21: Story of Film

Who were Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin and are they still considered to be great cinema practitioners? Name at least one film made by each director.

Buster Keaton: He was an American film director and comedian. He would always use dead-faced expressions for his creative and inventive visual comedy. One film that he directed was “Sherlock Jr.” in 1924.

Charlie Chaplin: He was a British comedy actor and director. He became world famous through his alter ego, “The Tramp”. He was also known for his dangerous stunts and his unpredictable style of comedy which the audience received well. On film that he directed was “The Kid” in 1921.

Why was DW Griffiths film ‘Birth of a Nation’ so successful when it was released in 1915 and why is it so controversial now?

It was successful because it was longest film of the time which made it a major blockbuster Hollywood hit. It was 3 hours and 13 minutes long and was the first 12-reel (which lasts 11 minutes each) ever made. Its also controversial because it features a white supremacist group. Despite it being a nostalgic look back at the American Civil War during the mid 1800s it implied that it was okay to be racist towards people of color.

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