Celebrate Silent Film
Harold Lloyd and Bebe Daniels had been a screen team since 1915 but all things must end and this was their final release as a comedy duo. Lloyd has a bachelor party that proves to be so wild, his future mother-in-law calls off his marriage to Daniels. The heartbroken lad tries to find his lady love but ends up shipwrecked and rescued by a very unusual pirate crew.
Continue reading “Captain Kidd’s Kids (1919) A Silent Film Review”
This is a peek behind the curtain. I’m going to talk about how I go about reviewing films. I hope you find it interesting!
Continue reading “My Movie Review Process: Selection and Acquisition”
This spring, I challenged myself and my readers to watch more silent films from the pre-feature era. We’re coming to the finish line, summer is on the horizon and I want to know how you are doing with the challenge.
Continue reading “How Are You Doing with the Springtime Silent Movie Challenge?”
One of my big goals for my site this year was to improve the pictures that accompany my food posts. Starting with my Anna Q. Nilsson recipe, I started using more professional techniques and equipment and I wanted to share a few things that I learned along the way. Continue reading “Things I Have Learned While Trying to Improve My Food Photography”
Silent movies were often shot outside in less-than-ideal circumstances, either by choice, by accident or because it simply could not be avoided. But whether the snow was real or fake, silent movies loved their winter scenes.
Continue reading “Silent Movie People Deal with Ice and Snow (Brrr!)”
One of the persistent myths about the silent era is the notion that silent stars had funny voices and had to retire in shame.
Continue reading “Hearing Silent Stars Speak: Name Some of Your Favorites”
A charming bit of early sci-fi from René Clair. A small group of people in Paris discover they are the only moving things in a world that has suddenly frozen in place. They respond by looting but are soon bored with material goods.
The priceless footage of Amundsen’s successful attempt to reach the South Pole, this material was meant to accompany the explorer’s lectures. We get ships, ice and penguins.
Continue reading “Roald Amundsen’s South Pole Journey (1910-1912) A Silent Film Review”
Silent movie audiences loved their fairy tales and the era had its fill of the fair folk, particularly the 1910s. Of course, not every fairy was benevolent…
Continue reading “Silent Movie People Are Sprinkled with Fairy Dust”
Every year, I like to hold a Reader Requests month during which I review films requested by my site’s readers. It’s that time of year again!
Welcome back! I am cooking every recipe in the 1929 Photoplay Cookbook and you are invited to come along. Today’s recipe is from a popular but forgotten comedian.
Continue reading “Cooking with the (Silent) Stars: Johnny Hines’s Beef and Tomato Soup with Lettuce”
Some readers have easy access to silent film screenings while others dream of someday experiencing their first in-theater silent film. Whichever category you belong to (or somewhere in the middle) I would love to hear about your dream screening, the silent movie you would love to catch in the theater.
Continue reading “Which Silent Movie Would You Love to See on the Big Screen?”
Greetings! I wanted to try something a little different today so I decided to share some of the over-the-top silent era books I have been reading/have read.
Alice Guy pokes fun at the hip and stylish beverage of her day: absinthe. Despite its druggy reputation, the gag of this short film is that the customer drinks the extremely concentrated beverage undiluted.
Continue reading “Fun Size Review: Wonderful Absinthe (1899)”
William Boyd is a shipping heir who hopes to trade tea with China but first must best his British rivals in a race to Boston. Elinor Fair is aboard as the love interest and Junior Coghlan as a kid with a homicidal streak.
Continue reading “The Yankee Clipper (1927) A Silent Film Review”
Beware of icebergs, pirates and assorted marine life! Silent movies loved their maritime adventure and I am going to be sharing some particularly fascinating films this month.
Continue reading “Theme Month! June 2018: Silent Movies Go Out to Sea”
Welcome back! I am cooking every recipe in the 1929 Photoplay Cookbook and you are invented to join me. This week’s recipe is from a star who is most remembered for a sound era cameo.
Continue reading “Cooking with the (Silent) Stars: Anna Q. Nilsson’s One Egg Muffins”
A little while ago, I launched a line of silent movie-themed goodies like T-shirts, mugs, scarves, dresses, etc. I mentioned that if these items sold well, I would try a second design.
Continue reading “More Movies Silently Swag: Join the Bangville Police Department!”
Onions were a controversial subject during the silent era, it seems. They could ruin your workday or cost you your marriage!
Continue reading “Silent Movie People Stop and Smell the Onions”
Elinor Glyn’s story of love among the smart set is adapted to the screen as a silent film with talking sequences and the results are mixed, to say the least.
Continue reading “Fun Size Review: The Man and the Moment (1929)”
I cannot improve upon the original ad: “The story of a singer who at the height of his career loses his voice through the hypnotic influence of an evil, designing rival, and later adopts the films as a means of livelihood and becomes a great star.” You know, as one does.
Continue reading “The Stolen Voice (1915) A Silent Film Review”
Summer is rapidly approaching and I want to take the opportunity to feature some warm weather recipes from the 1929 Photoplay Cookbook. How does some nice punch strike you? (“How would you like a nice Hawaiian Punch?”) However, this particular recipe has a small mystery attached to it.
Continue reading “Poll: How Shall I Spike Richard Barthelmess’s Punch?”
While awareness of silent cinema is on the rise thanks to the internet, misinformation is spread as well. There are still people who think silent films were all weird melodramas and Keystone Cops with not much in between.
Continue reading “What’s Your Favorite Shocking Silent Film?”
Welcome back! I am cooking my way through the 1929 Photoplay Cookbook but sometimes I take detours. Today, I am preparing the last sandwich from a collection published back in 1916. The idea was to capture a popular female star’s personality in sandwich form. Today’s star is one of the biggest of all time.
Continue reading “Cooking with the (Silent) Stars: The Mary Pickford Sandwich”
Today, we’re finishing up our tour of the DVD cover design process. It’s been a while but the DVD cover has been approved and I am finally at liberty to reveal the finished design!
Continue reading “Designing a Silent Film DVD Cover: Putting It All Together”
Several readers have inquired about Carlo. Sorry for not posting an update sooner! He’s doing much better.
Silent movies were far more self-aware than many modern folks realize and they often took audiences backstage for some meta commentary on filmmaking.
The classic children’s book comes to the screen courtesy of America’s Sweetheart, Mary Pickford, and the lavish production design is fun to see.
Continue reading “Fun Size Review: A Little Princess (1917)”
Mabel Normand plays a moviestruck small town girl who leaves the boy she loves (Ralph Graves) for a chance to make it big in Hollywood. Naturally, chaos ensues, especially when she mixes up a Great Dane and a lion…
Continue reading “The Extra Girl (1923) A Silent Film Review”
We all know that color was in the movies long before sound and that hand-colored dance films were part of Edison’s early screenings. So tell me this: What’s your favorite kind of cinematic color that was used during the silent era?
Continue reading “What’s Your Favorite Kind of Silent Movie Color?”