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Enjoy the silents
Fostering an appreciation for classic film
By Gemma Guenther
Its difficult to imagine a world without the motion picture, yet in the grand scheme of human history, its invention (1895) was fairly recent. Although many people claim to be cinephiles, it is impossible to have a true appreciation of the art form while ignoring a major part of its existence.
As technology advanced and talkies became the norm, society began to ridicule the silent film as overdramatic and overacted. At worst, they were boring and (gasp!) black and white (although many silent films were tinted with color).
However, upon viewing some of these classic films and learning more about the history behind them, one is able to appreciate them as a distinct art form, as well as to realize that many of the conventions begun in the silent era (roughly 1880-1930) are still utilized by Hollywood today.
Are these films overacted? While it is true that most actors didnt strive for realism, it is also important to consider where these actors came from � theatre and vaudeville. They did not have the benefit of spoken dialogue to get their emotions across, but rather relied on their expressions.
Of course, some performances were subtler than others, and actors such as Asta Nielsen are now praised for their more natural style.
Many other conventions the uneducated filmgoer may think are new are also borrowed from this golden era in cinema. Think Angelina Jolie was the first conniving, exotic-looking seductress of the screen?
Hardly � the term vamp itself was invented for silent film star Theda Bara. Icon Mary Pickford was Americas sweetheart long before Meg Ryan was even born, and Italian heartthrob Rudolph Valentino broke the mold for over-the-top Hollywood funerals. Now the stuff of legend, around 10,000 fans crowded New York Citys streets and actress Pola Negri collapsed onto his coffin with grief.
Besides the larger-than-life personalities of its stars, the silent era produced many notable works of art just as worthy of that title as any painting by Leonardo da Vinci or sonnet by Shakespeare. The epics of D.W. Griffith, such as Birth of a Nation and Intolerance (though BoaN has been rightly criticized for racist content) feature amazing cinematography and set the bar for big-budget historical dramas.
Fans of foreign films should also reconsider silent cinema. The film industry was less concentrated than it is today. Germany and France in particular produced many poignant films before the war drained money from their respective economies. Germany excelled in early horror cinema, and every Halloween viewers find masterpieces Nosferatu, Metropolis and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari just as chilling as modern fare.
On the lighter side, many of the silent eras great comedians � Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd � works, based on physical gags and innocent humor � are very relatable to todays audience, and the likeability of these actors makes watching them far more enjoyable than many modern comedies.
And the eras most famous personality � the great Charlie Chaplin � will surely be remembered as one of the great icons of last century.
Unfortunately, at the time many of these films were made, they were not considered art, and it is estimated that at least 80 percent of films from this time period are lost. Today, many groups, including the American Film Institute, work to preserve the films that remain so that these cultural artifacts can be studied and at last given their due.
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