Milestone: Dragon Painter

[MichaelB]

Absolutely seconded - there's more heavyweight silent film discussion on these forums than pretty much any other non-specialist site I can think of. Just look at the Kino or Flicker Alley threads if you want loads of examples.

[Mike Gebert]

Actually, I've been reading it for some time, and I have enjoyed much of the commentary of silents here, but I put up reviews of some specific releases that I know haven't been talked about in detail. (There were a couple of review posts about The Dragon Painter, but the Kino Harry Langdon films had received a sum total of one passing mention and, as I noted, there wasn't that much comment about the Ozu films once they actually came out, curiously. I did NOT repost one about J'Accuse precisely because that was discussed in impressive detail.) Yes, people have commented quite a bit about, say, the Scandinavian silents Kino has and is putting out, but I don't exactly see why that makes comment on the Langdon comedies redundant.

Anyway, thanks for the friendly welcome.

[Saturnome]

Lot of Criterion releases, silent or not, get a topic but are discussed little. Most are before-release discussion.I'm always surprised that a new release announced two minutes ago get a topic with already five full pages.

Now for the Langdon, I guess it's more simply a matter of interest of the people around here. I have only seen Capra's The Strong Man, I'm not very interested to see any other feature with Harry Langdon. On the other hand I'm almost counting days until I get the Sjöström releases.

But it's sure great that any of these film are released, and get to read a bit about them. So I say, keep the reviews going.

[HerrSchreck]

Actually, I've been reading it for some time, and I have enjoyed much of the commentary of silents here, but I put up reviews of some specific releases that I know haven't been talked about in detail. (There were a couple of review posts about The Dragon Painter, but the Kino Harry Langdon films had received a sum total of one passing mention and, as I noted, there wasn't that much comment about the Ozu films once they actually came out, curiously. I did NOT repost one about J'Accuse precisely because that was discussed in impressive detail.) Yes, people have commented quite a bit about, say, the Scandinavian silents Kino has and is putting out, but I don't exactly see why that makes comment on the Langdon comedies redundant.

Anyway, thanks for the friendly welcome.

Silent comedy has just never been very big around here, although you'll find convo on it here & there. You'll find tons of discussion on Ozu and his silents in threads dedicated to Ozu.. many times the releases themselves when they come out don't receive a lot of hoo-ah is the folks devoted to those films have already seen them or discussed them at length for years on here.

It's not a matter of the welcome so much as of the entrance. Introducing yourself-- with your very first introductory posts-- with a bit of a sniff on a site posted on by everyone from Bergstrom to Ehrenstein to Wrigley & Keller & Doros, BFI & SIght & Sound columnists etc and tons of filmmakers writers & well informed students & cineastes etc etc is going to get you some light inocuous sniffing in return, no harm intended.

You got your Official Newb Hazing hand stamp.

We're obviously birds of a feather. Welcome to the forum Signore Gebert, and I look forward to reading more from you.

[Mike Gebert]

Silent comedy has just never been very big around here, although you'll find convo on it here & there. You'll find tons of discussion on Ozu and his silents in threads dedicated to Ozu.. many times the releases themselves when they come out don't receive a lot of hoo-ah is the folks devoted to those films have already seen them or discussed them at length for years on here

If only I had said something like that!

Saturnome, far be it from me to defend Langdon too much, but if you feel like giving him a second chance, I think Tramp, Tramp, Tramp is heads and shoulders above the rest of his work, much funnier than The Strong Man. On the other hand, depending on your degree of interest in silent comedy, you could give him a pass and not miss all that much, either.

[Saturnome]

Allright, I'm willing to watch Tramp, Tramp, Tramp (and surely Long Pants with it), and I'll get back on it soon (not here, sorry to M.Hayakawa!) . From the little I just read, it seems different enough to give it a try.

[HerrSchreck]

If only I had said something like that!

And when you do say it, say it with panache!