakwaka'wakw perspectives on the original film, cultural content, and historical context of the production.

"In the Land of the Head Hunters" premiered at the historic Moore Theatre in 1914 and is being presented as a part of The Moore's Centennial Celebration.

There will be a student matinee performance June 10 at 11 am. For student and class registration contact Annenelia Bach at the Seattle Theatre Group, 206-467-5510 ext 1123 or annieb@theparamount.com.

For more information about the project, performers and restoration, as well as productions in LA, Vancouver BC, Chicago and New York, please visit http://www.curtisfilm.rutgers.edu.

Film Restoration: UCLA Film & Television Archive, in cooperation with The Field Museum
John Braham Score: Research Library, The Getty Research Institute (850111)
Performance Edition: David Gilbert, UCLA Music Library

Support for this event has been provided by: