Preserving Film History for World Audiovisual Heritage Day
3 Influential Movies that Changed Film
As we move increasingly further away from physical media, it's more important than ever to preserve film and honor audiovisual heritage. Many of our earliest films have been lost due to natural decay, technological advances, and even intentional destruction. To celebrate film history and World Audiovisual Heritage Day, we'll be taking a look at the top influential movies that changed film--all before 1930.
1) The Story of the Kelly Gang (1906) - Charles Tait
The first feature-length film ever made, The Story of the Kelly Gang was a groundbreaking feat of film technology and dedicated artistic vision. Little is entirely certain about the production, as most of its details (including most of the film itself) have been lost to time. William Gibson and Millard Johnson, two of the film industry's leading producers at the time, likely enlisted theater director Charles Tait to collaborate on a breakthrough hour-long film. It is believed that both Tait and the film's subject were chosen due to their respective success in the world of theater. Tait had been a well-known director, and stage plays about "bushrangers"--such as the real-life Kelly Gang--were highly popular. It was the perfect recipe for success, and The Story of the Kelly Gang was met with critical acclaim. The movie stood out not only due to its 60-minute runtime, but also because of its dynamic camerawork and storytelling. The first-identified segments of the film were not found, however, until 1976. More footage was uncovered in 1978, 1980, and 2006. Upon the latest addition to the film, The National Film and Sound Archive released a digital restoration of all available footage, totaling just under 20 minutes.
2) Battleship Potemkin (1925) - Sergei Eisenstein
Known as the mother of montage, Battleship Potemkin was one of the first films to showcase the art of Soviet montage theory. While the film was created as revolutionary propaganda, it was equally Eisenstein's way of exploring new filmmaking theory and storytelling technique. Viewers are brought to the 1905 mutiny of the battleship Potemkin, in which mistreated sailors revolt as soldiers on the mainland infiltrate the city of Odessa. Montage is now deeply engrained in filmmaking; however, at the time, Eisenstein was groundbreaking in his use of editing to increase pathos and accentuate themes. Rather than using continuous shots, the filmmaker splices much smaller shots together. This draws the audience to specific emotions and experiences of individuals, as opposed to simply a wide series of events. In its most iconic scene on the Odessa steps, Battleship Potemkin uses quick cuts between shots of an advancing army, fleeing citizens, violence (which was considered graphic at the time), and, most notably, a baby carriage rolling down the steps. The editing of the film builds suspense and clearly shows the audience exactly who to care about and how to feel, permanently changing filmmaking.
3) Metropolis (1927) - Fritz Lang
While all of the films on this list are game changers, Metropolis is widely considered one of the most influential pieces of film history. According to Roger Ebert, it is "one of the great achievements of the silent era [...] more powerful today than when it was made." Largely regarded as the first full-length science fiction film, Metropolis tells the story of two individuals fighting to tear down the deadly class divide of a dystopian future. While it was applauded for its groundbreaking special effects, it was otherwise received poorly in its time, believed to be "naive" Communist propaganda. The original version of Metropolis has been lost, as nearly a quarter of the film was cut after its premiere in Germany. In 1984, Italian music producer Giorgio Moroder worked with the Munich Film Archive and popular contemporary musicians to release a new restoration of the film. Moroder's cut used color tinting in conjunction with its original soundtrack to emphasize the atmosphere and emotion of each scene. Further restorations of the film were created in 2001 and 2010, and the story continues to resonate with modern audiences across the world.
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