**Special Event - Live Accompaniment**With maestro extraordinaire Peter J Casey.

For more information, stay tuned to anufg.org.au closer to the date or join the anufg mailing list.

A young projectionist is studying books on how to be a detective. When his efforts to woo a young lady are thwarted, he returns despondent to his projectionist booth, and dreams of being the star of the film he’s screening. Suddenly, he starts to get more than he wished for…

Buster Keaton remains one of the funniest people to ever appear on film. His work is more than just slapstick, however – you’ll recognise how clever a lot of his stunt work and routines are (for example, when the scenery changes around him – the first time you see it, you enjoy the spectacle. The second time, you appreciate how difficult it must have been to set up).

Keaton was a good complement to Charlie Chaplin of the time – Chaplin was ‘The Tramp’, whilst Keaton was ‘Stoneface’ (so called because he never really changed his facial expression, although this conveyed so much more feeling and humour than many of our contemporary actors!).

So forget lame-ass, lazy, modern-day ‘comedies’ – come along and see a true comedic genius at work. And can someone please keep an eye on our projectionist – he/she may get inspired and join Buster up on screen!

Flip the Frog (possibly the most inventive of the countless animals who never quite made it as a cartoon star) investigates the murder of a clock cuckoo in a bizarre – almost random – film noir world of semi-animate objects.

Print Courtesy of the NationalFilm and Sound Archive

This is a fast-paced action retelling of the most famous of detectives, Sherlock Holmes. Played brilliantly by Robert Downey Jr, Holmes matches wits (and brawn) with a dastardly villain messing about with the dark arts. Luckily Holmes is ably assisted by Watson (Law) who in this retelling gives as good as he gets. The two are up against a Lord (Strong) bent on taking over the world, or some such evilness, in the lead up to Dr Watson’s nuptials. I don’t want to give too much away, as that is the fun of a mystery, but things get more complicated when Irene Adler (McAdams), one of Holmes’s old flames turns up.

The film looks brilliant, with the action flying off the screen like a period piece Bond adventure. But it’s the rapport between Downey Jr and Law that bring this film to life. They complement each other wonderfully and also allow for some brilliant interplay between them and the sultry, suspicious Irene.

It’s wonderful, old-fashioned fun and shouldn’t be missed. Especially if you happen to be a Lord of the Dark Arts, and want some tips on how not to slip up.