| Posted by: sirmichaelcat at March 2, 2008, 7:33 pm | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | On Mar 2, 3:11 am, split_r...@yahoo.com wrote: Quote:Now hold on!!! I mean wait a minute! You guys are blowing my mind..... the thought that a college professor would be more interested in the sound of his own voice (or would get off displaying his ego in front of a group of students that must believe every word he says or get a bad grade) rather than actually doing research? Well I don't believe that happens in colleges.... except maybe for EVERY ONE OF THEM!!!! Just think of the many reliable sources for much of this information and yet these "teachers" still get it wrong!! To help these guys out I am listing some key information on movies the next time they want to spread misinformation to one of their classes: 1) FIRST FILM IN COLOR. "The Wizard of Oz". 2) FIRST FILM TO BE SHOT ON A BOAT. "Titanic" 3) SILENT FILM INTERTITLES. These were all added in the 1960s as part of Lady Bird Johnson's literacy program. 4) SILENT FILM SCRIPTS. Never existed. The thousands of documents that exist in archives and librar... | | Read Entire Entry |
| Posted by: Stacia at March 2, 2008, 5:57 pm | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | R H Draney <dadoctah@spamcop.net> writes: Quote:Every last plot point in "Singin' in the Rain"....r Oof, tell me about it. Recently I discovered there are a lot of resources that have the wrong name for El Brendel's character in 'Wings' (1927), but that's because the original programs printed up for the film have the wrong name. Anyhow, more sources give the wrong name than the correct name. It's the only example I happen to know off-hand, and that's probably because I recently posted about it. Stacia | | Static Link |
| Posted by: Guest at March 1, 2008, 7:11 am | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | Now hold on!!! I mean wait a minute! You guys are blowing my mind..... the thought that a college professor would be more interested in the sound of his own voice (or would get off displaying his ego in front of a group of students that must believe every word he says or get a bad grade) rather than actually doing research? Well I don't believe that happens in colleges.... except maybe for EVERY ONE OF THEM!!!! Just think of the many reliable sources for much of this information and yet these "teachers" still get it wrong!! To help these guys out I am listing some key information on movies the next time they want to spread misinformation to one of their classes: 1) FIRST FILM IN COLOR. "The Wizard of Oz". 2) FIRST FILM TO BE SHOT ON A BOAT. "Titanic" 3) SILENT FILM INTERTITLES. These were all added in the 1960s as part of Lady Bird Johnson's literacy program. 4) SILENT FILM SCRIPTS. Never existed. The thousands of documents that exist in archives and libraries that appear to be scripts are fakes! A team of sc... | | Read Entire Entry |
| Posted by: The Picture Show Man at March 1, 2008, 6:39 am | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | On Feb 29, 8:09 pm, R H Draney wrote: Quote:clint filted: Now, I am a high school teacher and I am appalled at the misinformation that continues to be spread by my fellow teachers. A student of mine seeing "Gone With the Wind" in her US History Class told me that her history teacher announced to the class "Clark Gable was the first man to take off his shirt in a movie." And went on to further rewrite film history by saying that this had happened only a few years before GWTW. Of course, he was referring to "It Happened One Night"(1934). I think you need to send that student this link: http://es.geocities.com/galibetis_cine/Autocensuraenelcinemudo_archiv... Or, you could refer the student to the Library of Congress where he can watch Edison's 1894 film of "Sandow". The student might like to begin his research at this small page I created: http://www.pictureshowman.com/photos3.cfm The Picture Show Man http://www.pictureshowman.com Dedicated to exploring the history of motion pictures . . . | | Static Link |
| Posted by: Neil Midkiff at March 1, 2008, 2:41 am | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | clint wrote: Quote:A student of mine seeing "Gone With the Wind" in her US History Class told me that her history teacher announced to the class "Clark Gable was the first man to take off his shirt in a movie." Sounds like Buster Keaton's THE CAMERAMAN is required viewing. -Neil Midkiff | | Static Link |
| Posted by: R H Draney at February 29, 2008, 9:09 pm | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | clint filted: Quote: Now, I am a high school teacher and I am appalled at the misinformation that continues to be spread by my fellow teachers. A student of mine seeing "Gone With the Wind" in her US History Class told me that her history teacher announced to the class "Clark Gable was the first man to take off his shirt in a movie." And went on to further rewrite film history by saying that this had happened only a few years before GWTW. Of course, he was referring to "It Happened One Night"(1934). I think you need to send that student this link: http://es.geocities.com/galibetis_cine/Autocensuraenelcinemudo_archivos/NudeDavidson.jpg .....r -- What good is being an executive if you never get to execute anyone? | | Static Link |
| Posted by: clint at February 29, 2008, 3:00 pm | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | I had a high school history teacher who told my class that "The Great Train Robbery" in 1903 was the first film ever, i.e. the first time action was ever captured on film. I raised my hand and corrected him, saying that I had seen films of President Mckinley's funeral (which had occurred in 1901), and that what he probably meant was that "The Great Train Robbery" was the first film to tell a story. He refused to back down, and said that I was wrong and that he was right. I just shrugged. Now, I am a high school teacher and I am appalled at the misinformation that continues to be spread by my fellow teachers. A student of mine seeing "Gone With the Wind" in her US History Class told me that her history teacher announced to the class "Clark Gable was the first man to take off his shirt in a movie." And went on to further rewrite film history by saying that this had happened only a few years before GWTW. Of course, he was referring to "It Happened One Night"(1934). | | Static Link |
| Posted by: dr.giraud at February 29, 2008, 9:29 am | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | On Feb 28, 5:53 pm, sirmichaelcat wrote: Quote:On Feb 29, 4:33 am, "dr.giraud" wrote: I had a communications prof in 1983 who mentioned Triumph of the Will, and said that Hitler had a documentarian who followed him around everywhere. And that the filmmaker's name was Eisenstein. how could that prof believe that a RUSSIAN was working for HITLER??????? Common sense never got in the way of anything he said. dr. giraud | | Static Link |
| Posted by: sirmichaelcat at February 28, 2008, 12:53 pm | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | On Feb 29, 4:33 am, "dr.giraud" wrote: Quote:I had a communications prof in 1983 who mentioned Triumph of the Will, and said that Hitler had a documentarian who followed him around everywhere. And that the filmmaker's name was Eisenstein. dr. giraud . how could that prof believe that a RUSSIAN was working for HITLER??????? | | Static Link |
| Posted by: dr.giraud at February 28, 2008, 8:33 am | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | I had a communications prof in 1983 who mentioned Triumph of the Will, and said that Hitler had a documentarian who followed him around everywhere. And that the filmmaker's name was Eisenstein. dr. giraud .. | | Static Link |
| Posted by: phantomxci@aol.com at February 27, 2008, 6:00 pm | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | I once got into an argument with a professor over some credits for CALIGARI. He passed out notes for the film during a class screening, and credited the cinematography to Karl Freund. I corrected him, stating that Willy Hameister was the photographer. He then switched on the projector, and as the Manbeck print unreeled on the screen, he very loudly cited the credit "Photography by Karl Freund". Thanks Manbeck. Jay Salsberg | | Static Link |
| Posted by: Jim Beaver at February 27, 2008, 1:38 am | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | "Matt Barry" <barrys@bellatlantic.net> wrote in message news:fi4xj.2428$A93.72@trndny08... Quote: In his book "Flickers", critic Gilbert Adair compares the scoring of Abel Gance's "Napoleon" to be as much a distortion of the director's intents as colorization! Well, in Adair's book on Vietnam films, he goes on about comedian Richard Pryor's performance in John Wayne's THE GREEN BERETS as an example of something or other related to racial matters... this despite the fact that the Pryor in Wayne's film is white Texas newspaperman Richard 'Cactus' Pryor. So I suppose Adair has his drawbacks as an irrefutable source. Jim Beaver | | Static Link |
| Posted by: Matt Barry at February 27, 2008, 1:38 am | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | "Jim Beaver" <jumblejim@prodigy.spam> wrote in message news:PL6xj.2950$fX7.2608@nlpi061.nbdc.sbc.com... Quote: "Matt Barry" <barrys@bellatlantic.net> wrote in message news:fi4xj.2428$A93.72@trndny08... In his book "Flickers", critic Gilbert Adair compares the scoring of Abel Gance's "Napoleon" to be as much a distortion of the director's intents as colorization! Well, in Adair's book on Vietnam films, he goes on about comedian Richard Pryor's performance in John Wayne's THE GREEN BERETS as an example of something or other related to racial matters... this despite the fact that the Pryor in Wayne's film is white Texas newspaperman Richard 'Cactus' Pryor. So I suppose Adair has his drawbacks as an irrefutable source. Jim Beaver I remember reading about that glaring error (it may have been on the past films newsgroup, actually). It certainly took away much of the Adair's credibility for me. In his book "Flickers", he has an absurd passage on what he calls "false classics"-films that fewer people see ... | | Read Entire Entry |
| Posted by: Lloyd Fonvielle at February 27, 2008, 1:22 am | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | Matt Barry wrote: Quote:Strangely, I've heard this same opinion from several other sources. It seems ludicrous when you consider the first-hand accounts of the integration between picture and music by such directors as King Vidor. In his book "Flickers", critic Gilbert Adair compares the scoring of Abel Gance's "Napoleon" to be as much a distortion of the director's intents as colorization! I have also heard that Henri Langlois showed films silent because they had their own visual "rhythm" and didn't need music, although I've also read this had more to do with not being able to afford accompaniment. Watching a silent film without music does force one to pay stricter attention to the images -- music can sometimes make the images seem more exciting or emotionally affecting than they really are and cover up problems of pacing. It makes the experience a bit of a chore, however, though perhaps more useful to serious students of film technique. It might be compared to dissection classes for medical students. Langlo... | | Read Entire Entry |
| Posted by: Matt Barry at February 26, 2008, 10:55 pm | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | "Jim Beaver" <jumblejim@prodigy.spam> wrote in message news:K04xj.7133$Mw.3441@nlpi068.nbdc.sbc.com... Quote: "The Picture Show Man" <KPR772@gmail.com> wrote in message news:cf2a8a02-1ae9-4a42-a496-503171e5f888@d5g2000hsc.googlegroups.com... I think that many (if not most) of us have encountered someone who --- in a class, in a book, or in a speech --- proclaims some piece of misinformation about silent movies as fact. (One person told me that when she was taking a film course her teacher told the class that silent film directors didn't use scripts but, rather, improvised the story as they went along.) So I'm curious. What was the strangest or, perhaps, most laughable piece of silent movie misinformation you ever encountered? Perhaps the most obvious one: that silent films were shown SILENTLY. I had a prof who thought that musical accompaniment was a distortion of the filmmakers' original intent. Jim Beaver Strangely, I've heard this same opinion from several other sources. It seems ludicrous when... | | Read Entire Entry |
| Posted by: Jim Beaver at February 26, 2008, 10:36 pm | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | "The Picture Show Man" <KPR772@gmail.com> wrote in message news:cf2a8a02-1ae9-4a42-a496-503171e5f888@d5g2000hsc.googlegroups.com... Quote:I think that many (if not most) of us have encountered someone who --- in a class, in a book, or in a speech --- proclaims some piece of misinformation about silent movies as fact. (One person told me that when she was taking a film course her teacher told the class that silent film directors didn't use scripts but, rather, improvised the story as they went along.) So I'm curious. What was the strangest or, perhaps, most laughable piece of silent movie misinformation you ever encountered? Perhaps the most obvious one: that silent films were shown SILENTLY. I had a prof who thought that musical accompaniment was a distortion of the filmmakers' original intent. Jim Beaver | | Static Link |
| Posted by: R H Draney at February 26, 2008, 8:47 pm | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | Matt Barry filted: Quote: Indeed it is. But until there is more emphasis on the accuracy of the material being taught, and less emphasis on just "filling time" by showing popular movies, these kinds of gross mistakes will continue to pass for a "film education" in many colleges. It's no wonder there are film students graduating who, after taking several film history courses, have still never seen "Citizen Kane", or any silent films, or anything in a foreign language. We didn't get the Welles, but does BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN qualify as a twofer?...r -- What good is being an executive if you never get to execute anyone? | | Static Link |
| Posted by: Matt Barry at February 26, 2008, 8:05 pm | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | "sirmichaelcat" wrote: "Donald4564" wrote: I think that many (if not most) of us have encountered someone who --- in a class, in a book, or in a speech --- proclaims some piece of misinformation about silent movies as fact. (One person told me that when she was taking a film course her teacher told the class that silent film directors didn't use scripts but, rather, improvised the story as they went along.) So I'm curious. What was the strangest or, perhaps, most laughable piece of silent movie misinformation you ever encountered? The Picture Show Manhttp://www.pictureshowman.com Dedicated to exploring the history of motion pictures . . . I think the number of people who have insisted I am completely wrong and don''t know what I am talking about when I suggest that films were photographed in colour before the 1940's or that no sound pictures existed before 1929.'Then I had another know-all who said there was never any such thing as sound on disc and how on earth did I make up these stories... It's not really ... | | Read Entire Entry |
| Posted by: Matt Barry at February 26, 2008, 5:08 pm | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | "Donald4564" wrote: I think that many (if not most) of us have encountered someone who --- in a class, in a book, or in a speech --- proclaims some piece of misinformation about silent movies as fact. (One person told me that when she was taking a film course her teacher told the class that silent film directors didn't use scripts but, rather, improvised the story as they went along.) So I'm curious. What was the strangest or, perhaps, most laughable piece of silent movie misinformation you ever encountered? The Picture Show Manhttp://www.pictureshowman.com Dedicated to exploring the history of motion pictures . . . I think the number of people who have insisted I am completely wrong and don''t know what I am talking about when I suggest that films were photographed in colour before the 1940's or that no sound pictures existed before 1929.'Then I had another know-all who said there was never any such thing as sound on disc and how on earth did I make up these stories... It's not really a piece of silent movie... | | Read Entire Entry |
| Posted by: Matt Barry at February 26, 2008, 2:24 pm | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | "sirmichaelcat" wrote: "The Picture Show Man" <KPR...@gmail.com> wrote in messagenews:cf2a8a02-1ae9-4a42-a496-503171e5f888@d5g2000hsc.googlegroups.com...>I think that many (if not most) of us have encountered someone who --- in a class, in a book, or in a speech --- proclaims some piece of misinformation about silent movies as fact. (One person told me that when she was taking a film course her teacher told the class that silent film directors didn't use scripts but, rather, improvised the story as they went along.) So I'm curious. What was the strangest or, perhaps, most laughable piece of silent movie misinformation you ever encountered? The Picture Show Man http://www.pictureshowman.com Dedicated to exploring the history of motion pictures . . . In the "History of Film" class I took in college, we heard plenty of outrageous, laughable film misinformation (not just about silents, either). I think the most outrageous to me was the professor's insistance that during the silent era, the camera never m... | | Read Entire Entry |
| Posted by: Matt Barry at February 26, 2008, 2:23 pm | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | "mack" <mackerel@dslextreme.com> wrote in message news:13s8lmiclvg21d1@corp.supernews.com... Quote:Not misinformation about silents, but when I was in college about a hundred years ago, we had a showing of Stagecoach ('39) at the auditorium, before which a drama prof gave a little rundown about how it had become a classic western. In passing he said that the director was obscure at the time and he (John Ford) had achieved great fame since. After the film, I approached the prof and asked "Who did you say directed this picture?" "John Ford." "And he was unknown or, as you said ..."Obscure" at the time?" "That's right." "Well, I was wondering if he was related to the John Ford who won the Academy Award for directing 'The Informer" in 1935, four years before Stagecoach.........?" I could see his cheeks start to color....but I continued the attack. "If it is the same person.....and believe me, sir, IT IS, I hope that you get your facts straight next time." With good grace, he acknowledged his error, and than... | | Read Entire Entry |
| Posted by: mack at February 26, 2008, 2:13 pm | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | Not misinformation about silents, but when I was in college about a hundred years ago, we had a showing of Stagecoach ('39) at the auditorium, before which a drama prof gave a little rundown about how it had become a classic western. In passing he said that the director was obscure at the time and he (John Ford) had achieved great fame since. After the film, I approached the prof and asked "Who did you say directed this picture?" "John Ford." "And he was unknown or, as you said ..."Obscure" at the time?" "That's right." "Well, I was wondering if he was related to the John Ford who won the Academy Award for directing 'The Informer" in 1935, four years before Stagecoach.........?" I could see his cheeks start to color....but I continued the attack. "If it is the same person.....and believe me, sir, IT IS, I hope that you get your facts straight next time." With good grace, he acknowledged his error, and thanked me for the correction. Sometimes these fellas with advanced degrees pull their information from the a... | | Read Entire Entry |
| Posted by: sirmichaelcat at February 26, 2008, 11:23 am | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | On Feb 27, 7:08 am, "Matt Barry" wrote: Quote:"Donald4564" wrote: I think that many (if not most) of us have encountered someone who --- in a class, in a book, or in a speech --- proclaims some piece of misinformation about silent movies as fact. (One person told me that when she was taking a film course her teacher told the class that silent film directors didn't use scripts but, rather, improvised the story as they went along.) So I'm curious. What was the strangest or, perhaps, most laughable piece of silent movie misinformation you ever encountered? The Picture Show Manhttp://www.pictureshowman.com Dedicated to exploring the history of motion pictures . . . I think the number of people who have insisted I am completely wrong and don''t know what I am talking about when I suggest that films were photographed in colour before the 1940's or that no sound pictures existed before 1929.'Then I had another know-all who said there was never any such thing as sound on disc and how on earth did I make up these stor... | | Read Entire Entry |
| Posted by: Donald4564 at February 26, 2008, 10:49 am | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | On Feb 27, 7:46 am, Donald4564 wrote: Quote:On Feb 26, 8:40 am, The Picture Show Man wrote: I think that many (if not most) of us have encountered someone who --- in a class, in a book, or in a speech --- proclaims some piece of misinformation about silent movies as fact. (One person told me that when she was taking a film course her teacher told the class that silent film directors didn't use scripts but, rather, improvised the story as they went along.) So I'm curious. What was the strangest or, perhaps, most laughable piece of silent movie misinformation you ever encountered? The Picture Show Manhttp://www.pictureshowman.com Dedicated to exploring the history of motion pictures . . . I think the number of people who have insisted I am completely wrong and don''t know what I am talking about when I suggest that films were photographed in colour before the 1940's or that no sound pictures existed before 1929.'Then I had another know-all who said there was never any such thing as sound on disc and how on eart... | | Read Entire Entry |
| Posted by: Donald4564 at February 26, 2008, 10:46 am | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | On Feb 26, 8:40 am, The Picture Show Man wrote: Quote:I think that many (if not most) of us have encountered someone who --- in a class, in a book, or in a speech --- proclaims some piece of misinformation about silent movies as fact. (One person told me that when she was taking a film course her teacher told the class that silent film directors didn't use scripts but, rather, improvised the story as they went along.) So I'm curious. What was the strangest or, perhaps, most laughable piece of silent movie misinformation you ever encountered? The Picture Show Manhttp://www.pictureshowman.com Dedicated to exploring the history of motion pictures . . . I think the number of people who have insisted I am completely wrong and don''t know what I am talking about when I suggest that films were photographed in colour before the 1940's or that no sound pictures existed before 1929.'Then I had another know-all who said there was never any such thing as sound on disc and how on earth did I make up these stories... Regar... | | Read Entire Entry |
| Posted by: Nik Aragones at February 26, 2008, 9:20 am | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | On Feb 25, 9:40 pm, The Picture Show Man wrote: Quote:I think that many (if not most) of us have encountered someone who --- in a class, in a book, or in a speech --- proclaims some piece of misinformation about silent movies as fact. (One person told me that when she was taking a film course her teacher told the class that silent film directors didn't use scripts but, rather, improvised the story as they went along.) So I'm curious. What was the strangest or, perhaps, most laughable piece of silent movie misinformation you ever encountered? The Picture Show Manhttp://www.pictureshowman.com Dedicated to exploring the history of motion pictures . . . Once, a history teacher of mine, having got onto silent film, declared: "Many people were killed during the making of silent films! Including Lillian Gish during the making of a film called 'Way Down East.' " I asked him "Do you mean, killed in the film?" "No," he replied, "she drowned making this film - stunts were done by actors in those days." The rest of the... | | Read Entire Entry |
| Posted by: Lloyd Fonvielle at February 25, 2008, 10:57 pm | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | The Picture Show Man wrote: Quote:I think that many (if not most) of us have encountered someone who --- in a class, in a book, or in a speech --- proclaims some piece of misinformation about silent movies as fact. (One person told me that when she was taking a film course her teacher told the class that silent film directors didn't use scripts but, rather, improvised the story as they went along.) So I'm curious. What was the strangest or, perhaps, most laughable piece of silent movie misinformation you ever encountered? That Erich Von Stroheim was a self-indulgent "artiste" who didn't care about box-office popularity or commercial success. -- Mar de Cortes Baja www.mardecortesbaja.com <http://www.mardecortesbaja.com/blog> | | Static Link |
| Posted by: Matt Barry at February 25, 2008, 9:24 pm | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | "The Picture Show Man" <KPR772@gmail.com> wrote in message news:cf2a8a02-1ae9-4a42-a496-503171e5f888@d5g2000hsc.googlegroups.com... Quote:I think that many (if not most) of us have encountered someone who --- in a class, in a book, or in a speech --- proclaims some piece of misinformation about silent movies as fact. (One person told me that when she was taking a film course her teacher told the class that silent film directors didn't use scripts but, rather, improvised the story as they went along.) So I'm curious. What was the strangest or, perhaps, most laughable piece of silent movie misinformation you ever encountered? The Picture Show Man http://www.pictureshowman.com Dedicated to exploring the history of motion pictures . . . In the "History of Film" class I took in college, we heard plenty of outrageous, laughable film misinformation (not just about silents, either). I think the most outrageous to me was the professor's insistance that during the silent era, the camera never moved, and was alway... | | Read Entire Entry |
| Posted by: R H Draney at February 25, 2008, 8:58 pm | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | The Picture Show Man filted: Quote: I think that many (if not most) of us have encountered someone who --- in a class, in a book, or in a speech --- proclaims some piece of misinformation about silent movies as fact. (One person told me that when she was taking a film course her teacher told the class that silent film directors didn't use scripts but, rather, improvised the story as they went along.) So I'm curious. What was the strangest or, perhaps, most laughable piece of silent movie misinformation you ever encountered? Every last plot point in "Singin' in the Rain"....r -- What good is being an executive if you never get to execute anyone? | | Static Link |
| Posted by: Phil P. at February 25, 2008, 6:33 pm | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | On Mon, 25 Feb 2008 13:40:17 -0800 (PST), The Picture Show Man wrote: Quote:I think that many (if not most) of us have encountered someone who --- in a class, in a book, or in a speech --- proclaims some piece of misinformation about silent movies as fact. (One person told me that when she was taking a film course her teacher told the class that silent film directors didn't use scripts but, rather, improvised the story as they went along.) So I'm curious. What was the strangest or, perhaps, most laughable piece of silent movie misinformation you ever encountered? The Picture Show Man http://www.pictureshowman.com Dedicated to exploring the history of motion pictures . . . The other one from the fifties and sixties was being told not to watch Chaplin films because he was a communist!! Never stopped me. | | Static Link |
| Posted by: Phil P. at February 25, 2008, 6:31 pm | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | On Mon, 25 Feb 2008 13:40:17 -0800 (PST), The Picture Show Man wrote: Quote:I think that many (if not most) of us have encountered someone who --- in a class, in a book, or in a speech --- proclaims some piece of misinformation about silent movies as fact. (One person told me that when she was taking a film course her teacher told the class that silent film directors didn't use scripts but, rather, improvised the story as they went along.) So I'm curious. What was the strangest or, perhaps, most laughable piece of silent movie misinformation you ever encountered? The Picture Show Man http://www.pictureshowman.com Dedicated to exploring the history of motion pictures . . . Great question. In a high school economics class (this was in '64 or '65) the teacher told us that no movies were made in Hollywood before the sound era. When I attempted to correct her, telling her films were made there in 1912 or earlier, she got quite irate. | | Static Link |
| Posted by: sirmichaelcat at February 25, 2008, 4:11 pm | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | On Feb 26, 11:24 am, "Matt Barry" wrote: Quote:"The Picture Show Man" <KPR...@gmail.com> wrote in messagenews:cf2a8a02-1ae9-4a42-a496-503171e5f888@d5g2000hsc.googlegroups.com...>I think that many (if not most) of us have encountered someone who --- in a class, in a book, or in a speech --- proclaims some piece of misinformation about silent movies as fact. (One person told me that when she was taking a film course her teacher told the class that silent film directors didn't use scripts but, rather, improvised the story as they went along.) So I'm curious. What was the strangest or, perhaps, most laughable piece of silent movie misinformation you ever encountered? The Picture Show Man http://www.pictureshowman.com Dedicated to exploring the history of motion pictures . . . In the "History of Film" class I took in college, we heard plenty of outrageous, laughable film misinformation (not just about silents, either). I think the most outrageous to me was the professor's insistance that during the silent... | | Read Entire Entry |
| Posted by: jessica at February 25, 2008, 1:15 pm | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | Not strictly speaking "misinformation " about silents but what I remember most vividly was when I started grad school at UCLA many years ago and expressed my extreme disappointment that there were no courses scheduled dealing with silent films ( actually David Shepard came and taught a class that was not originally on the schedule) Speaking to one of the top grad students I wondered if I might not have been happier if I had gone to NYU and been able to take classes with Bill Everson. The grad student responded that silent films were not worth studying and Bill Everson was an old man who wrote picture books. Keep in mind this was a grad student at one of the top film schools in the US. On Feb 25, 4:40 pm, The Picture Show Man wrote: Quote:I think that many (if not most) of us have encountered someone who --- in a class, in a book, or in a speech --- proclaims some piece of misinformation about silent movies as fact. (One person told me that when she was taking a film course her teacher told the class that sil... | | Read Entire Entry |
| Posted by: kino eye at February 25, 2008, 12:12 pm | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | Quote:So I'm curious. What was the strangest or, perhaps, most laughable piece of silent movie misinformation you ever encountered? The exact details of Murnau's death. Especially a problem because so many people took Hollywood Babylon as to be what really happened (!) | | Static Link |
| Posted by: The Picture Show Man at February 25, 2008, 11:40 am | | Topic: Silent Movie Misinformation. Forum: groupsrv | | I think that many (if not most) of us have encountered someone who --- in a class, in a book, or in a speech --- proclaims some piece of misinformation about silent movies as fact. (One person told me that when she was taking a film course her teacher told the class that silent film directors didn't use scripts but, rather, improvised the story as they went along.) So I'm curious. What was the strangest or, perhaps, most laughable piece of silent movie misinformation you ever encountered? The Picture Show Man http://www.pictureshowman.com Dedicated to exploring the history of motion pictures . . . | | Static Link |
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