10:20am | The Long Beach Cinematheque is presenting Jean Cocteau’s 1946 production of La Belle et la Bete (Beauty and the Beast) on Monday, September 5th, at the Second Samoan Church, located at 655 Cedar Avenue. What makes this screening special is that it will be presented as a silent film (even though it isn’t) with English subtitles, and a live score performed by Le Petite Ensemble Melodique, a one-off super-group organized by Lili de la Mora. Doors open at 7 PM, and the film starts at 8. Tickets are $10.
I remember first seeing Jean Cocteau’s “La Belle et la Bete” at the Santa Monica Main Branch Library when I was quite young. A group of about 20 people, mostly children, sat in a small darkened room, the sound of the 16mm projector chuffing away as the luminous images played across a small screen. The thing I remember, more than the story, is the feeling the film created in me. I felt pulled out of myself, felt compassion for the Beast, and sad that Belle might risk his love and life.
When Lili de la Mora asked me if I would be interested in joining the ensemble, I didn’t hesitate. “Yes,” I said, emphatically.
Lili has long been a local creative staple. She has a beautiful, enigmatic, and haunting voice. She’s also a wonderful song writer. In addition to her solo efforts, she’s also fronted Sidecar, The Year Zero, Nopal and, more recently, Miniature Houses with Michael Wysong.
Logan Crow, the genius behind Mondo Celluloid, Long Beach Cinematheque and the Long Beach Zombie Walk had met Lili through her work with The Year Zero.
“Back when Lili was with The Year Zero,” Logan said, “they recorded this song called ‘Holland Say Hello,’ and I just thought it was one of the most sublime and perfect songs I’d ever heard. Seriously. We struck up our friendship after that, and I still don’t think she quite realizes how much that song resonated with me.
“Her voice,” Logan enthused, “almost whispers the melody against this incredible blend of instruments and this pulse. It always stuck me as having this incredibly cinematic quality to it. I think it would make the most wonderful ‘closing credits’ song to a film about a very introspective human being.”
“We bonded through our mutual love of Jodorowsky films,” said Lili. “He wanted to create events in Long Beach that brought music and film together. I asked him to please keep me in mind if he ever featured a Jodorowsky film.”
“Many, many years later,” continued Lili, “he asked me if I had a band that sang in Spanish and that played desert themed music. He said he was had promised me, long ago, that he would keep me in mind for a Jodorowsky film, and he said he was keeping his promise to me since he had been offered an opportunity to do a screening at MOLAA.
“Prior to that,” Lili said, “I had no Spanish band, but what was so incredible was that, in the time that transpired, I started playing in a band called Nopal (cactus in Spanish), who coincidentally played desert-themed music in Spanish.
“In the same way,” Lili continued, “Logan brought up the idea of doing a live score to Jean Cocteau’s La Belle et la Bete about a year ago. It took this long for the right group of people to come into my life to bring this particular dream into being.
“Logan is magic,” said Lili, smiling. “He plants a seed and then has the patience to nurture it and help it come into being.”
“I’ve always had a taste for the surreal and the avant garde.” said Logan. “It started with David Lynch, and then as I started to study up on film history and influences, I discovered Jodorowsky, and Ken Russell.
“I found ‘La Belle et la Bete’ a wonderful film,” continued Crow, “because it is essentially not surreal. It is a fantasy, a fable, but it had these amazing surreal images. It was a nice blend of fantasy and dreamlike imagery. I always appreciated that balance. A lot about the film feels like a whisper. Like Lili’s voice.”
“It is such a beautiful film,” said Lili. “It picks you up and wraps you in its dream.”
When Logan finally had everything in place for the screening, Lili began to assemble the ensemble.
“Everything seemed to magically be in place to make it happen,” said Lili. “People that are playing are, in a sense, my extended musical family. Michael Wysong, Tai Tajima and myself play in Miniature Houses together. Davin Givhan also joins us occasionally. In fact, he has also played with The Year Zero and Familiar Trees.
“Chris Schlarb,” Lili continued, “is currently recording Nopal and Miniature Houses, and has collaborated with me throughout the years on various musical adventures. Tabor Allen plays with Chris Schlarb in Psychic Temple.
“Alysssandra Nighswonger and I have been friends for a long time,” said Lili, “but we have never had an opportunity to work together until now. David Sinclair Robison and Aly play in a band called Lucky Penny, which I love.
“My friend Ken Negrete of Familiar Trees will also be playing that night,” Lili continued. “He and I were in a band called Sidecar way back when. I first met Christine Nguyen through Familiar Trees. She created art work for their EP. Currently, I have also come to know her as a friend and song writer. Everyone taking part in the performance has played with at least one other person.”
The score is being pieced together from some existing material created for Miniature Houses, some simple thematic material developed during rehearsals, and sections that will be completely improvised.
“The final result will be as much of a surprise as it is planned,” Lili mused. “That’s the story of my life. There is always a bit of nervousness that comes with stepping off into the unknown but, in the end, we will just have to wait and see. I believe the audience will influence the performance as much as the players. The few rehearsals we’ve had have been very encouraging.”
The Second Samoan Church was originally a Masonic Temple, built in 1924.
“It is just this monumental structure in the heart of downtown,” said Logan, “with a gorgeous main room that seats 500, an underground hall, and a beautiful lobby. I could barely believe my luck when I ran the concept by Misi Tagaloa, the pastor there, and he grew this great big grin and said, ‘That sounds fantastic!! Let’s do it!!’
“Misi and the staff have been so receptive of our concept,” Logan said, “and incredibly helpful. The whole experience has already been so fantastic.”
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Event info and ticket page is at LBCinema.org.
Listen to The Year Zero song, “Holland Say Hello.”