Tag: Early Cinema

1898: Trailblazing Brits and the Brighton School

November 1, 2021April 8, 2022ShawnNo Comments

Beginning in May 2020, I sought to deepen my knowledge of the silent era by starting the European Silent Cinema Project. For the project, I review two European silent films each year starting in 1895 and ending in 1930. For a comprehensive list of films and reviews visit the project’s main page here.…

1897: The Cinema Spreads

July 1, 2020October 31, 2021ShawnNo Comments

Beginning in May 2020, I sought to deepen my knowledge of the silent era by starting the European Silent Cinema Project. For the project, I review two European silent films each year starting in 1895 and ending in 1930. For a comprehensive list of films and reviews visit the project’s main page here.…

1896: Scenes of Rivers and Canals

June 10, 2020September 29, 2020ShawnNo Comments

Beginning in May 2020, I sought to deepen my knowledge of the silent era by starting the European Silent Cinema Project. For the project, I review two European silent films each year starting in 1895 and ending in 1930. For a comprehensive list of films and reviews visit the project’s main page here.…

1895: European Film Gets An Audience

May 29, 2020September 29, 2021ShawnNo Comments

Beginning in May 2020, I sought to deepen my knowledge of the silent era by starting the European Silent Cinema Project. For the project, I review two European silent films each year starting in 1895 and ending in 1930. For a comprehensive list of films and reviews visit the project’s main page here.…

The Matrimaniac, 1916 - ★★★
Filmed in only three weeks, this barely 45 minute film feels like it was adapted from a Keystone two reeler. Doug’s athleticism, including climbing across telephone wires near the end the film, brings an added dimension to the rather bland story of two lovers eloping.
His Picture in the Papers, 1916 - ★★★
Fairbanks is still trying to figure out his screen image in this, only his third film. There is indeed some fun moments (I especially loved all the vegetarian jokes) but a loose story with too many unnecessary, underdeveloped plot points hamper the films potential to be more than a mildly enjoyable sign of what was […]
Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, 2021 - ★★★½
Watched on Sunday May 15, 2022.
The Entertainer, 1960 - ★★★½
A spiritual cousin of Chaplins Limelight, Olivier gives a wonderful performance as Archie Rice, an aged music hall performer stubbornly holding on to his life as an entertainer despite his own personal lack of talent and business prowess. Roger Livesey is also great fun and steals any scene he’s in.
Fantasia, 1940 - ★★★★
I’m expecting to have less nightmares watching it as an adult especially since my favorite parts of the film now are perhaps the darkest. And can you really dislike a film that manages to blend classical music, non-narrative storytelling, and ballerina hippos into one?