1895-1918: Birth of Cinema
First film made by the Lumiere brother and when: Employees Leaving the Lumiere Factory (1985)
The “Phantom Ride”- the first tracking shot, camera was on the front of a moving train.
What was ground breaking about the silent films “The Sick Kitten”- (first close up) and “Life of an American Fireman”- (show the flow of action from one place to another, using editing (cutting) from different places occurring at the same time.)
The first “film star” in Hollywood: Florence Lawrence
1903-1918
Why did the USA hub of film production move from the East Coast to Hollywood: in the East Coast film had been copyrighted. California was far away, so you could break that law.
Which nations film industry does Cousins describe as “the best in the world” in the 1910s and why? Denmark-most innovative.
Example of two films and two directors from this place and time cited by Cousin’s as remarkable: Carl Theodor Dreyer – The Passion of Joan of Arc and Benjamin Christensen- Häxan
Who directed Birth of a Nation and why does the film still divide opinions among film critics, practitioners and theorists?
D.W Griffiths. It caused black people to be attacked, as it presented them negatively.
Who were Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd and why were they so influential?
Hollywood comedy directors. Inventive ways of comedy.
Keaton- Visual comedy
Chaplin- Body movements (comedy, serious moments and politics)
Examples of some of the films they made and other notable film makers they influenced
Keaton- One Week, Three Ages, The General. Inspired: Ellie Suleman
Chaplin- Limelight, The Kid, City Lights, The Great Dictator. Inspired: Nicholas Roeg (jittery mannerisms), Toto in Colour (costume), Billy Wilder (Some Like it Hot-similar scenes) Harold Lloyd
Lloyd- Safety Last. Inspired: Yasujirō Ozu
