Author Archives: Lea Stans

Silents are Golden: Jessica Borthwick, A Forgotten Front Lines Filmmaker

Jessica Borthwick, A Forgotten Front Lines Filmmaker We’re all familiar with the adventurous silent era cameramen who coolly took their equipment into dangerous situations, whether by trekking Arctic tundras or crossing broiling deserts. The excitement of capturing actual life led … Continue reading

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Silents are Golden: Chaplin’s Year At The Keystone Film Company

Silents are Golden: Chaplin’s Year At The Keystone Film Company In August 1913, Charlie Chaplin wrote a letter to his brother Sidney to share some exciting news: “I have had an offer from a moving picture company for quite a … Continue reading

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Silents are Golden: 12 French Silent Film Recommendations

Silents are Golden: 12 French Silent Film Recommendations Thanks to pioneering inventors like the Lumière Brothers, who famously held the first public showing of motion pictures in Paris on December 28, 1895, France is often considered the birthplace of cinema. … Continue reading

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Silents are Golden: Silent Superstars: John Bunny and Flora Finch

Silents are Golden: Silent Superstars: John Bunny and Flora Finch As a followup of sorts to my Vitagraph Studios piece, here’s a look at two of the company’s most popular stars, now considered icons of early 1910s screen comedy! It … Continue reading

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Silents are Golden: A Closer Look At – Orphans of the Storm (1921)

Silents are Golden: A Closer Look At – Orphans of the Storm (1921) The early 1920s in the U.S.A. was a time of changing tastes and fashions, when society was trying to bounce back in the aftermath of World War … Continue reading

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Silents are Golden: A History of the Iconic Vitagraph Studios

Silents are Golden: A History of the Iconic Vitagraph Studios If you have even a passing interest in silent film, you’re no doubt familiar with the Keystone Film Company and Biograph–to say nothing of the Georges Méliès and Edison studios. … Continue reading

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Silents are Golden: A Closer Look At – The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923)

Silents are Golden: A Closer Look At – The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923) The silent era is synonymous with many things: tenderly-lit romances, wacky silent comedies, edgy German Expressionism, and, of course, big-budget spectacles. From Intolerance (1916) to Metropolis … Continue reading

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Silents are Golden: Silent Superstars – The Sensational Pola Negri

Silents are Golden: Silent Superstars – The Sensational Pola Negri We’re all familiar with the stereotype of the flamboyant silent film actress: the lavishly-dressed temptress being chauffeured around Hollywood in gold-plated automobiles, stalking through the most exclusive parties, leaving a … Continue reading

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Silents are Golden: What Were the Top Box Office Hits Of 1923?

Silents are Golden: What Were the Top Box Office Hits Of 1923? Recently I attended the Kansas Silent Film Festival (and yes, that is my plug for that delightful–and free–event!) where the theme was the silent films of 1923. It … Continue reading

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Silents are Golden: A Closer Look At – Our Hospitality (1923)

Silents are Golden: A Closer Look At – Our Hospitality (1923) Buster Keaton’s classic feature The General (1926) has been rightfully hailed as a masterpiece,  with its intelligent gags and exquisitely-rendered Civil War setting. Its authentic look has often been … Continue reading

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