Morocco: 'Top Hat & Tails' Film Screening at the Internet Archive

Dress up & experience the Marlene Dietrich classic Morocco, with a lively pre-show on its legacy & a Q&A with filmmaker Denah Johnston.

Step into a night of glamour and public domain history.

Join the Internet Archive for a special screening of Morocco (1930), the classic film—newly in the public domain this year—that stunned audiences with Marlene Dietrich’s unforgettable tuxedoed performance. Nearly a century later, it remains a touchstone of gender expression in Pre-Hays Code film.

Come dressed in your own take on Top Hat & Tails—from classic elegance to bold reinterpretation—and be part of the spectacle.

The evening begins with a pre-show talk from filmmaker and scholar Denah Johnston to place the film in its historical context. Then, settle in for a full screening of the film, surrounded by fellow lovers of cinema, style, and rebellion. After the screening, Johnston will host a Q&A with the audience, exploring Morocco’s lasting impact on cultural history.

Dress up. Show up. Step into the story.

SCHEDULE

5:30PM: Doors Open

5:30PM - 7:00PM: Happy Hour and a Half

7:00PM - 9:00PM: Pre-Show + Screening + Q&A

ABOUT OUR SPEAKER

Denah Johnston's award-winning films, distributed by Canyon Cinema Foundation, have been exhibited by the National Gallery of Art, BAMPFA, Frameline Film Festival, Athens International Film & Video Festival, the Calder Foundation and Queer Salon Berlin. Curatorial work includes experimental programs, talks and discussions at festivals, universities, galleries and salons worldwide, including Australia, United Kingdom and Mexico. Denah's programming has been supported by the NEA and Warhol Foundation. Publications include writings on the artistic rebellion of avant-garde cinema from post-war to punk, the occult, women and queer filmmakers. A co-editor of agnesfilms, a website supporting feminist filmmaking, for its 14 year run; more recently Denah's writing has explored auteur filmmaking and genre ("It's a Beautiful Day." "It is a Beautiful Day:" On Lynne Ramsay’s You Were Never Really Here" and “I love you more than my own death:” Noir, Intertextuality and the Absurdity of Gender in Matador (forthcoming) for Umbrella Films' 4K & Blu-Ray Collector's Edition releases). Professor Johnston's current research focuses on women's filmmaking and work behind the scenes in the history and evolution of Canyon Cinema and associated Bay Area film culture.