Country: United States
Language: English
Stars: Billy West, Ethelyn
Gibson, Ted Lorch, Charley Chase.
Production Co: Bull's Eye
Sound Mix: Silent
Color: Black and White
Genres: Short | Comedy
This site is dedicated to the preservation of memory of silent films. Although they were quite important in the evolution of cinema, they remain virtually forgotten nowadays. Since the best way to understand the present is taking an attentive look at the past, here you have some movies, pictures, interviews, etc. on silent cinema. Some occasional material on sound films will also be presented. I hope you enjoy getting to know a bit more about the beauty and sheer fun of these golden oldies.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Her Fame and Shame - 1917
Country: United States
Director: Frank Griffin
Stars: Charles Murray, Louise
Fazenda and Harry Booker
Release Date: 25 March 1917 (USA)
Production Co: Keystone Film
Company
Sound Mix: Silent
Color: Black and White
Genres: Comedy | Short
Howdy Duke - 1927
Country: United States
Director: Norman Taurog
Writer: Norman Taurog
Stars: Lupino Lane, Wallace
Lupino and Kathryn McGuire
Release Date: 16 January 1927
(USA)
Production Co: Lupino Lane Comedy
Corporation
Sound Mix: Silent
Color: Black and White
Genres: Short | Comedy
Lane plays two roles: Grand Duke
Algy Horseradish De Ketchup of Worcestershire and Newsboy White. The newsboy is
hired by Elmer Éclair (played by Lane's younger brother, Walter Lupino) to
impersonate the Duke for unstated reasons, and to attend a house party at the
Smalls (a last name that leads to several puns) in the Duke's stead. Éclair
warns the newsboy to stay away from the girl, as she is his finance. The
newsboy is somewhat at sea at the elaborate dinner being confused by the
multitude of silverware. He begins to tell a story about lion hunting and there
is further mayhem with flying food. Of course, he falls for the very girl he
was warned to stay away from. Most of the physical comedy takes place in and
around the indoor pool. What an elaborate and beautiful set it is. Soon the
real Duke shows up and the next phase of the short is the villain getting the
two characters confused (we can tell the real Duke from the newsboy because he
wears a monocle). A lot of pratfalls and running around and of course, the
newsboy gets the girl at the end. My favorite stunt was when Lane was in an
automobile tire and rolling down a long street. It's a miracle he didn't break
his neck – what an amazing athlete he was. Sometimes the title cards for these
shorts are as funny as the physical routines. One of the best in this one was
"Have an accident? No -you idiot-I just had one." Forget the
storyline in the Lupino Lane shorts – just sit back and enjoy the fun.
Old Tin Sides - 1927
Country: United States
Director: Gilbert Pratt
Stars: Hilliard Karr, Frank
Alexander and 'Kewpie' Ross
Release Date: 7 March 1927 (USA)
Production Co: Joe Rock Comedies
(I), Standard Photoplay Company
Runtime: 20 min
Sound Mix: Silent
Color: Black and White
Plot Keywords: Slapstick
Genres: Short | Comedy
Connections
Spoofs - Old Ironsides (1926)
Mabel's Wilful Way - 1915
Country: United States
Language: English
Stars: Mabel Normand, Roscoe
'Fatty' Arbuckle and Joe Bordeaux
Release Date: 1 May 1915 (USA)
Filming Locations: Idora Park -
Telegraph Avenue, Oakland, California, USA
Production Co: Keystone Film
Company
Sound Mix: Silent
Color: Black and White
Plot Keywords: Character Name In
Title
Genres: Short | Comedy
As Mabel is dining out with her parents, she begins to
find the orchestra's music annoying, and she wanders off to the fairgrounds
nearby. There Mabel meets two mischief-loving young men, and she joins them in
some of their antics. Meanwhile, Mabel's parents have started to look for her,
and they are most unprepared for what they will find.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Bull and Sand - 1924
Country: United States
Language: English
Director: Del Lord
Writers: Felix Adler (story),
John A. Waldron (titles), and Hal Yates (story)
Stars: Sidney Smith, Vernon Dent
and Madeline Hurlock
Release Date: 28 December 1924
(USA)
Also known as: La corrida
loufoque (France - 8mm release title); Toréador, prends garde ! (France)
Production Co: Mack Sennett
Comedies
Sound Mix: Silent
Color: Black and White
Genres: Comedy | Short
Adonis, the King of Bullomania's
personal chauffeur, is in love with Princess Ernestine, the King's daughter. To
win her heart, he accepts to fight bulls at the bullfighting school. But the
princess is also courted by Manuel Risotto, a famous toreador who kidnaps her.
The King chases after him in a car driven by Adonis. Unfortunately, the
chauffeur lets Risotto run away. In a rage, the King condemns Adonis to the
death penalty. But it is without counting a scientist who has invented a
rocket, his assistant who falls down in the yard of Adonis's prison, a great
escape featuring Adonis and the assistant disguised as bulls, a second
abduction of the Princess - but, this time for the just cause of love -, a wild
chase and a final flight to another planet!
Trivia
The title is a play on words;
Blood and Sand with Rudolph Valentino was one of the well known hits of the
era.
His First Car - 1924
Country: United States
Language: English
Director: Al St. John
Stars: Al St. John, Doris Deane
and George Davis
Release Date: 27 July 1924 (USA)
Production Co: Reel Comedies Inc.
Sound Mix: Silent
Color: Black and White
Genres: Short | Comedy
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