Cartman
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Post by Cartman on May 26, 2019 20:05:37 GMT
We've briefly touched on these in the room 101 thread and I think they could do with a thread. Some of them were quite good, with inventive sight gags and some very good stunt work, in particular Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton did some highly dangerous scenes. Occasionally they did used to get shown a bit on TV in the 70s and one I remember was where this guy had a little 3 wheel car with no engine, but armed with a huge magnet, he used to get pulled along by passing cars!
Germany, at the time, before the nazis came to power, had quite a creative film industry too and a couple of excellent ones they did were Metropolis, made in 1926, directed by Fritz Lang. This was restored in the 80s and a sound track was added by Giorgio Moroder and this version is worth watching. Freddie Mercury was a fan and incorporated bits into some of Queens videos.
Others were The Cabinet of Dr Cagliari which was filmed in a distorted, expressionist style and M, of 1931, with Peter Lorre. Also, Nosferatu, the original Dracula, made in 1922. It is still creepy and unsettling, even by today's standards.
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Post by D.C. Burtonshaw on May 27, 2019 18:04:20 GMT
I remember the Charley Chaplins, Harold Lloyd and early silent Laurel and Hardy's being shown on BBC2 in the late 70's and early 80's, quite an education for schoolkids I think to show what films were like then. I always used to notice the same cast members being reused in different roles every episodes.
I remember also the weekly TV series "Make 'em laugh" Mark Curry (one time Blue Peter presenter) presented from 1982-84, about the silent stars with a different one profiled every week. It was on Childrens BBC and as a teenager I found it really informative and enjoyed the stories of those silent actors.
I remember one in particular American silent film actor, but can't think of his name "Harry/Larry ?" who always dressed the same with a white shirt, baggy trousers and hat like a clown faced type figure who in every short film he made tried a new job. One was on a building site (the foreman was played by Oliver Hardy) and a lot of very ingenious stunts took place, with the character flying through the air and landing on something which caused something else. It was apparently devised by the actor himself although that film was cost so much to make, the actor was fired at the end. But he went on to do more work not long after.
Haven't really seen any feature length silents but am aware of Metropolis. Another bit of trivia, was that the robot in the films appearance allegedly inspired the look of C 3 P O in Star Wars.
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Post by Sam Tyler on May 28, 2019 12:20:52 GMT
Silent films never really cut the Coleman's for me. I can appreciate and respect their contribution to the development of film, film technology, and the film industry but I've never been a great fan of them.
Earliest recollections for me would be seeing clips of them appear on others shows and in particular starred The Keystone Kops and Fatty Arbuckle. Clearly some of the stunts were actually played out at great risk to the actors and how there weren't more accidents I don't know. Certainly I have a greater respect for those actors of that time than I do of the CGI effects that mar films of today. On reflection I think I'd prefer to watch a Keystone Kops film than I would to rewatch 'Spectre' for example.
Sam.
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Sparky
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Post by Sparky on May 28, 2019 12:58:18 GMT
I think - looking back at those films from the 20s etc; they reflect our attitudes, tastes and humour of that particular period. It also highlights how they have changed too.
I have only seen a handful of Charlie Chaplin films, Laurel and Hardy and the odd Buster Keaton - and didn't find them that funny. Again - possibly me; but more than likely it's down to how times/tastes/attitudes and expectations change.
Though, I do have respect for the likes of Chaplin / Keaton on a technical note; they tried to push the boundaries of film production beyond it's limits, with the primitive equipment available at the time.
One I do have my upmost respect for is George Melies; the French Film Director. It was he who pretty much pioneered Camera Trickery, Special Effects, Experimenting with Processing / Exposure techniques and coming up with methods to create stuff never seen before.
Many of the optical illusion effects - such as 'Forced Perspective' are still widely used today - using the same methods Melies was using in 18something. It was also he, who understood the value of Lighting too - from illuminating a scene so you could get an exposure - as well as using it to create moods and effects. Because lighting equipment wasn't available - his studios had huge glass roofs as to let in as much sunlight as possible.
I love his "Trip to the Moon" film.
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Cartman
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Post by Cartman on May 28, 2019 15:00:45 GMT
Melies was very imaginative. He did another one called The astronomers dream which was seriously weird. This stuff was within only a very short time following the invention of moving pictures and filming so they were really ground breaking innovators
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Sparky
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Post by Sparky on May 28, 2019 16:06:42 GMT
Melies was very imaginative. He did another one called The astronomers dream which was seriously weird. This stuff was within only a very short time following the invention of moving pictures and filming so they were really ground breaking innovators Not seen the Astronomers... will see if it lurks in a dark corner of Youtube. "Trip to the Moon" does.
I gather Melies destroyed most of his films anyway.
If you are into that kind of thing - check out the film "Hugo" - it's all in there!
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Three Litre
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Post by Three Litre on May 28, 2019 20:18:26 GMT
I like this type of art form and have the greatest respect for the actors and film makers.
Great slapstick can be funny and cropped up again in the Carry On’s for example.
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Sparky
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Post by Sparky on May 29, 2019 7:06:24 GMT
I like this type of art form and have the greatest respect for the actors and film makers. Great slapstick can be funny and cropped up again in the Carry On’s for example. Yes - the Carry On films were very much like that. Even Kenny Everett was a huge fan on Buster Keaton - and many of his sketches were based on the old Chaplin / Keaton films.
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Post by Cartman on May 29, 2019 15:50:58 GMT
Quite a few of Benny Hills routines seemed to be derived from them too.
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Post by Sparky on May 30, 2019 7:12:29 GMT
Quite a few of Benny Hills routines seemed to be derived from them too. That's true.
Apart from Kenny Everett & Benny Hill - I suppose you could include aspects of Tommy Cooper, Monty Python and in an odd way - the Young Ones.
I was watching a programme on BBC4 some time ago about the origins of Cinema; and many of these early films were discussed. The Slapstick and Comedy element was only used as the films were silent (so they couldn't sing!), and also anything else could be considered quite risky. A Woman showing an Ankle would be considered risky! So film makers stuck to easy subjects - such as comedy & slapstick.
As mentioned before, much of that Humour is very dated, if not childish and not far off your average Pantomime.
Mind you, I'd expect (somewhere) there is a do-gooder who will say that these slapstick films encourage violence. I haven't (yet) seen a group of Hoodies congregate outside our local shop swinging a ladder about and hitting one another, or even chucking custard pies about.
Some, I gather, carry knives and have been responsible for the handful of muggings at the cash point though..
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