I often wonder if our society will ever be a completely digital world. I often imagine a scenario that technology will become too much to handle, so we’ll go back to the “old ways” – actual letters versus emails, the theater instead of video-on-demand, stoves as opposed to microwaves. (Ok, I do rather like that last one.)
One reason a group like the Film Noir Foundation exists is to ensure that we don’t lose our cinematic heritage in the world of film. Noir City is an SF based film festival that showcases the classic works of the 40’s and 50’s with such cinematic greats such as Peggy Cummings, Lawrence Tierney, William Holden and Lee Remick in films such as Native Son, The Hoodlum, The Come On and many more. Many of these films have undergone restoration and are being shown for the first time. I especially get a kick out of older, local films to see how much the city of San Francisco has changed from then to now.
I went to the Noir City festival for the first time last year (previewing it here) but at the time of that post, I hadn’t gone yet and didn’t know what to expect. This being my second year attending, I knew I was in for a great cinematic experience in a retro-looking theater with a crowd dressed in their best period suit or dress to get into the spirit of the event.
As we move closer and closer to the digital age, being able to preserve films of yesteryear is crucial as a means of celebrating our history and the accomplishments of some talented individuals that are no longer with us. If you care for film the way I do, this is definitely an organization worth your support. Some things really are worth saving.
If you’re in the San Francisco area, I highly recommend grabbing your fedora and best pin-stripped suit and step into Noir City at the Castro Theatre. The festival runs now until February 3rd. And explore the Film Noir Foundation as well as other film preservation groups. It would be a shame to lose our historical connection to these classic films.
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