A Chess Dispute

Dir: Robert W. Paul

1903

****

A blend of violence and comedy, pure slap-stick, making good use of props and including interesting experimental compositions. You could argue that Robert W. Paul was a genius, or you could say he was simply recording theatre. However, I would argue that there was always so much more happening in what seemed to be simple little short comedies. Robert W. Paul was a genius in my opinion, a pioneer in the world of cinema. He thought long and hard about the viewpoint of his audience, this was a totally different type of theatre and one he helped develop. It is telling that all of the techniques he used then are still used today. Also, to bring character out of a very simple idea, with a static camera and no sound, isn't as easy as it may appear. You could watch A Chess Dispute now and think nothing of it much, until you realize that this film pre-dated The Three Stooges by a quarter of a century. Harold Lloyd would have been ten years old and Buster Heaton would have been eight. The slight of hand, the way things get out of hand and the pure brilliance of the timing should not be overlooked. Live comedy would have been very different then, with audience interaction playing a huge part in proceedings, so this was very new territory still and extremely experimental. The fact that Robert W. Paul and others cracked it so early should be thought of that it was easy, but should be a suggestion of how talented they really were. Great film makers, great showmen and great comedy. Over a hundred years later and this film still translates as good as it did then, which can't even be said of some films made last year.

The Gay Shoe Clerk
Dir: Edwin S. Porter
1903
***
Edwin S. Porter's The Gay Shoe Clerk represents a first in technique as it is the first to feature matched shot editing with a close-up shot and a longer establishing shot used in combination with each other. It's also noted as being one of the first remakes although not the first. It's extremely similar to George Albert Smith's 1900 film As seen through a telescope. Personally I prefer As seen through a telescope but foot fetishists might disagree. The humour is of the time but the editing is now a standard. It is interesting to see the subject of Voyeurism being one of the first explored in the pioneering age of film, it would be great to know what the directors intentions were.

The Great Train Robbery
Dir: Edwin S. Porter
1903
*****
One of the most famous films of the silent era and indeed the first western (filmed when the West was still like in the Westerns, so I wonder if it actually counts). Over a hundred years later and it's still exciting, the last shot of the bandit shooting at the screen is still powerful, iconic and timelessly brilliant. Interesting how Edwin S. Porter broke the rules before the rules even existed in many respects, you never look into the camera but here it drew the audience in like nothing else.