Silent Film

Have a lot of comedy shorts - go to see a program of things rather than one long things
Much more melodramatic performances - as sound couldn't help and it came from theatre
Popular until talkies - late '20s
Title cards to inform or add dialogue
Pianist usually played in the cinema
Buster Keaton does all his own stunts, practical not CG
Not that different to now in that they have different genres - horror, western, action, comedy, German expressionism


Realist vs Expressive areas of silent film
Started as realist - ie Lumierre Brothers. Spectatle, watching something int he real world happen instead of narrative. German expressionism changed this - strange camera angles, expressive editing


Conventions of silent film comedy:
Stunt comedy - physical, slapstick
Lack of narrative for gags or opposite, Keaton combines them
Chase sequences
Shot in long shot


Buster Keaton
Really successful comedian, rivaling Charlie Chaplin. Was an independent filmmaker but gets persuaded to sign to MGM (i.e. the studio system) which destroys the purity of his work, and so retires. Developed alcohol problems and dies in 1960s. People rediscover him around then. Rail Runner made around then, transitioned well into talkies
A lot of it is improvised - figure out beginning and end at the rest will figure it out, which created a contentious relationship with MGM who wanted written down stuff, but he felt it was stifling as he changed his mind
Influence on Jackie Chan

Unique to the film
Auteur traits
Context of the time


One Week
What's similar and what's changed.
Editing is different - says 'this is what happens next or at the same time'. Very functional, no use of juxtaposition.
No ECU, use lens eye instead (vignette, says look at this), also used in and out for time transitions
No camera movement, tiny bit of panning but that's it.
Scores written for the film
Had a really strong role for women at the time - risqué sequence of her in the bath, she makes decisions
Mise-en-scene is very symmetrical, one of his auteur traits
Cinematography is mainly long shots
Uses flat lights all the time, no low key lighting at any point, contrast with silent horror at the time



The High Sign
Violent comedy
Stories of house split into story board like shot - symmetry
Stronger narrative
Protagonist has fallen on hard times - auteur trait. Relevant to the time, just before the Great Depression where poverty was rife, relates to audience, almost a strong social comment even if the main purpose is escapism
Also, characters are inept - idiot savant
Motivation is usually women
More extreme close ups, but on inanimate objects (ie calendar, register) not on people's faces. Don't get reaction shots, use physical comedy instead

Cops
Deep depth of field so can see anything behind
Camera movement tracking the horse and cart



Scarecrow

Symmetry - key elements and aesthetics. Also American art focused on symmetry at the time, especially interesting as filmmakers were influenced in art at the time
Fascination with mechanical things - house spinning in One Week, walls in High Sign, other stuff here
Editing was more sophisticated- - eyeline match
Focusses on the relationship between him and the big man more, which doesn't usually happen.
Woman looks at camera after being kissed by the scarecrow, braking fourth wall, acknowledging that it's a film