The Journey Begins

Long before bringing "The Book" in the house, I had acquired a love of silent films. Having seen many of the Hollywood basics (Chaplin, Keaton, and "Birth of a Nation") and the German impressions ("Nosferatu", "Metropolis" and "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari"), the Mrs. gave me "Landmarks of Early Film, Volume One". It was an interesting collection, the crowning jewels being the first two films listed.




"Le Voyage dans la lune" 1902: "A Trip to the Moon" produced, directed and written by as well as starred Georges Méliès, a pioneer of early film that beat Thomas Edison to the punch when it came to realizing the potential of film as entertainment. Considered the first Science Fiction movie ever made, the story was loosely adapted from works by Jules Verne and H. G. Wells. I really like this film mainly for it's set design and effects. If compared to today's sophisticated special effects it is quite primitive, but still better than some that would come later. It's almost as if Méliès took his secrets to the grave, leaving the industry to start all over again.

The Smashing Pumpkins video for the song "Tonight, Tonight" borrows the look and feel of this classic.

"The Great Train Robbery" 1903: Directed by Edwin S. Porter for the Edison Studios, this film follows a group of outlaws from the start of the crime all the way to the end as they are chased and gunned down on a blaze of glory. Pretty straight forward story.

Edison Studios is also responsible for the very first adaptation of "Frankenstein" which is well worth finding and seeing.