Comments on: Civil War Films of the Silent Era (1913,1915) http://warmovieblog.com/archives/242-civil-war-films-of-the-silent-era-19131915.html#utm_source=feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=feed War Movie Reviews and News Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:18:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Chris http://warmovieblog.com/archives/242-civil-war-films-of-the-silent-era-19131915.html/comment-page-1#comment-75 Chris Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:13:43 +0000 http://localhost/~chris/wmb2/242-civil-war-films-of-the-silent-era-19131915.html#comment-75 Awesome info, Bruce. Like I said I know diddly about these early silent films! (I was sort of guessing about the sound ;) ) :) I appreciate the expert opinion. Now to get some more early-early stuff! Awesome info, Bruce. Like I said I know diddly about these early silent films! (I was sort of guessing about the sound ;) )
:) I appreciate the expert opinion. Now to get some more early-early stuff!

]]> By: Bruce Calvert http://warmovieblog.com/archives/242-civil-war-films-of-the-silent-era-19131915.html/comment-page-1#comment-74 Bruce Calvert Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:07:18 +0000 http://localhost/~chris/wmb2/242-civil-war-films-of-the-silent-era-19131915.html#comment-74 Actually, the only time that silent films were shown silently was in small-town theaters when the normal pianist was sick. And then they probably played piano rolls or something. Small theaters would have a pianist or organist. Large theaters would have an ensemble, or even an orchestra. Films were tinted colors like blue and red all of the time. The film stocks were very slow, making it difficult to shoot at night. Blue tints gave a night effect for a scene actually shot in daylight. Red was used for fire or war scenes. It's been a while since I have watched this disc, but I believe that you are correct in that the tints were done digitally instead of being on the surviving film print. The "diglog" plates that you refer to were called titles (or now some people call them intertitles.) They are there to give background to the story, and relay important dialog. During this period of 1913-1915, movie makers had not learned all of the editing skills needed to convey all of the story. Because if this, you will wonder just what the characters are saying sometimes. By the 1920s, filmmakers were very accomplished, and the best films didn't need many titles at all. Actually, the only time that silent films were shown silently was in small-town theaters when the normal pianist was sick. And then they probably played piano rolls or something. Small theaters would have a pianist or organist. Large theaters would have an ensemble, or even an orchestra.

Films were tinted colors like blue and red all of the time. The film stocks were very slow, making it difficult to shoot at night. Blue tints gave a night effect for a scene actually shot in daylight. Red was used for fire or war scenes. It’s been a while since I have watched this disc, but I believe that you are correct in that the tints were done digitally instead of being on the surviving film print.

The “diglog” plates that you refer to were called titles (or now some people call them intertitles.) They are there to give background to the story, and relay important dialog. During this period of 1913-1915, movie makers had not learned all of the editing skills needed to convey all of the story. Because if this, you will wonder just what the characters are saying sometimes. By the 1920s, filmmakers were very accomplished, and the best films didn’t need many titles at all.

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