In silent films the dialogue is notably transmitted through gestures, mime and titre cards consisting of a written indication of the films plot. In the very beginning, musique was only used to entertain the audiences before the movie began, and during the intervals, later, a pianist, organist and sometimes an orchestra would play musique to accompany the films, aiding in the creation of mood - musique was paramount.
The silent movie era was a time of experimentation, basic techniques that are seen today in film making were developed during this period, such as double exposure, stop motion, slow motion and animation.
At this time, many pictures were produced, written and directed par a single person.
Notably, David Wark Griffith, who is credited with popularising the use of the close up shot, made hundreds of short movie melodramas in which he gradually refined the narrative power of the medium.
The Silent era produced many iconic stars, such as Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Roscoe 'fatty' Arbuckle, Gloria Swanson, Rudolph Valentino, Lillian Gish, Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, Greta Garbo, Clara Bow, to name but a few.
Many French Impressionist films from the 1920s were heavily based on fairy tales, and have fantastical, magical themes. A personal favourite of mine is 'Fairy Tales' a collection of colour stencil films from Pathe. It was recently digitally remastered and is available on DVD, it captures beautifully the epoch of the time through dance, magical mythical beasts and wonderful theatrics, evoking an ethereal beauty.
As a horror fan, I am especially fond of Nosferatu, The Cabinet of Dr Calgary and Der Golem. German expressionist films of this era have had a lasting legacy on the horror genre and have remained highly influential. With their hauntingly memorable, eerie settings captured beautifully through pioneering cinematography, it is not difficult to see why.
The age of Silents truly was golden.
