I'm eager to read your research papers.  I hope everyone is working hard on them.  Don't forget to cite sources properly and follow the writing guidelines in the syllabus.  See you in class for the Frankenstein lecture this Friday!

Chaney!, Chaney!, Chaney!

All of the available Chaney material is on youtube.  You can watch The Penalty, Shock and many, many more!  Here is The Monster; one we've actually watched in class before, but won't have time for this go round.  This one enters into our "dark house" section of the course (movies centering around the concept of a mystery and a vast, old and creepy mansion). 

"Shadows"

Can't get enough Chaney?  Here's another film we won't have time to watch in the course, but you should check out.  Watch the "Man of A Thousand Faces"!

"London After Midnight"

Since we are missing class, and for those of you paying attention, here is a posting of the "recreated" London After Midnight, with Lon Chaney.  You'll recall that I lectured in class about this film, which was destroyed in a fire.  No remaining copies exist, but here is a re-creation using various shots and stills. 

Enjoy!

Test Over the First Section: The German Films

Our first test is today.  It covers Edison's Frankenstein and early cinema efforts, along with the German films.  Several students have asked if a "blue book" or scantron is needed:  The answer is no.  I will hand the test out in class. 

Read the book, check your notes and review the films....see you there!

Updated Class Schedule

To the right is the updated class schedule.  Please note that this differs slightly from the syllabus, due to the changes made to accommodate the art history museum field trip. 

Welcome: Fall 2012 class!

Well, if you made it here you've discovered our class blog.  Hopefully you'll find this as a helpful resource as you make your way thru the History of Silent Horror Cinema course.  You may want to check this page on occasion for important details concerning what we've discussed.  Starting out, you'll need to pick up this book as soon as you can:

Silent Screams: The History of the Silent Horror Film by Steve Haberman

This is the textbook for the course, and very useful long after the class is over, as you'll find it a great resource for the subject of silent horror films.

I have a question or two for you early on before you start to learn about this subject:  What do you think of when you think of early cinema efforts?  Have you been exposed to much of these in your life?  Why do you think artists, writers and musicians of the turn-of-the-century might have been attracted to the allure of the new technology of the cinematic camera? 

Think of about these points as we kick off the class...and, as Lugosi states in the film "Dracula"...."I bid you......welcome!"