The Jazz Singer marked the end of the silent film era, but silent films were once elaborate and had intertitles. Silent film relied on exaggerated body language and facial expressions, and live music often accompanied films in cinemas. Some silent films, like those featuring Buster Keaton or Charlie Chaplin, are still worth watching today.
In 1927, the film, The Jazz Singer, electrified audiences as it marked the beginning of the end of the silent film era. His appearance gradually changed the expectations of viewers, who expected “talkies” from then on. Although more silent films would be produced after 1927, sound films quickly became preferred.
It’s not that difficult to understand the basic elements of a silent film. It’s a film that doesn’t have a soundtrack, and for many years these were more common when people went to the movies. Early silent films simply explored the wonders of filming anything as the medium developed, but in the 1920s silent film was just as elaborate in many respects as films made today.
As storylines advanced and filmmakers tackled larger subjects, many silent films had intertitles. These were written dialogues or plot details shown on screen so that people could understand the storylines and actions going forward. Mostly, though, silent film depended on certain types of acting to convey the various emotions of the actors.
Body language and especially facial expression were often exaggerated and would probably have been considered exaggerated in a talkie. In fact, some of the early talkies with former movie actors and actresses are now a bit silly. Perhaps the most wonderful treatment of this is in the film Singing on the Rain where the attempt to create an aural is hilariously portrayed because the actors are not used to talking in film. It must be said that many actors made a successful leap from silent film acting to sound, but in some cases the transition to sound ended the careers of silent film actors and actresses.
When people watch a silent film at home, it can be very quiet, but in cinemas, live music usually accompanied the films. While some films had actual soundtracks that were meant to play during every moment of the film, few of these have survived. Some television rebroadcasts of silent films add music, but some adjustments may be required to watch a film that has no sound. Some cinemas showing classic films today can help recapture the silent film experience for audiences and will have live music, most often played on an organ.
Even without music or sound, some of the silent films of the past are definitely worth watching. Many of them feature the work of some of the best comedians of the early 19th century. Watching Buster Keaton or Charlie Chaplin doesn’t really require sound when the movements and acting can be so much fun. Dramatic silent films may be must-sees for people who adore movies in general, and some to look out for include the 19th-century sci-fi film Metropolis and 1927’s Nosferatu, which many consider the best horror film of the silent era.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
