Sp 471: American Film History I, Week 2

The Movies Begin, Pt. 2 The Rise of Narrative • Georges Méliês, The “Father of Special Effects” – Began in theatre – Multiple exposures discovered by accident – Split screen – First dissolve – Separate scenes edited together in order

The Movies Begin, Pt. 2

The Voyage to the Moon, 1902

The Man with the India-Rubber Head, 1902

The Movies Begin, Pt. 2

Georges Méliês in his toy store

American Film History I

Edwin S. Porter & the Origin of Narrative, 1903

The Movies Begin, Pt. 2 • Edwin S. Porter – Influenced by Méliês – Began combining documentary footage with his own to dramatize and add tension – Narrative – Editing – More sophisticated camerawork - not like a stage play – Color tinting

The Great Train Robbery, 1903

The Movies Begin, Pt. 2 • David Wark (D.W.) Griffith – Unsuccessful writer and actor from Kentucky – Worked for Biograph Studio where he made approximately 450 films from 1908-1913 – One of the biggest innovators in narrative film grammar

The Movies Begin, Pt. 2 Griffith with his cameraman, G.W. “Billy” Bitzer, whose technical proficiency allowed him extensive creative freedom

The Movies Begin, Pt. 2 •Greatest strength besides technical and narrative innovation was his use of actors •Actors were not even credited as they may want to get paid more

Richard Barthelmess, Lillian and Dorothy Gish, Mary Pickford and Henry B. Walthall

Birth of a Nation • 1912 & 1914 • Enrico Guazzoni (Quo Vadis) & Giovanni Pastrone (Cabiria) • Competition for one and two reel motion pictures (10-20 minutes) • 2 hours • Elaborate sets and props

Birth of a Nation • Griffith wanted to make films more than 1 or 2 reels • Judith of Bethulia (1914) was one of the first American feature films • Thought the “feature” film was economically viable and left Biograph to make Birth of a Nation in 1915

Birth of a Nation • • • •

Birth of a Nation, 1915 Three hours - longest movie ever made Not like a stage play as was the fashion at the time Disregarded the rules – – – – – –

Henry B. Walthall & Lillian Gish in Birth of a Nation

More shots Close ups Cross cutting Lighting with “practicals” “Masking” Emotional content

The Movies Begin, Pt. 2 • Based on The Clansman • $110,000 • Made $10-$14 Million • Southern point of view: Ku Klux Klan members are the heroes • Sparked many protests • Box office success • Still controversial

The Movies Begin, Pt. 2

Dynamic battle scenes

The Movies Begin, Pt. 2

Pathos

The Movies Begin, Pt. 2 • Cross cutting or parallel editing

The Movies Begin, Pt. 2

The Godfather

The Movies Begin, Pt. 2

Matthew Brady’s Photos of the Civil War

Still from Birth of a Nation

The Movies Begin, Pt. 2

Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring

Scarlett Johansson in Girl with a Pearl Earring

From Birth of a Nation Viewed Today by Donato Totaro www.offscreen.com •

From a technical and stylistic standpoint: – Night-time shooting and featured extensive outdoor landscape – Irising and tinting for dramatic and thematic effect – Perfection of Griffith’s “lastminute-rescue” montage – Established the practice of film reviewing/criticism

Birth of a Nation: Viewed Today The Rescue Montage from Birth...

From Birth of a Nation Viewed Today by Donato Totaro www.offscreen.com •

From the standpoint of Exhibition History: – First film to feature an intermission, with a full orchestra, advanced ticket sales, souvenir programs, costumed usherettes, modulated lighting, and special trains that would transport people from small mid-western, southern states to cities (soon theatres sprung up everywhere) – Demonstrated how controversy can help box-office – Helped kill nickelodeons and establish the feature film

From Birth of a Nation Viewed Today by Donato Totaro www.offscreen.com •

From a Social Standpoint: – Demonstrated the power of film as propaganda – Was responsible for the modern revival of the KKK in the South – Pushed back race relations a good decade – Established many if not all of the African-American stereotypes for subsequent Hollywood: the mammy, the black brute, the black buck, the faithful servant, the empowered black, etc.

• Intolerance, 1916

• Broken Blossoms, 1919 • Way Down East, 1920 • Orphans of the Storm, 1921

Race in Hollywood • “Miscegenation” on screen was forbidden • Frequent stereotyping – not just for AfricanAmericans – the stingy Jew, the Asian villain, the dragon lady, the wise Asian, the Mexican bandit, etc.

• Growth of a parallel industry of AfricanAmerican cinema

Race in Hollywood

Within Our Gates

• Oscar Micheaux, first African-American filmmaker • Answered Griffith’s point of view with Within our Gates (1919) • Wrote, produced and directed forty-four feature-length films between 1919 and 1948 and wrote seven novels

Race in Hollywood • Hattie McDaniel • Academy Award in 1939 for Gone with the Wind • Not invited to the premier in Atlanta • Had to sit in the back of the theatre during Academy Awards ceremony

Race in Hollywood • "Why should I complain about making $700 a week playing a maid? If I didn't, I'd be making $7 a week being one.” • Had the “n” word removed from script • Her contract typecast her and prohibited her from losing weight • Was not embraced by the African American community as time went on

Race in Hollywood • Sidney Poitier • First Oscar nomination for The Defiant Ones • Academy Award in 1963 for Lilies of the Field • Many films landmarks in breaking down racial barriers • Many roles but turned them down as he felt they were demeaning

Race in Hollywood

Hollywood Shuffle • Robert Townsend produced, directed, wrote (w/ Keenen Ivory Wayans) and starred • Made on his credit cards & luckily became a cult hit • Also directed Eddie Murphy (who was picked over Townsend for SNL) in Raw • B*A*P*S, The Five Heartbeats, The Meteor Man, The Parent’Hood and numerous television shows