Watch silent movies with new musical scores by renowned silent film accompanist Ben Model. This channel is also home to “The Silent Comedy Watch Party”, the first-ever silent film livestream, launched in March 2020.
I love seeing how everything was done back then, especially considering that during the time everything was done without computers, and their machines functioning with parts just like those watches but on much smaller scale. I love mechanical technologies and timepieces, so this was such a treat! Thank you for sharing!
I love to revisit these, Ben, what a great resource, thank you! I'd seen the Billy Ritchie one, and had heard the ostrich story, so thanks Steve for putting that right. I agree, rather than seeing him as a Chaplin imitator/impersonator, it's wise to consider the history and context that these performers where working in, drawing on common trends, bits, costumes, etc. I agree Ritchie's persona is pretty detestable. Chaplin's ealry roles were, at least on the surface, in a similar vein, a drunk molesting women, but he never really did it as convincingly as Ritchie. Which might suggest that it was the younger Chaplin who was trying to imitate Ritchie.
I love how it says your children's children will be able to hear these records, my great-great grandparents would have been young adults when this was made, my grandparents would be their children's children, and I their children's children's children
Educational's tagline was "the spice of the program," which wags changed to "the space on the program." This isn't a bad one, though that kid needs a kick in the teeth.
Il me semble que c'est inspiré d'une nouvelle de O. Henry dans laquelle un peintre dessine une feuille sur le mur de la maison d'en face, la seule qui ne tombe pas durant la tempête.
I believe I only saw one of the Fleischer Koko programs, and it did not include that one. So, in that short, a cat helped with the mail, and in Early to Bed, a dog helped with the mail! I am looking forward to Silent Movie Week at MoMA.
hi ben, I wasn't aware that films could be bought from Library of Congress. Can someone explain this process to me. I imagine it's not available to international people like myself?
As I watch this wonderful video with my newly acquired 1904 Elgin 18 in hand, I wonder what kind of mind invents, assembles and coordinates the modes of production required to produce the pocket watch? Absolute genius!
Amazing video. The destruction of America's industries started happening a long time ago. Elgin was required to make parts for the war and not allowed to make watches for market. This allowed Swiss imports to come in and take over the market. (what else is new, right?). After the war much of Elgin's equipment was worn out and they had to now compete with the Swiss to regain their marketshare. Required to do their duty while the Swiss did nothing. Did the "government for the people in the land of the free and home of the brave" do anything to help Americans? Nope. Same story as today.
Thank you for this wonderful show again. Hopefully they will all be well archived, because they are all treasures of competence and skill from the start. Great work! I'm always thrilled. And I always look forward to the next show. These films never get old or boring. Hearing Harold's granddaughter talk about her wonderful Granddad is something really wonderful.
My mother spent 18 months in a TB sanitarium in Colorado in the early 1050s as a young bride. She had breathing issues later in life, but lived until she was 96 and raised 5 children.
Well, I can never really thank you guys enough for helping get me through the pandemic. It was a very mentally taxing & challenging time, much as it was for great many other people. The SCWP reignited my childhood love for "funny old movies", introduced me to new favourites that I continue to love & educated me on all those amazing unsung heroes of the silent cinema screen. All your hard work is so greatly appreciated - Steve from the UK
