Book #347 (#45 this year): Saved From Oblivion(2000, Bernard Vorhaus)
I think it was 1972 or 1973 when I purchased an LP by a band called "White Noise" in a second hand record shop on Main Street in Winnipeg. Fast forward about 38 years and I'm watching a movie called "The Ghost Camera". The connection?
Well, "White Noise" (1969) was made by three people, one of which was David Vorhaus. "The Ghost Camera" (1933) was directed by his father Bernard Vorhaus. And when Bernard was 95 years old he wrote his memoirs, "Saved From Oblivion" (2000).
I found "Saved From Oblivion" at the Vancouver Library and it's in such pristine condition that I wouldn't be surprised if I'm the only one who has read it. But I was so impressed by "The Ghost Camera" that I recognized the name Bernard Vorhaus right away when I was browsing through the stacks at the local library.
This may not be the best book ever written but it's the fact that it exists at all that's so amazing. None of Vorhaus' films are well known by the public. Even movie buffs would be hard pressed to remember even one of his films. The only reason it was written was because David Lean (who was the film editor on "The Ghost Camera") dropped his name during an interview.
The last item in the book was about the 95 year old's wish to return to America to start digging where his old house stood to try and find a lost film that he had buried there before he was forced to leave the USA by HUAC. I'll go and check IMDB but I'm sure he never made it back.
IMDB Update: It shows that Bernard died in 2000 just 2 days before his 96th birthday. He died in London so I guess he never made it back to Hollywood.
Here is the website to watch his "The Ghost Camera"
Here's the site to watch another of his films "The Amazing Mr X"
Here's a site where you can download some music by his son David Vorhaus
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