Silent Movies: The Birth of Film and the Triumph of Movie Culture (Hardcover)

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

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 )

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (November 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316117919
• ISBN-13: 978-0316117913
• Product Dimensions: 12.1 x 9.6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #200,640 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

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

By	Jane L. Taylor "Janeelephant" (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

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

By	Susan Rogers - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

4 of 4 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 "crazydame" (Massillon, OH) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.