Category Archives: Uncategorized

When you think of Soviet silent cinema, 3 names immediately come to mind. There’s Sergei Eisenstein (BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN), Vsevolod Pudovkin (MOTHER), and Alexander Dovzhenko (EARTH). These directors and their movies are celebrated for their use of montage editing. The man who pushed that idea farther than anyone else at the time was Dziga Vertov (“spinningContinue reading “THE MAN WITH THE MOVIE CAMERA (1929): New Restoration Dazzles”

Of all the products issued by Flicker Alley, MISS MEND is certainly the most unusual so far. Intended by the Soviets as a satire of Western style entertainment, this movie has a little something for every silent film fan from the French serials of Feuillade to the American cliffhangers of Pearl White and Helen Holmes.Continue reading “MISS MEND: 1926 Soviet Serial Can’t Make Up Its Mind”

Although I have been a silent movie fan since 1962 (when I was 10), it has only been since the turn of the 21st century and in particular the last 10 years that I have been able to witness the rediscovery and the restoration of many silent films once categorized as lost. Not only thatContinue reading “FRAGMENT OF AN EMPIRE (1929): Remarkable Russian Rediscovery”

I couldn’t have realized it at the time but I have waited 46 years for this set to be released. I first encountered Charlie Chaplin at a Shakey’s Pizza Parlor in Greenville, South Carolina back in 1964. These were 8mm home movie copies and the picture quality was dreadful although I didn’t think that then.Continue reading “CHAPLIN AT KEYSTONE: The Birth Of A Cinematic Icon”

Released to commemorate their 100th anniversary, this new Flicker Alley Blu-Ray/DVD set of Chaplin’s ESSANAY COMEDIES will be the last word on the subject (that is until the next upgrade in video technology comes along). The visual quality of these two reel comedies is hard to believe for anyone who remembers seeing them in previousContinue reading “CHAPLIN AT ESSANAY: 100 Years Old & Looking Better Than Ever”

I have eagerly awaited this release since I first heard about it. The opportunity to see some of the lesser known Keystone comedies in Flicker Alley’s usual excellent transfers was one that couldn’t be passed up. I am happy to report that not only was I pleasantly surprised and completely satisfied, but this set exceededContinue reading “MACK SENNETT COLLECTION: Magnificent Mayhem”

Most of the titles on display here were initially released in 2005 on the 2 DVD set CHARLEY BOWERS: THE REDISCOVERY OF AN AMERICAN GENIUS. At that time I had never heard of Bowers and had no idea of the depth and breadth of the man’s abilities. He began as an animator around 1912 withContinue reading “CHARLEY BOWERS: The Rube Goldberg Of Silent Comedians”

Once again Flicker Alley has come through with another top notch release to join GARDEN OF EDEN, JUDEX, and PHANTOM. VALENTINO: REDISCOVERING AN ICON OF SILENT CINEMA (to give the set it’s full title) is a 2-DVD set that contains 4 of Rudy’s lesser known films and a boatload of extras. This time around theContinue reading “VALENTINO: This 2 DVD Collection Is Phenomenal”

Back in 2010 Lon & Debra Davis published a book entitled KING OF THE MOVIES: FRANCIS X BUSHMAN about the once popular but virtually forgotten larger than life personality and silent film star. I reviewed the book on Amazon back then and that review is still up to be read. Although this review will focusContinue reading “FXB: KING OF THE MOVIES Comes To Blu-Ray”

Until not that long ago, I was totally unfamiliar with Ivan Mosjoukine and this despite the fact that I have been a fan of silent films for many years. I even feature courses on them at the local university but as more silent films are discovered in archives and with new restoration techniques available theContinue reading “HOUSE OF MYSTERY (1921-1923): A Restoration Of A Remarkable French Serial”