How to Start Watching: Silent and Early Horror

October 03, 2022 by Moviejawn Account in features, ryan silberstein, How to Start Watching

by Ryan Silberstein, Managing Editor, Red Herring
From the time we started putting stories to film, horror was an essential element, as important to the medium as spectacle or comedy.

Why Didn't They Make Spacesuits? Some Pre-Kindergarten Thoughts During and After a Viewing of Georges Méliès 1902 A Trip to the Moon

February 21, 2016 by Guest User in susan liedke

by Susan Liedke

"I can see that they're making a rocketship. A real, real rocketship."

History of the Movies - 1902: "A Trip to the Moon"

July 23, 2015 by Guest User in francis friel, history of the movies

by Francis Friel

One of the best-known silent films, right? It's as good as its reputation and solidified Melies' status as the greatest director of his era. Everything about this film was masterful, from the elaborate costumes and makeup to the mechanical moving sets to the backdrops that turned into props to the politically subversive script to the long-as-hell 15-minute runtime. It really has to be seen to be believed. It's currently streaming in HD on Netflix in both black & white and hand-painted color versions. Go watch it right now. It's one of the coolest things you're ever gonna see.

History of the Movies - 1899: "The Devil In A Convent"

July 20, 2015 by Guest User in francis friel, history of the movies

by Francis Friel

The 19th century goes out with a bang.

History of the Movies - 1898: "Santa Claus"

July 14, 2015 by Guest User in francis friel, history of the movies

by Francis Friel

Your boy Georgie again!

A typically creepy depiction of the Elf King Santa Claus, Smith was a pretty inventive old chap and basically upped his game every time he got behind the camera. I don't even know how Cinema really even got very far between what he was doing and the sheer insanity of what Melies was up to at the same time.

History of the Movies - 1896: "The Haunted Castle"

July 12, 2015 by Guest User in francis friel, history of the movies

by Francis Friel

Your boy GM burst onto the scene a year earlier with his first film, a remake of a Lumiere jawn about a bunch of old nerds playing cards. So stop complaining about all these remakes. It's nothing new.