Silent films stand alone. They were there in and as the beginning of the world of cinema. They were there as the primitive, romantic start of film. They stand alone, with historical value, sophistication and as the icon of classic movies.
When silent films were still being made, it was the time of exploration, great practice and new innovations. This great effort and enthusiasm determined the making and viewing of film. This was the time acting, narrative, and editing were still evolving. They were discovering new uses, techniques, and skill to portray a person or tell a story through a lens. This is where it lead to being more than capturing movement. This is where it because an art form.
Acting in the silent era of films required many gestures, large and dramatic, so the audience could understand the actor without speech. Without sound, editing the film showed great importance. With the development of analytical acting and increasing the use of medium and close shots in the transitional period, acting became more natural and realistic.
Special effects and backgrounds in films during this time were very creative. They were mainly produced in studios, so having to do without real scenery, mirrors, paint, lighting and many other things helped create an illusion on screen.
In the absence of sound on screen, there would be orchestras and sound effects. Eventually, these were eliminated and the editors tried to concentrate on visual effects to make up for it.
Narrative played a large role in silent films as well. Screen shots of words helped the story unfold. Most of the time, the narrative was shown when it was impossible to understand the story with just the scenery and the actor’s movements. I think though, they tried to make it as minimal as they could.
Many of these elements are still in film today. What was created to make a film better during the silent era, was more primitive, though, and less technically advanced. Such as film editing; cameras and camcorders have changed so much, but the basic idea of how it is used it still the same. They are a lot easier to use now.
With sound though, film has become much more reliant on dialogue. Also sound effects are used much more now for dramatization. This is why I think silent films stand alone. I feel like we have lost that innocence of being able to enjoy a movie without being blown away by a harsh gun shot or rocket ship taking off. A lot of the film industries today concentrate on the “wow” factor make sure the audience is being fed everything in the movie. Before, movies were less realistic, but they were pleasant, and without the technology used now, you had to actually pay attention to the movie. You had to think about it. (It is kind of like watching a foreign film without subtitles.) But don’t get me wrong, I know there are movies still like that today. It is a shame, though, that they aren’t that common, especially in the box office.
I think the films made today that still portray artistic values and make you think after watching it are the ones I could see being silent films. Though it would be incredibly and wonderfully challenging.
