For the Love of Film: 3rd Annual Film Preservation Blogathon Returns Next Month

by Tony Dayoub

My dear friend, Farran Smith Nehme (a.k.a. the Self-Styled Siren), is again co-hosting the For the Love of Film blogathon, from May 13-18. This year, the blogathon's focus is on Alfred Hitchcock. In her words:

...one of the recurring motifs here at Self-Styled Siren is access--the continuing quest to see movies that remain frustratingly out of our reach. Our friends at the [National Film Preservation Foundation] know how we feel, truly they do. They have streamed a number of the rescued films on their website, at no charge. It's part of their commitment not only to film history, but to bringing that history to as wide an audience as possible.

Streaming requires some serious lolly, however. In this case, it will take about $15,000 to put The White Shadow online and record the score. So, after asking our readers for their thoughts, the Siren, together with goddess Marilyn Ferdinand of Ferdy on Films and (for the first time this year) her intrepid partner from Down Under, Roderick Heath of This Island Rod, have decided to help the NFPF get The White Shadow out there on the Web, for four months on their site, free, for anyone to see.

The first year, Ferdinand and Nehme helped restore two silent movies. Last year, they raised money for the Film Noir Foundation and their efforts to restore 1950's The Sound of Fury, a key film from the blacklisted director Cy Endfield--and the blogger participation and number of donors rose even higher.

I'll be contributing money and at least one essay again this year. Find out The White Shadow's connection to Hitchcock--and how you can help with this year's preservation effort--at the Siren's place.