Aelita: Queen of Mars
1924, NR, 100 min. Directed by Yakov Protazanov. Starring Yuliya Solntseva.
REVIEWED By Marjorie Baumgarten, Fri., Feb. 25, 1994
Musician Dick Price presents his live score for this 1924 silent Russian science fiction film. The version presented here is a streamlined and edited version, though the politically correct story about the proletarian “Boxhead” uprising against the “Ruler” class remains intact. Price accompanies himself on piano playing a score that combines newly written material with familiar riffs from many popular tunes. The movie combines Martian costumes with Constructivist set design, Price and his collaborator Keith Kritselis have added some new title cards, and surprise live antics are promised. There are only two more Wednesday night performaces of Price's follow-up to his sold-out fall presentation of Nosferatu.
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Aelita: Queen of Mars, Yakov Protazanov, Yuliya Solntseva