Event

Do the Doktor Doolittle

DO THE DOKTOR DOLITTLE
Thursday, January 23 at 7pm
Saturday, February 1 at 1pm
Special ticket pricing: $10 Film Forum members/$12 general admission/$38 per family of four.

Long before Eddie Murphy or Rex Harrison appeared in the role on the big screen, Lotte Reiniger, a 29-year-old German animator, created the first feature film about Doctor Dolittle and his thrilling journey to Africa.

Reinger's film, made near the end of the silent film era, is a masterpiece of intricate silhouette-animation techniques that weaves a magical tale of talking animals and the benevolent doctor who understands what they say. We have commissioned Seattle musicians and composers Miles and Karina (Dave Keenan and Nova Devonie) to compose and perform a new score for the film, featuring guitar, violin, accordion, banjo and other instruments. To sweeten the deal, they've also scored three more short films created by Reiniger her haunting 1922 version of Sleeping Beauty, and two other exquisite short films created as advertisements for, of all things, Nivea Creme and the British postal service. Special thanks to Allison Das, translator.

Program:
Dornröschen (Sleeping Beauty, 1922, 9 min)
Das Geheimnis der Marquise (1920, 2 min)
Doktor Dolittle (Reels 1 & 3, 1928, 22 min)
The Tocher (1937, 5 min)