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The story of Lois Weber is one of the saddest in all of early American cinema. One of two prominent women producer-directors to emerge during the silent era (the other Alice Guy Blache’ has a very similar story), she was at one time considered to be the equal of D.W. Griffith and by 1916 wasContinue reading “LOIS WEBER: The Female D.W. Griffith”

D. W. Griffith only got to make 2 sound features before his directorial career was terminated and they are both on this DVD. Walter Huston, however, is not in both movies. He is only in ABRAHAM LINCOLN playing the title role. Now that that has been cleared up, let’s take a look at each filmContinue reading “ABRAHAM LINCOLN / THE STRUGGLE: D.W. Griffith’s Last Two Movies Were His Only Sound Features”

Conventional wisdom says that D.W. Griffith didn’t make a good movie after he lost his Mamaroneck studio in 1924. Between SALLY OF THE SAWDUST with W.C. Fields (1925) and THE STRUGGLE (1931), Griffith made 6 feature films for United Artists and Paramount. Most of these have been dismissed out of hand since they first appearedContinue reading “THE BATTLE OF THE SEXES Is Much Better Than Its Original Notices”

While the focus of this DVD is on actresses Lillian Gish and Mae Marsh, it is Robert (Bobby) Harron who is of prime interest to me after watching these two films. Harron is best known for his role in Griffith’s INTOLERANCE as the young man who is falsely imprisoned in the Modern Story (also withContinue reading “TRUE HEART SUSIE / HOODOO ANN: A Bobby Harron Double Bill”

I have already seen all of the features in this set previously released on VHS. They were high quality tapes to begin with and were put out by Kino as well (with the exception of THE AVENGING CONSCIENCE). It’s great to have an upgraded version of CONSCIENCE but I wish the set had also includedContinue reading “D.W. GRIFFITH – PART 2: This Box Set Is Essential Viewing”

…and one of my favorite silent films period. It’s not D. W.’s best, that distinction belongs to ISN’T LIFE WONDERFUL. I much prefer BROKEN BLOSSOMS to Griffith’s mammoth spectacles (which are important historically but are overrated when compared to his Biograph shorts and smaller scale films like this one). What I value most about thisContinue reading “BROKEN BLOSSOMS: My Favorite D.W. Griffith Film…”

Someone once asked a friend of mine that if it were possible to time travel, where would he like to travel to? My friend replied “right here and now.” “Why?” she queried. He responded with a one word answer,”dentistry”. Good point. One might add health care to that as well although the way things areContinue reading “INTOLERANCE: An Epic Restoration For An Epic Motion Picture”

THE BIRTH OF A NATION was controversial when it was first released and is still controversial over 100 years later, now more than ever. No film in the history of cinema can make that claim although plenty would like to. It’s hard today for people to get past the film’s politics but the passions itContinue reading “BIRTH OF A NATION (1915): The Definitive Version In A Limited Edition”

Actually I can. After finally catching up with this opus all I can say is “move over Ed Wood, Al Adamson, and even William Beaudine for you’ve got company”. This is the only movie by David L. Hewitt that I have ever seen but judging by the reviews of some of his other films (JOURNEYContinue reading “GALLERY OF HORRORS: I Can’t Believe I Watched The Whole Thing”

Schlockmeister William Castle (1914-1977) has been gone for over a generation now and his name is not well known to many younger horror fans although they are familiar with the recent remakes of HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL and 13 GHOSTS which are modern day gorefests that totally miss the spirit of the originals. Often describedContinue reading “MR SARDONICUS Is An Atypical William Castle Vehicle”