Today marked the first time I watched a full silent movie from start to finish. This type of cinematography is very different compared to any other movie I have ever scene. This is mainly due to the unique qualities that are incorporated in silent films. For example, it was a nice change of pace to focus on the body movement of the actors to understand their emotions in each scene rather than listening to their dialogue. You could anticipate what the actor was feeling or what their lines were going to read. An advantage through this type of cinematography is that the audience has to pay attention to what is going on to understand the full performance of each actor. Their nonverbal cues speak volumes as opposed to the dialogue the audience reads during each scene. However, this can create some challenges for directors. They have to map the scene almost perfectly to convey what they want the audience to feel in the moment. Lighting and ambiance of the scene also have to depict what the mood.
For example, in "The Dying Swan," when the scientist was trying to illustrate death through Gizella's dance, the director used shadows and camera angles very efficiently to create a beautiful and peaceful, yet sad and disturbing mood. While the scientist was trying to draw the end of Gizella's dance in what he perceived to be her purest form, the lighting gave off a dark vibe due to the fact that she was dead. On the other hand, the position of the camera portrayed her body in a way that was peaceful. I also noticed the irony of Gizella's character because she is a mute girl in a silent movie. It is common in Russian cinematography to have small bits of humor for the audience'e amusement. Overall, I felt the tactics the directors used in the film helped enhance the point the was trying to be made to the audience. However, I extremely disliked the plots of each film. Each short film had very negative plot sequences that any decent human being would not be apart of. Let's hope the mood is a bit more cheerful in tomorrow's movie.
Enjoyed the fact that the actors had to rely on the body movements because they were aware that the audience couldn't hear their voice. I wonder if this requires a different type of actor. I mean think about it. Your not worrying about tone and timing but simple expressions in your face and body.
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