Dickson Experimental Sound Film (1894-1895) Director: William Kennedy Laurie Dickson This early experiment in synchronizing sound and film was shot at Thomas Edison's studio in West Orange, New Jersey, sometimes called the "Black Maria". It was a test of Edison's "Kinetophone" project. The wax recording of the sound (as seen in the film) was believed … Continue reading Dickson Experimental Sound Film
classic film
The Kid Brother
The Kid Brother (1927) Director: Ted Wilde (though there were several directors) The Kid Brother is another fun movie from Harold Lloyd. The film is the story of the Hickory family, a respected rural family with three sons of the local sheriff. The two older brothers do not respect the youngest (Harold) for his weakness. A traveling … Continue reading The Kid Brother
The Littlest Rebel
The Littlest Rebel (1935) Director: David Butler The film is a beautiful and classically heart-warming tale of a Southern plantation family during the American Civil War. It was released in 1935, and became a top box-office film, along with Shirley Temple's signature performance in Curly Top, which was also released in 1935. Shirley Temple stars alongside Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, the … Continue reading The Littlest Rebel
The Invisible Man
The Invisible Man is a surprisingly well-made and enjoyable film. It was based on H.G. Wells's 1897 novel of the same name, though there are some notable differences between the film and the novel, for example in the book Griffin is naturally a-moral and insane, whereas in the film he consumes chemicals which make him both … Continue reading The Invisible Man
Trouble In Paradise
Trouble In Paradise (1932) Director: Ernst Lubistch The film is popularly considered Lubitsch's greatest film and was one of his own favorites. It was honored with the moniker for the "Lubitsch Touch". Wes Anderson later credited the film as the inspiration behind The Grand Budapest Hotel in 2014. The story is based on the 1931 … Continue reading Trouble In Paradise
Vampyr
Vampyr (1932) Director: Carl Theodor Dreyer In German the film was called Vampyr – Der Traum des Allan Gray, or "Vampyr: The Dream of Allan Gray." It was funded by Nicolas de Gunzburg, who also starred in the film under a pseudonym, and the script was based on J. Sheridan Le Fanu's In A Glass Darkly, … Continue reading Vampyr
The Big Parade
The Big Parade (1925) Director: King Vidor The Big Parade is the seminal war movie. It set the precedent for all future war films. Unlike its offspring All Quiet on the Western Front, the Big Parade was not an explicitly anti-war film. It tells the story of three young men in America in 1917 on the eve of … Continue reading The Big Parade
It’s A Gift
It's A Gift (1934) Director: Norman McLeod A lesser known short classic starring W.C. Fields. It tells the story of the everyman struggling against his domestic circumstances -a nagging wife, disrespectful children, and a failing business. He is clumsy, crude, and all-around unlucky. He inherits some money, which he uses to buy an orange grove … Continue reading It’s A Gift
Imitation of Life
Imitation of Life (1934) Director: John M. Stahl The novel of the same name was written by Fannie Hurst and inspired by her road trip to Canada with her friend and fellow writer, Zora Neal Hurston. It is an important film in the history of cinema, particularly pertaining to the issue of race in America. … Continue reading Imitation of Life
The Big Country
9/12/2016 The Big Country (1958) Director: William Wyler The Big Country is a great film, and one of the few films to feature Charlton Heston in a supporting role, rather than as the protagonist. It has an all-star cast of Heston, Gregory Peck, Jean Simons, Carroll Baker, and Burl Ives (who won an Academy Award … Continue reading The Big Country
