Sunday, June 5, 2011

The 1890s Part 2

Hello again friends! Today's post is going to be a little long because we have to get through 8 films so not all of the videos will be posted like before. But today we will finish the 1890s and Thursday we will start on the almost 200 films that occupy the 1900s (it'll be as hectic as an elephant on acid). 


OK so our first film, L'Arrivée d'un train en gare de La Ciotat, is an extremely famous piece of 50 seconds ...well i'll just let you see it. 




This little bit of film scared the begezzus out of people when it was first shown. Imagine what it felt like when you first saw a 3D movie...and that's how these people felt. Honestly I don't blame them...trains can be scary! Anyways...I like the film quality in this and I'm excited for more of the Lumiere Bros. 


Next up is another short film, Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory at about 46 seconds, by Louis Lumiere. It shows workers coming out Lumiere's factory and there are three different versions. Not much to say except there were A LOT of women working in Lumiere's factory...like I think I saw 10 men total...weird. 


Moving on! We have the first evidence of comedy and plot! The last contribution from Lumiere in this decade called L'Arroseur Arrosé or The Sprinkler Sprinkled is about a guy just trying to do his job and then he gets pranked... 




So I lol'd hardcore at this because the gardener totally got pwned. I'm so glad we got to some plot before the 1900s although we haven't seen the magical mystical minute yet...


Now we get to meet the magician/director Georges Melies who enters into the realm of minutes!! (such excitement). Le Manoir Du Diable (The Devil's House) is 3 minutes long and is considered the first horror film, although it wasn't meant to do that.




Since we've journeyed into the wonderful land of plot a few things about this film...I love the bat. Also the first use of editing wasn't too bad, considering, and I can see where it is construed as both an entertaining film and a horror film. At the end I learned that the moral of the story is to always battle evil with a cross...woot!


Next we have the kiss seen 'round the world. The Kiss is 47 seconds of them talking really close to each other and then they kiss...and it was controversial. Of course Americans have to blow things out of proportion by writing debasing newspaper articles and calling the police to stop the viewing of the film...shocking. My main issue with this is that they are talking but no sound is coming out and they don't have subtitles or something...like WHAT ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT?!...I want to know. 


And now...my childhood is explained. 




SO THAT'S where the Cabbage Patch Kids come from...it all makes sense now! Film historians say that La Fee aux Choux (The Cabbage Fairy) is the first fictional film...and while it was made before Le Manoir Du Diable it certainly doesn't have the same amount of plot and really doesn't make any sense...all that happens is some cabbage fairy finds some babies. At least Melies' piece had a beginning, middle, and end. 


And then there was Tommy...Tommy Edison I mean. This guy is just...UGH. He filmed 4 girls pillow fighting...WHY? When the French were creating plots and significantly better cinematography...we filmed a pillow fight and a kiss. We are so freaking obsessed with women and sex it's not even funny! I'm not even going to post a link because it's so dumb. I'm dubbing this the official DERP of the decade. 


Finally we have the pride of this decade. A nearly 10 minute long piece by our favorite guy Georges Melies. Jeanne D'Arc is truly remarkable because not only is it a real story but it is the first use of color in film. Now don't go all Wizard of Oz on me because every frame was hand tinted and not everything is colored. If you would like to take a look here it is: (NOTE: the music in this is obviously put in by the youtuber so disregard it). 




Favorites: Color, editing, transitions, the use of the same footage to simulate a shit ton of people during the army march. Dislikes: random things that weren't tinted (like one of the alter boys robes when all the others were)...if you're gonna hand tint every frame you might as well be thorough. 


So that's it for this decade and century. On Thursday we will start the 1900s and I'll see how much I can get through but you can guarantee it'll take us through July...my goal is to be done with the 1920s by December 31 but that is 1,133 films (assuming I can get access to all of them) and will be crazy. So stay with me and let me know if I've missed a film...I want to make sure I get all that I can (seeing as it is a journey to see every movie possible). Thanks for reading and I'll see ya on Thursday!   


Films Watched Today:

Posted by Alexis Moody at 3:21 PM
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