Silent Movies: The Birth of Film and the Triumph of Movie Culture [Hardcover]

Peter Kobel (Author), Martin Scorsese (Preface), Kevin Brownlow (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2007 | ISBN-10: 0316117919 | ISBN-13: 978-0316117913 | Edition: 1St Edition

A gorgeous, lavish history of silent movies - with more than 400 amazing images - captures the birth of film and icons like Chaplin, Garbo, Clara Bow, and Valentino.


Drawing on the extraordinary collection of The Library of Congress, one of the greatest repositories for silent film and memorabilia, Peter Kobel has created the definitive visual history of silent film. From its birth in the 1890s, with the earliest narrative shorts, through the brilliant full-length features of the 1920s, SILENT MOVIES captures the greatest directors and actors and their immortal films. SILENT MOVIES also looks at the technology of early film, the use of color photography, and the restoration work being spearheaded by some of Hollywood's most important directors, such as Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola.
Richly illustrated from the Library of Congress's extensive collection of posters, paper prints, film stills, and memorabilia-most of which have never been in print-SILENT MOVIES is an important work of history that will also be a sought-after gift book for all lovers of film.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

For decades, silent films have been disintegrating in warehouses or lost to indifference. Director Martin Scorsese, who wrote the foreword to this book, has spearheaded the preservation movement, warning with every foot of film that is lost, we lose a link to our culture. Kobel, longtime writer about movies, demonstrates the power of silent movies in this spectacular compilation of stills, promo materials and breathtaking posters from the Library of Congress's memorabilia collection. The visual artistry is stunning. Kobel uses these evocative images as a foundation to examine the international film industry from 1893 to 1927. Instead of a chronological treatment, he examines genres such as horror, westerns and comedy, while paying homage to the superb work of art directors, cinematographers and directors. Understandably, a significant section is devoted to actors. As Norma Desmond neatly observes in Sunset Boulevard, We had faces then. Although early producers were loath to highlight specific actors, fearing their popularity would translate into higher salaries, fans were hungry for information about them. In this treasure trove for film buffs, Kobel details the press campaigns that created stars like Theda Bara and Rudolph Valentino, while fan magazines and newspapers deemed them American royalty. (Nov.)
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Review

"If you ever wondered why film buffs get weak in the knees about the movies made before talkies, this book can help you understand. . . . it is beautifully designed with a dazzling array of movie stills, posters and promo material drawn from the Library of Congress' memorabilia collection." (San Francisco Chronicle )

"The definitive visual history of silent film." (New York Daily News )

"A handsomely designed and illustrated pictorial history of the voiceless cinema."  (Los Angeles Times )

"A ravishing, oversize, million-pound study of the silent movie era, not just its films, but its promotion, its culture and the way these movies changed how we think about the world." (Washington Post Express )

"Kobel has lovingly detailed this world-from the zany publicity campaigns to the lavish scripts to the decadent star lifestyles. SILENT MOVIES is an essential addition to any film or design lover's library."  (Encore magazine )

Spectacular. (The New York Times )

This isn't a coffee table book, though any coffee table would be lucky to be graced by it. The excellent text manages the trick of being exhaustive without being exhausting, while the photos--and stills, and posters, and lobby cards--are enchanting. (Wall Street Journal Online Joe Morgenstern )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown and Company; 1St Edition edition (November 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316117919
• ISBN-13: 978-0316117913
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 1.2 x 12.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #343,984 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Peter Kobel has worked as an editor at several magazines, including Entertainment Weekly, Saveur, ARTnews, and Premiere, and has written for The New York Times and The Chicago Tribune, among many other publications.

His critically acclaimed book "Silent Movies: The Birth of Film and the Triumph of Movie Culture" (Little, Brown and Co.) was published in collaboration with the Library of Congress.

More recently, Kobel has worked for a number of nonprofit organizations. He currently writes mainly about environmental and economic-justice issues.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant, gorgeous book October 28, 2007

By Jane L. Taylor

Format:Hardcover

This book is an absolute treasure. We're first seduced, of course, by the incomparable illustrations, many never published before--arresting movie stills, posters, lobby cards, promotional photographs. The stars, the directors, the cinematographers, the technological processes, the advertising stunts are all represented by artfully chosen items from the Library of Congress's extensive archives, and it's great fun to browse; while searching for favorite actors and films, we discover surprising images we never knew existed. But this is no slick coffee-table book. Peter Kobel is a brilliant writer whose clear, lively, graceful prose illuminates every aspect of the silent-film world. The book is thought-provoking, thoroughly researched, and substantive without ever being stuffy. Kobel has a light touch and his enthusiasm for his subject is compelling. He understands the films' creators and their audiences, and puts both masterfully into context. Silent Movies is a loving tribute that makes a strong case for increasing our efforts to save this endangered artistic legacy. A definitive, solid, and intoxicating book.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An Awesome Book October 29, 2007

By Susan Rogers

Format:Hardcover

This book is an absolute delight. During my initial paging through, I was at first struck by the quality, quantity, and depth of the incredible wealth of illustrations. Glorious eye candy for the film buff. But once I began reading Peter Kobel's eloquent text, I was captured by a prose that makes the silent film world come alive. Kobel provides us with a rich, well-researched picture of this era. I particularly liked his organization which avoids a straight chronology and approaches the subject from a variety of views - genre, individual personalities, the art of film, even promotion and the press. This allows me to read in depth or browse at leisure. Silent Movies is one of those fascinating books that will draw me back into it again and again.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Sumptuous Book on the Silent Era December 30, 2007

By Tonia M. Crum

Format:Hardcover

I received this book as a Christmas gift and while not a definitive volume on the Silent Era, it is truly beautiful. They have various chapters from the stars, the directors, genres and etc. This book is loaded with photos of stars and posters and is a large coffee table book. I have read bits and pieces but not cover to cover, yet. Still, I can highly recommend this book to anyone interested in this forgotten time in cinema history.