Queens of Destruction

Unearth the hidden gems of cinema's early era in the "Queens of Destruction" from Kino Lorber. Part of a newly released collection, “Queens of Destruction” features French enfant terrible character Léontine in shorts from 1911-1912, Rowdy Ann from 1919 western comedy of the same name, and many other characters you’ll probably meet for the first time.

Program provided by Kino Lorber and part of “Cinema’s First Nasty Women” collection of rarely-seen silent films featuring women who challenge gender norms with comic glee.

New York Times critic Manhola Dargis describes “Nasty Women” as “a mind-expanding endeavor… comic rarities produced from 1898 to 1926, gleaned from archives and libraries from across the globe. It is a triumph of scholarship.”

Organist: Jelani Edington
Vaudeville: Villains from the Jerry Ensemble
Preshow lobby entertainment: Doc the Rube and Wayne the Wizard
Co-curator Dr. Maggie Hennefeld will introduce the program and discuss the films after the screening.

Note: As these films were released nearly a century ago, some films may depict theatric and social conventions of the time related to race, gender, socio-economic status and identity which are unacceptable. In response, we will be exploring and unpacking some of this material throughout the season and providing pre- and post-show resources.