This new series of posts is devoted to the films which I view as part of my History of American Film class in college. These posts will contain reviews of the films as well as analysis of their place in film history as a whole. Films will be added in the order that I see them in class.
The Great Train Robbery (1903)
This film is really impossible to write a review about so this is more of an analysis about the place this film holds in the history of the medium. The great Train Robbery was the first film to have a cohesive plot with a beginning a middle and an end. Clocking in at 13 minutes this film is definitely shorter than a feature and it is worth watching for the historical aspects of it. It is also worth watching because, considering that it is 110 years old, it is a quite sophisticated film. Porter made a huge leap in directing in this film and every movies owes something to this film because it was the first to pave the way!
The Kid (1921)
The Kid comes almost twenty years after the Great Train Robbery and it is considered one of comedian Charlie Chaplin's greatest works. The film tells the story of a boy who is estranged from his single mother and ends up in the care of Chaplin's character the Tramp. While many Chaplin films offer great gags the Kid is notable for its use of real drama. This is not a pure comedy but is instead a dramedy with many effective scenes. It is admittedly hard to get into silent movies and this film is no exception but if you just force yourself to watch it you might find that the lack of sound fades away and the film comes alive. It doesn't quite come alive enough for me to want to see it again but it is definitely a pivotal work in the career of a great comedian. 4/5
The Great Train Robbery (1903)
This film is really impossible to write a review about so this is more of an analysis about the place this film holds in the history of the medium. The great Train Robbery was the first film to have a cohesive plot with a beginning a middle and an end. Clocking in at 13 minutes this film is definitely shorter than a feature and it is worth watching for the historical aspects of it. It is also worth watching because, considering that it is 110 years old, it is a quite sophisticated film. Porter made a huge leap in directing in this film and every movies owes something to this film because it was the first to pave the way!
The Kid (1921)
The Kid comes almost twenty years after the Great Train Robbery and it is considered one of comedian Charlie Chaplin's greatest works. The film tells the story of a boy who is estranged from his single mother and ends up in the care of Chaplin's character the Tramp. While many Chaplin films offer great gags the Kid is notable for its use of real drama. This is not a pure comedy but is instead a dramedy with many effective scenes. It is admittedly hard to get into silent movies and this film is no exception but if you just force yourself to watch it you might find that the lack of sound fades away and the film comes alive. It doesn't quite come alive enough for me to want to see it again but it is definitely a pivotal work in the career of a great comedian. 4/5
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