Most of the films at Capitolfest are shown in 35mm prints on the theater’s carbon-arc, variable-speed projectors. The prints for the movies shown at Capitolfest come from archives such as the Library of Congress, George Eastman Museum, Museum of Modern Art, UCLA Film & Television Archive, and Universal Pictures, as well as from private collections. The festival includes several extremely rare talking films, as well as some equally rare silents. Each of the silent films will be accompanied by some of the world’s foremost exponents of authentic silent movie accompaniment. The goal of the Capitol Theatre is not only to show these vintage films, but also to re-create the experience of seeing these movies when they were new.
This year’s Capitolfest features a tribute to sometime star and frequent supporting actor, Robert Armstrong (1890-1973), showcasing him in several movies from the silent and talkie era. Hero, villain, nice guy or cad, Robert Armstrong was a fixture in Hollywood A and B features (as well as television) in five different decades.
Back this year is the Capitolfest dealers room, featuring films, dvds, laserdiscs, autographs, posters, books, and other memorabilia, which will be open throughout the weekend.
Capitolfest differs from other classic movie festivals in its leisurely pacing. There are intermissions within each session (featuring live organ music) and relatively lengthy breaks between sessions, allowing attendees to savor the films. (Thus our slogan: “A vacation—not a marathon.”) Approx. 90% of Capitolfest attendees come from out of town but, whether you are local or travel hundreds of miles, we want you to feel that the Capitol is your theater. As always, Capitolfest organizers would be more than happy to provide interested parties with more information. Updates can be found on the Capitol’s website at www.romecapitol.com, and there is an on-going discussion on the Capitolfest Facebook page.
