Silent movies often get pigeonholed as either zany slapstick with exaggerated acting or serious, dark, depressing art films. In reality, the silent period covers vast amounts of genres, topics, sensibilities, and filmmaking styles and came from countries all around the world. From the invention of projected cinema in the 1890s to the final films shot without synchronized dialogue in the early 1930s, filmmakers found inventive ways to use a nascent art form without ever needing any synchronized dialogue.
On The Everyday Cinephile, I’ve sought to cull together a wide variety of information from throughout the silent period to highlight the artistic power and beauty of numerous filmmakers. My hope is that this collection of information related to silent movies will break down many common misconceptions in an engaging, informative fashion so that the newest newcomers and the most experienced silent movies fanatic alike will dive into something new and spectacular from the era.
Browsing through my selection of silent movies-related posts and articles, you will find everything from rankings of Harold Lloyd films to introduction guides to silent cinema to deep dives into a single silent film. Make sure to use the search bar located on the top right of the site or on the left side widget to search for silent film terms, filmmakers, and performers you’d like to learn more about. Feel free to reach out to me to suggest topics you’d like to see covered or any specific films or filmmakers you’d like to learn more about.
Over eighty years after his death, Cecil B. DeMille remains one of the most recognizable classic Hollywood figures. In large part due to The Ten Commandments airing on ABC Easter weekend every year for the past half a century, Cecil B. DeMille stands as a …
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Anyone with experience watching classic films has undoubtedly been taken out of an otherwise engaging, entertaining viewing experience when a film swerves into a heavy dose of racism against African Americans. Even well-made and still remembered Hollywood films like The Lost World (1925), Swing Time …
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In his nearly fifty film roles, Ernest Torrence perfectly exemplifies the unique skill set required to succeed as a character actor. A towering 6’4″ with a rugged, grizzled face, Torrence backed up his unique physicality with a rare mixture of humor and villainy. While he …
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Mary Pickford skyrocketed to international stardom in the 1910s playing plucky children in films such as Tess of the Storm Country and Fanchon the Cricket. Her popular juvenile image contrasted heavily with her position as one of the most powerful actors and producers in …
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The canon of the greatest films constantly changes as each generation reevaluates yesteryear’s classics and rediscovers previously overlooked films. Oftentimes, films held in the highest esteem by contemporary audiences and critics do not become beloved by later generations. Evolving morals, changing tastes, and decades of …
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To celebrate the second annual Silent Movie Day, I’ve put together a list of 24 silent movies from 12 different genres that showcase the variety of films produced in the heyday of silent cinema (roughly between 1895 and 1930). Click on a favorite genre …
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