Romance with Film

 

As you all know, I love film from the early silents to today’s celluloid. I was thinking about what to write about and was looking up what happened today, in history and found many bits about film including that today, United Artists was formed by D. W. Griffith ( director), Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks Snr, and Charlie Chaplin. I decided to choose 3 films created by 3 famous directors who loved( and loves) film. So here we go..

1. THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL-1896 DIRECTED BY GEORGES MELIES

When I first saw one of Melies’ films, I was mesmerized by how fetching these early films are. Where the Lumiere Brothers dealt with realistic and mundane pieces like A Train coming into the Station, Melies loved the fantasy, the magical and told a story using magic of film. In this short film, you see the devil in a haunted house who wants to capture a man’s soul but is thwarted by the man sporting a crucifix. I just love anything by this man and will watch whatever I can see of this great man’s work.

2. NICKELODEON-1976 DIRECTED BY PETER BOGDONOVICH

Bogdonovich was lucky enough to meet many of the early silents film stars and directors as well as many of the greats from the 30s, 40s and 50s. He could be and was an asshole to many when making his films where many actors never wanted to work with him again, but you can see how much he loved film especially the early days of cinema. This is a comedy and it is quite funny as 2 men who leave the film industry in New Jersey and head West to escape Edison’s bullies who tried to squash any studio who did not agree with the Edison Patent Company. Along the way he, Ryan O’Neal, picks up a variety of people including his lead tor played by Burt Reynolds. Much of what you see in this film, actually, happened  and was recounted to him by the early director, Allen Dwan. A very funny movie and I love it.

3. HUGO-2011 DIRECTED BY MARTIN SCORSESE

I love this film that takes on a fantasy feel and was made in 3D starring Ben Kingsley as George Melies, a now down and out early film pioneer, magician and toy maker, who has a magazine/newspaper stand. A boy lives way up in the attic of the train station who owns an automaton, a toy that can move and write things down, but doesn’t work because he doesn’t have the key. He is sought by the main guard of the station, played so well by Sasha Baron Cohen, who wants to send him to an orphanage. The kid meets up with Melies who hires him to help around his shop. The kid meets Melies’ Goddaughter who is wearing a necklace with the key dangling from it. Soon enough, the boy and the girl find out that the old man was. Film pioneer and try to get him the recognition he so richly deserves. You can see how much Scorsese loves film when you watch this movie. I find it magical like. Fairy tale and one you wish  you could be part of. Aside from the boy and his Automaton, the events of Melies in the late 20s is true which makes it all the more heartwarming.

Which films makes you feel the romance of cinema?