I am planning out my theme months for the year and I find that I have an opening so… I want your help in filling it! What topic do you think I should cover for an entire month?
I’ve done months themed by nation, language or culture (India in Silent Film, Jewish Culture in Silent Film, Latin American Silent Film). I’ve had months of one genre (Crime, Sci-fi, etc.). I’ve had months featuring a particular kind of character (Vamps, Flappers, Swashbucklers). I’ve had months that center around a particular period or a specific year.
So, please tell me your ideas and I will pick the most doable ones and put the final decision to a vote. There may be some excellent recommendations that will not be feasible due to the unavailability of certain movies but I will do my best to make as many themes as possible work here.
Thanks in advance and I look forward to your suggestions!
☙❦❧
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Movies Silently 
Train themed,films.
Movies about the Theater
Not my favorite kind of film, but it intrigues me that so very many of them were made, from the silent era and well into sound: the college and/or college football theme.
I’d be interested in cultural depictions of nationalities; for example, Germans, Russians, or French in American films. Obviously, this could be done for marginalized groups as well.
I would like focus on :
Circus movies
Fishermen and harbor movies
More crazy dresses and set-up movies !
Silent French serials, silent Italian movies.
I have a feeling this may be a bit of an oddball choice but what about a travel themed month?, silent films set in exotic locations or ones where the characters go on a grand quest (whether it be shot on location or in a studio).
Thank you!
One other idea that did spring to mind was to suggest a “Bill Morrison Month” where you look at his films which he’s made by reusing silent film stock for new narrative and artistic purposes.
Hmm. Silent serials, adventure films, or silent sci-fis?
Thanks!
Yellow Peril movies
Weird Westerns
I’d love to hear your thoughts on the transition-era films, the silents released in the short period after the Jazz Singer, while the studios were retooling. It’s a VERY limited set (including the so-called “goat gland” releases, the silents that had sound effects hurriedly add to make them saleable).
Many — perhaps even most — studios were carefully watching the $10-per-head release of “City Lights;” if it drew an audience, then the thinking was that sound was a fad and that silents were still viable. CL was a hit, yet the studios still decided to stick with sound (and I don’t know why. Do you?).
People coming into money, or actors who started in dramatic movies then became mostly known for comedies (or vice/versa).
A month where on the first day you randomly pick a film on your watchlist, and then you watch it every day for a month, noting how your reaction to it changes each day.
Not a specific theme, but maybe “THE OCEAN WAIF” (1916)?
Silent movies of the 1930’s. And it’s cheating if you pick a Chaplin film.
Or how about the films of Yasujirô Ozu.
Rescue and redemption, nostalgia, first appearances by later stars. I’d love to know what you think of THE JACK KNIFE MAN (1920).
Some interesting ideas already. I thought of serials and horror spoofs, or there’s Italian “Diva” films…maybe it would be interesting to look at movies specifically released during the flu pandemic?
Maybe not enough to fill a month, but … Australian silents? (The McDonagh sisters are an interesting chapter in the history of women filmmakers.)
Mega-epics – cast size = thousands
Precocious kids = kid or kids are the stars of the picture
Would like to see more British actors and directors please; also more films relating to WW1 as a theme. References to (free) streamable sources also would be welcome. REALLY APPRECIATE THE SERVICE !
A lgbtq theme would be interesting
Silent movies whose plots at least partially revolve around the existence of sound (singers, concerts, creaking floor boards, waves crashing, etc.) Kind of a loose idea but there it is.
Grockle’s ‘Bill Morrison Month’ sounds interesting; but I suspect a great amount of work.