The Betzwood Film Archive and Film Festival

The Betzwood Motion Picture Studio was in operation between the years 1912 and 1923. Initially founded by film pioneer Siegmund Lubin of Philadelphia , and after 1917 owned and operated by Wolf Brothers, Inc. of Philadelphia , the 350 acre studio saw the production of over one hundred films. Of these, only a few have survived the ravages of time, indifference, fire, and nitrate deterioration and many of the "survivors" have come down to us only as fragments. So far twenty-nine Betzwood films have been located in archives in the U.S. , Great Britain , Germany , and the Netherlands , and the search goes on.

The Betzwood Film Archive was established in the Library of Montgomery County Community College in 1989 so that this unique part of our local history is preserved for all to enjoy. Since its founding, the archive has received grants from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and the Montgomery County Community College Foundation and generous donations from several private individuals. This financial assistance has made it possible for us to acquire 16mm copies of nineteen of the Betzwood films and video copies of three other fragments. Every spring we screen a selection of these historic films for the community at our annual Betzwood Silent Film Festival. The films are presented as they would have been seen originally--on a large screen, at the correct projection speed, and with live musical accompaniment.

Our Next Screening will be held on Saturday, May 2, 2009, at 8:00 pm in the Science Center Theater on the Blue Bell Campus.

Special Twentieth Anniversary Show.

Train wrecks, Roman orgies, the Schuylkill River in flames, and Betzwood's role in the First World War. All this and more will be revealed when the vaults of the Betzwood Film Archive are opened for our special Twentieth Anniversary show. Along with our usual sampling of Betzwood films, we will present the complete history of the Betzwood studios with narration, vintage photographs, and rare footage never before seen by the public. Find out what it took to produce America's first disaster movie. See why Marie Dressler would not win on "Dancing with the Stars." With narration by Professor Joseph Eckhardt, musical accompaniment by the ever-popular Don Kininier, and songs and sound effects by Judy Townsend (with a little help from the audience), it's sure to be a memorable evening's entertainment.

General Admission: $8. Tickets can be ordered in advance or purchased at the door.

Contact us: If you have questions or want to be put on our mailing list, call (215) 641-6518 or e-mail us at jeckhard@mc3.edu . You can also write to the Cultural Affairs Office, Montgomery County Community College , Box 400 , 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell, PA, 19422-0796.

Links:

Click here for a preview of coming attractions: The Train Smash from A Partner to Providence (1914)

Click here for an article about our accompanist, Don Kinnier, courtesy of the Philadelpha Inquirer.

Click here for the webpage of The Secret Cinema. Jay Schwartz of the Secret Cinema has been associated with the Betzwood Film Festival for many years now and handles all of our projection requirements.

 

Return to Joseph Eckhardt's Homepage