Abel Gance's Napoleon Restored

One of the greatest masterpieces of silent cinema, Abel Gance's epic Napoleon (1927) has been reconstructed and restored. On March 24, 25, and 31 and April 1, the film will be screened at the Paramount Theatre in Oakland, California.

The San Francisco Silent Film Festival is presenting legendary film historian Kevin Brownlow's complete 5 1/2 hour restoration of the film, along with the American premiere of the magnificent score by Carl Davis. According to the festival organizers, "Mr. Davis will conduct 48 members of the Oakland East Bay Symphony for these four unique screenings, which also feature the original "Polyvision" three-screen finale. Due to the expense, technical challenges, and complicated rights issues involved, no screenings are planned for any other American city."