Renewed Dedication/ Birth of a Nation (1915)

As of the past few months, I have neglected my blog. I blame Netflix. I signed up for a Netflix account in order to have easy access to these films. However, I got sucked into the trap that is Netflix because I soon forgot my endeavor in favor of instant streaming of my favorite movies and television shows. Now that I have realized everything worth seeing is not on instant streaming, I have renewed my interest in film study.

The Facts:
U.S. (DW. Griffith & Epoch) 190m Silent BW
Director: D.W. Griffith
Producer: D.W. Griffith
Screenplay: Frank E. Woods, D.W. Griffith (Adapted from two novels and a play.)
Photography: G.W. Bitzer
Music: Joseph Carl Breil, D.W. Griffith
Cast: Lillian Gish, Mae Marsh, Henry B. Walthall, Miriam Cooper, Mary Alden, Ralph Lewis, George Siegmann, Walter Long, Robert Harron, Wallace Reid, Joseph Henabery, Elmer Clifton, Josephine Crowell, Spottiswoode Aitken, George Beranger.

Before I blame my neglect solely on Netflix I have to point out that Birth of a Nation is not easy to watch. I had attempted to watch this film in March, but after several unsuccessful viewing sessions, I gave up. It is a three hour long epic that is basically a Ku Klux Klan propaganda film. Why is a film with a hateful message featured in this book you may ask? Well, let me explain. Although I do not agree with the political message of the film, it features several new film innovations for its time. These innovations included dramatic close-ups, tracking shots, expressive camera movements, parallel action sequences, crosscutting, editing techniques, and the first orchestral score. (This information, of course, provided by Schneider's book.)

Personally, I could have done without this film in my viewing experience. Not only was it unnaturally long but also quite boring. By the end of the film, the Ku Klux Klan ride in to save the day because, get this . . . the rise of the evil black empire . . . yes, really, that's the climax. After the fall of the south in the civil war, black people go mad with power and take over the south. A black governor is voted into office and legalizes interracial marriage. Then he kidnaps a defenseless white girl and plans to force her into marriage, but don't worry the heroic . . . hehe . . . the heroic Ku Klux Klan . . . haha . . . (by this point I'm laughing so hard I can't take this film seriously anymore) the Ku Klux Klan rides in and stops the overwhelming chaos in the streets freeing white people . . . . my sides are aching . . . freeing white people of black . . . . ahaha . . .  of black oppression. Totally original isn't it?

There were other moments when my twenty-first century mind found amusement. For example, shots like these lead me to some illuminating discoveries.

Clearly the reason for racism in the south is that it was overrun by vampires and zombies. And as you can see, Abraham Lincoln is a zombie responsible for the civil war. I understand that black and white film required dark makeup, but it still made me giggle.

Last but not least, I would especially like to applaud the animals who made this film what it is . . .

. . . adorable.

Stats: 3/1001 (I know)
Rating: 2/10

The Great Train Robbery (1903)

The Facts:

U.S. (Edison) 12m Silent BW (hand-colored)

Director: Edwin S. Porter

Screenplay: Scott Marble, Edwin S. Porter

Photography: Edwin S. Porter, Blair Smith

Cast: A.C. Abadie, Gilbert M. "Bronco Billy" Anderson, George Barnes, Walter Cameron, Frank Hanaway, Morgan Jones, Tom London, Marie Murray, Mary Show

The Great Train Robbery is among one of the first western movies. (By the way did you know Thomas Edison made a film in 1899 called Cripple Creek Bar-Room Scene, which could be considered the first Western film. Cool right?) 

I have to say, I've been very pleased with this book so far. I imagined it would be mostly boring films in which had no relevance to my life. But so far, I have seen the beginnings of two film genres. Best decision of the month!

Any who, I found this film on YouTube again. I think there might be a few missing shots, but I get the gist.  

Something interesting my sister pointed out was that early silent films rely heavily on assumption. Obviously since there isn't sound, character development is harder to gauge. In a silent film the guy who looks like the bad guy has to be the bad guy. There is not a lot of room for ambiguity. Nowadays we have heros who look like the bad guys but are really the good guys. In silent films there is only black and white (I mean that figuratively). There are no gray areas in silent film. I think one thing I like about modern film is character development. As a writer, I try to give my characters a lot of depth because, ultimately, stories are about people. As my sister said this film is mostly about "what" is happening rather than "why".

Stats: 2/1001

Rating: 5/10

Le Voyage Dans La Lune (1902) A Trip To the Moon

The Facts:
France (Star) 14m Silent BW
Director: George Méliés
Producer: George Méliés
Screenplay: George Méliés, from the novel Le Voyage dans la Lune by Jules Verne
Photography: Michaut, Lucien Tainguy
Cast: Victor André, Bleuette Bernon, Brunnet, Jeanne d'Alcy, Henri Delannoy, Depierre, Farjaut, Kelm, George Méliés

There is nothing like getting a shiny new book and cracking it open ready to learn. I was utterly delighted to learn the first film was a science fiction movie. Science fiction happens to be my favorite genre. I love films like the orginal Star Wars trilogy, Bladerunner, Waterworld, Battlefield Earth, all James Bond movies and, more recently, Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight and Inception.

But not only was the first film in the book a science fiction film, it is the first science fiction film EVER! Chiara Ferrari (a contributing scholar to the book) writes, "Despite the simplicity of its special effects, the film is generally considered the first example of science-fiction cinema. [ . . .] Méliés here creates a movie that deserves a legitimate place among the milestones in world cinema history. Despite its surreal look, A trip to the Moon is an entertaining and groundbreaking film able to combine the tricks of the theater with the infinite possibilities of the cinematic medium." This is where the genre started! How exciting!

Two things: Thank God for the French and thank God for YouTube because I found it and I'm here to share it with you. The version I found has a soundtrack put over it. It is a silent film so if you want to watch it in its original state just put your computer on mute. Personally, I thought the film was well put together given the limitations of its time. There were some laughable parts but all in all, I am better for watching it.

Stats: One down, one thousand to go =)
Rating: 7/10 (mostly because it was so darn entertaining)

The Challenge

When I ran across Steven Jay Schneider's 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, I didn't think much of it. However, there was a part of me that was curious to see if I could do it. So I made a challenge to myself to watch all 1001 movies, not only to be an experienced movie-goer, but to explore film that I have not discovered yet. I hope all of you will join me on my quest to view these wonderful films.

Today is March 17th of 2011. Hopefully in a year (by watching 3 films a week) I will have seen all these movies. Why a year? As my study of film progresses, I hope that this will be the first of many years to come in which I critically analyze film.

Schneider, Stevens Jay. 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die. New York: Barron, 2008. Print

(I think I cited this right let me know if I didn't)