Gems That Demand to Be Seen

The flowers and messages that still adorn the now-shuttered Silent Movie Showcase on Fairfax Avenue testify to the deep affection many in this city have for those early movies. But with the Jan. 17 slaying of theater operator Laurence Austin, in an apparent holdup, the film capital of the world may be without a permanent venue for exhibition of these precious reels. That need not be the case.

In the days since Austin’s death, silent film archivists and enthusiasts, including representatives of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, have begun to talk about either reopening the Silent Movie Showcase or finding a new screening site. We hope those efforts are successful.

Preservation is less a problem than exhibition. Extensive collections of silent classics are maintained in public and private film archives. But these movies were created to be enjoyed. Austin made that happen: An organist accompanied the silents, patrons received a fact sheet about the films, and he often personally introduced the movies.

With Austin’s death, the only Los Angeles theater devoted solely to silent films has closed. Surely amid the abundant talent and resources of the entertainment community there is the collective will to ensure that those flickering images do not fade to black.