The Silent Film Universe
Ben Model
Undercrank Productions
It can be tempting to think of silent films as merely lacking sound, yet the absence of sound, more specifically spoken dialogue, is not a technical defect but intrinsic to the art form. If you mute your TV, you realize very quickly how reliant on the spoken word films truly are. Making talking pictures is in many respects a closer cousin to stage or radio dramas than the silents. The silents have their own visual language that isn’t automatically decipherable to modern audiences. Silent film historian and musical accompanist Ben Model has created an indispensable guide to the unique visual language of the silents in his new book: The Silent Film Universe.
Ben Model demystifies the silent film for modern audiences by artfully mixing autobiography, film history, and bit of technical data. The Silent Film Universe explores the why and how of the nature of the silent film experience as a “unique and separate medium unto itself” that “exists somewhere between reality and dream state.” This otherworldy feel is what Model dubs “the silent film universe.” Everything from the way the story is presented, to the acting techniques, the intertitles, and even the speeds the films were shot and projected at were all quite intentional and grew out of years of experimentation and evolution since the earliest days of the medium.
This universe can be a strange sight for the uninitiated, with seemingly over-the-top acting and the off-kilter “sped-up” motion. To simplify and streamline the visual experience, silent films have a tendency to deliberately omit non-crucial details. These gaps in information are crucial to creating a partnership between the film and the viewer, allowing the viewer to fill in gaps with their imagination and allowing the film to tell the most story in the least time. This is achieved largely through the use of shorthand, via character archetypes signaled through costume, naming conventions, and ethnic/racial stereotypes. Many of these tells are still in use today. Charlie Chaplin’s “little tramp” is a perfect example, as we do not know his name or his backstory, but can basically learn everything we need to know about his character within just a few seconds of screen time, based on his clothes, how he comports himself, and his interactions with other people.
One of the more confounding and misunderstood aspects of the silent film experience is the speed of the films. Even if you’ve never seen a silent film, we all know the trope of people in silent movies running in an odd or exaggerated manner. This is due to differences in the speed the film was shot versus the projection speed. Model goes into great depth to decipher the proper viewing speed of these films while also disproving some long held myths about the “correct” projection speed. Mixing historical research and personal anecdotes about making his own silent film and struggling to get the look just right, this section becomes a noble quest instead of a slog through math.
With The Silent Film Universe, Ben Model has created a kind of catechism that is a must for those entering the silent film world, while still retaining value for those long tuned in to the medium’s odd and wonderful wavelength. Model takes the reader on a journey through his discovery and love for silent film that is infectious. Once you’re hooked, he arms you with knowledge of the how and why of the medium that may feel abstract on the page but will sparkle to life with future silent film viewings, as well as the realization of how much modern film viewing is a passive activity, whereas the silents require active mental participation from the audience.
