Lets begin at the beginning: Silent Movies

Personally, I am having a difficult time committing to a costume because there are so many possibilities with this theme. And so my next few posts will be an exploration of the different eras of film. I am hoping that by taking a look back through the history of film that something will jump out at me and help me to decide on a costume. Perhaps it will trigger something for you too.

Alright so this years theme is Old Movies. How old is old you ask? Well there are the silent movies made famous by the likes of Charlie Chaplin , Buster Keaton , Gloria Swanson . Norma Shearer and Lillian Gish . The following is a list of the 14 top grossing silent films (according to Variety Magazine in 1932):

1. The Birth of a Nation (1915) - $10,000,000
2. The Big Parade (1925) - $6,400,000
3. Ben-Hur (1925) - $5,500,000
4. Way Down East (1920) - $5,000,000
5. The Gold Rush (1925) - $4,250,000
6. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921) - $4,000,000
7. The Circus (1928) - $3,800,000
8. The Covered Wagon (1923) - $3,800,000
9. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923) - $3,500,000
10. The Ten Commandments (1923) - $3,400,000
11. Orphans of the Storm (1921) - $3,000,000
12. For Heaven's Sake (1926) - $2,600,000
13. Seventh Heaven (1926) - $2,400,000
14. Abie's Irish Rose (1928) - $1,500,000

Of course nothing lasts forever and it was inevitable that technology would have to butt in and ruin it for the silent films. Thus the Sound film (aka the talkie) was introduced. The first feature length movie originally presented as a talkie was The Jazz Singer, released in October 1927.

So I leave you with some silent movie videos:

1. Birth of a Nation Trailer

2. Charlie Chaplin: Table Ballet
seems to me Johnny Depp copied this scene in Benny and Joon



3. Buster Keaton: Steamboat Bill Jr.



4. Gloria Swanson: Queen Kelly

Here is a really great website, if you are looking for great pictures, movie clips and history on everything and everyone to do with silent films. Just click on image of Jean Harlow below:

Next time we will look at the beginning of the "Talkies"