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1[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin A film with no spoken dialogue]]. Until the late 1920s, this was a technological limitation, though filmmakers certainly [[SerendipityWritesThePlot made the most of it]]. Almost from the beginning of the medium, people attempted to combine moving pictures with prerecorded audio, but none of these technologies achieved commercial acceptance and success until Creator/WarnerBros/Creator/FirstNationalPictures introduced its Vitaphone sound-on-disc system in 1926. After the early-to-mid 1930s, it was as much an [[SilenceIsGolden artistic decision]] as DeliberatelyMonochrome became after the introduction of color.
2
3Note that we said "no spoken dialogue"; these films were not meant to be exhibited in actual silence. Many silent movies (especially the big-budget ones) ''did'' have a soundtrack in the form of a custom musical score either for the entire movie or just a few key scenes, intended to be performed by live musicians in the theatre. In the grand movie palaces of big cities there might be an orchestra providing music. Even if the filmmakers didn't prepare custom scores or recommended musical cues, exhibitors usually screened these films with atmospheric live organ, piano, or other musical accompaniment.
4
5Some scores even called for sound effects, also performed live, and a few called for important bits of dialog to be read out by live actors. Unfortunately, most of the scores have been lost.
6
7The MediaNotes/RiseOfTheTalkies came more or less out of nowhere. The first film to have a synchronized soundtrack was 1926 film ''Don Juan'', but that consisted only of a musical score. 1927 film ''Film/TheJazzSinger'' upped the ante, by putting all of Creator/AlJolson's songs on the soundtrack, as well as a single four-minute dialogue scene. (The rest of the movie was a conventional silent.). The film created a sensation. 1928 saw the release of ''Film/LightsOfNewYork'', the first all-talking film. By 1929 silent film production had ended in Hollywood; the last silent produced by one of the major studios was MGM's ''Film/{{The Kiss|1929}}'' in November 1929.
8
9As the talkies came in many studios accommodated theaters that hadn't rushed to invest in talkie technology by offering some of their features in both silent and sound versions (e.g., [[Creator/AlfredHitchcock Hitchcock's]] ''Blackmail'' [1929]). Other late silent films were offered with optional recorded soundtracks (synchronized music and sound effects, but no dialogue).
10
11See also: EarlyFilms, FilmsOfThe1920s
12
13See also MimeAndMusicOnlyCartoon, which are basically animated silent films. And then there are MusicVideos. Any video that attempts to tell a story (for example, the famous "Take On Me" video by Music/{{aha}}) is basically a short silent film with musical accompaniment.
14
15A bit of trivia: Did you know that the first four MediaNotes/{{Academy Award}}s for Best Cinematography all went to silent films? Because of the cumbersome sound-synchronization cameras and recording equipment of the early talkie era, they were rarely shot on location, giving silent film cinematographers a distinct advantage. Those first four winners were
16
17* ''Film/{{Sunrise}}'' (1927/28) -- Charles Rosher and Creator/KarlStruss
18* ''Film/WhiteShadowsInTheSouthSeas'' (1928/29) -- Clyde De Vinna
19* ''With Byrd at the South Pole'' (1929/30) -- Joseph T. Rucker and Willard Van Der Veer
20* ''Film/{{Tabu}}'' (1930/31) -- Floyd Crosby
21
22Lee Garmes won the first Best Cinematography Oscar to go to a talkie for ''Shanghai Express'' (1931/32).
23
24----
25[[foldercontrol]]
26[[folder:Notable silent films]]
27* Most of the movies listed in EarlyFilms
28** Shorts
29[[index]]
30*** ''Film/TheAdventurer''
31*** ''Film/BigBusiness''
32*** ''Film/TheBlacksmith''
33*** ''Film/BlueBeard''
34*** ''Film/TheBoat''
35*** ''Film/ConeyIsland''
36*** ''Film/Convict13''
37*** ''Film/{{Cops|1922}}''
38*** ''Film/TheCountryDoctor''
39*** ''Film/TheCure1917''
40*** ''Film/TheDancingPig''
41*** ''Film/ADogsLife''
42*** ''Film/EasyStreet''
43*** ''Film/TheFireman''
44*** ''Film/TheFrozenNorth''
45*** ''Film/TheGoat''
46*** ''Film/TheGreatTrainRobbery1903''
47*** ''Film/TheHauntedHouse''
48*** ''Film/HardLuck''
49*** ''Film/TheHighSign''
50*** ''Film/TheIdleClass''
51*** ''Film/TheImmigrant''
52*** ''Film/AnInterestingStory''
53*** ''Film/TheKiss''
54*** ''Film/TheLonelyVilla''
55*** ''Film/TheLoveNest''
56*** ''Film/MabelsStrangePredicament''
57*** ''Film/TheNewYorkHat''
58*** ''Film/MyWifesRelations''
59*** ''Film/{{Neighbors|1920}}''
60*** ''Film/OneWeek''
61*** ''Film/ThePaleface''
62*** ''Film/PassTheGravy''
63*** ''Film/ThePilgrim''
64*** ''Film/TheRink''
65*** ''Film/RoundhayGardenScene''
66*** ''Film/SadieThompson''
67*** ''Film/{{The Scarecrow|1920}}''
68*** ''Film/ShoulderArms''
69*** ''Film/TheTramp''
70*** ''Film/ATripToTheMoon''
71*** ''Film/{{The Wonderful Wizard of Oz|1910}}''
72** Features
73*** ''Film/{{America}}''
74*** ''Film/TheBattleshipPotemkin''
75*** ''Film/BattlingButler''
76*** ''Film/BenHur1925''
77*** ''Film/TheBigParade''
78*** ''Film/TheBirthOfANation1915''
79*** ''Film/TheBlackbird''
80*** ''Film/TheBlackPirate''
81*** ''Film/TheBlackStork''
82*** ''Film/TheBoob''
83*** ''Film/BrokenBlossoms''
84*** ''Film/TheBurningOfRedLotusTemple''
85*** ''Film/TheCabinetOfDrCaligari''
86*** ''Film/TheCameraman''
87*** ''Theatre/TheCatAndTheCanary''
88*** ''Film/{{Chang}}''
89*** ''Film/TheCheat''
90*** ''Film/UnChienAndalou''
91*** ''Film/TheCircle1925''
92*** ''Film/TheCircus''
93*** ''Film/College1927''
94*** ''Film/TheCossacks''
95*** ''Film/TheCrowd''
96*** ''Film/DesertNights''
97*** ''Film/DiaryOfALostGirl''
98*** ''Film/TheDocksOfNewYork''
99*** ''Film/EllaCinders''
100*** ''Film/TheFamilySecret''
101*** ''Film/{{Faust}}''
102*** ''Film/{{Filibus}}''
103*** ''Film/FleshAndTheDevil''
104*** ''Film/FoolishWives''
105*** ''Film/TheFourHorsemenOfTheApocalypse''
106*** ''Film/TheFreshman1925''
107*** ''Film/TheGeneral''
108*** ''Film/GetYourMan''
109*** ''Film/GirlShy''
110*** ''Film/TheGolem''
111*** ''Film/TheGoldRush''
112*** ''Film/GoWest''
113*** ''Film/GrandmasBoy1922''
114*** ''Film/{{Grass}}''
115*** ''Film/{{Greed}}''
116*** ''Film/TheHandsOfOrlac''
117*** ''Film/{{Haxan}}''
118*** ''Film/HeWhoGetsSlapped''
119*** ''Film/HeartsOfTheWorld''
120*** ''Film/HotWater''
121*** ''Film/{{The Hunchback of Notre Dame|1923}}''
122*** ''Film/{{Intolerance}}''
123*** ''Film/TheIronHorse''
124*** ''Film/{{It|1927}}''
125*** ''Film/TheJazzSinger'' (Contrary to popular belief, most of the movie was silent)
126*** ''Film/TheKidBrother''
127*** ''Film/TheKingOfKings''
128*** ''Film/TheKid1921''
129*** ''Film/LittleOldNewYork''
130*** ''Film/TheLodger''
131*** ''Film/TheLostWorld''
132*** ''Film/TheMagician''
133*** ''Film/TheManFromKangaroo''
134*** ''Film/ManWithAMovieCamera''
135*** ''Film/{{The Mark of Zorro|1920}}''
136*** ''Film/{{The Merry Widow|1925}}''
137*** ''Film/{{Metropolis}}''
138*** ''Film/MissLuluBett''
139*** ''Film/TheMonster''
140*** ''Film/TheMysteriousLady''
141*** ''Film/NanookOfTheNorth''
142*** ''Film/{{Napoleon|1927}}''
143*** ''Film/TheNavigator''
144*** ''Film/NeverWeaken''
145*** ''Film/DieNibelungen''
146*** ''Film/{{Nosferatu}}''
147*** ''Film/{{October}}''
148*** ''Film/OrphansOfTheStorm''
149*** ''Film/OurDancingDaughters''
150*** ''Film/OurHospitality''
151*** ''Film/PandorasBox''
152*** ''Film/ThePassionOfJoanOfArc''
153*** ''Film/ThePatchworkGirlOfOz''
154*** ''Film/ThePatsy''
155*** ''Film/ThePhantomCarriage''
156*** ''Film/ThePhantomOfTheOpera1925''
157*** ''Film/ThePowerOfThePress''
158*** ''Film/RobinHood1912''
159*** ''Film/RobinHood1922''
160*** ''Film/{{Rosita}}''
161*** ''Film/SafetyLast''
162*** ''Film/ASailorMadeMan''
163*** ''Film/SevenChances''
164*** ''Film/TheSheik''
165*** ''Film/SherlockJr''
166*** ''Film/TheShow''
167*** ''Film/ShowPeople''
168*** ''Film/SnowWhite1916''
169*** ''Film/TheSonOfTheSheik''
170*** ''Film/{{Speedy}}''
171*** ''Film/SteamboatBillJr''
172*** ''Film/StellaMaris''
173*** ''Film/{{Strike}}''
174*** ''Film/TheStrongMan''
175*** ''Film/TheStudentPrinceInOldHeidelberg''
176*** ''Film/{{Sunrise}}''
177*** ''Film/TellItToTheMarines''
178*** ''Film/TheTemptress''
179*** ''Film/TheTenCommandments1923''
180*** ''Film/TheThiefOfBagdad1924''
181*** ''Film/ThreeAges''
182*** ''Film/TheThreeMusketeers1921''
183*** ''Film/TilliesPuncturedRomance''
184*** ''Film/TheTollOfTheSea''
185*** ''Film/{{Torrent}}''
186*** ''Film/Underworld1927''
187*** ''Film/TheUnholyThree''
188*** ''Film/TheUnknown''
189*** ''Film/WayDownEast''
190*** ''Film/TheWeddingMarch''
191*** ''Film/WestOfZanzibar''
192*** ''Film/WhenKnighthoodWasInFlower''
193*** ''Film/TheWhiteSister''
194*** ''Film/WhyBeGood''
195*** ''Film/WhyWorry''
196*** ''Film/WildAndWoolly''
197*** ''Film/TheWind1928''
198*** ''Film/WithinOurGates''
199*** ''Film/TheWizardOfOz1925''
200*** ''Film/AWomanOfParis''
201*** ''Film/{{Zaza}}''
202[[/folder]]
203----
204
205!!Notable silents from the talkie era:
206
207* ''Film/CityGirl'' (1930) -- F.W. Murnau film that was released in both silent and talking versions; the talking version is lost
208* ''Film/CityLights'' (1931) -- Creator/CharlieChaplin's first refusal to acknowledge talkies
209* ''Film/{{Limite}}'' (1931) -- experimental Brazilian film
210* ''Film/{{Tabu}}'' (1931) -- the last film of F.W. Murnau, about a forbidden romance between two Pacific Islanders
211* Silent film production lasted quite a bit longer in Asia. Silent movies from China or Japan[[note]]In Japan silent films were produced [[http://filmsound.org/film-sound-history/sound-in-japan.htm into the early 1940s]][[/note]] produced in the 1930s include:
212** ''Film/WalkCheerfully'' (1930)
213** ''Film/PeachBlossomWeepsTearsOfBlood'' (1931)
214** ''Film/TokyoChorus'' (1931)
215** ''Film/IWasBornBut'' (1932)
216** ''Film/WildRose1932''
217** ''Film/WhereNowAreTheDreamsOfYouth'' (1932)
218** ''Film/DragnetGirl'' (1933)
219** ''Film/PassingFancy'' (1933)
220** ''Film/TheGoddess'' (1934)
221** ''Film/AStoryOfFloatingWeeds'' (1934)
222* ''Film/ModernTimes'' (1936) -- Creator/CharlieChaplin's second refusal to acknowledge talkies
223* ''The Thief'' (1952) -- spy thriller starring Ray Milland, told without any dialogue
224* ''Film/{{Dementia|1955}}'' -- horror film with no dialogue
225* ''Film/SilentMovie'' (1976) -- Creator/MelBrooks makes a tribute to silent slapstick; marketed as "the first silent movie in 40 years" (i.e. since ''Modern Times'')[[note]]Technically there is one line -- one ''word'', in fact -- of synchronized spoken dialogue.[[/note]]
226* ''Film/LeBal'' (1983) -- History of France 1936-83, told by the dancers in a nightclub, without any dialogue
227* ''Film/{{Koyaanisqatsi}}'' (1983) -- Kind of a documentary, but really more of a film collage portraying the state of modern civilization, told without any dialogue or narration
228* ''Film/SidewalkStories'' (1989) -- remake of Chaplin's ''The Kid'', set amongst the homeless of Greenwich Village, without any dialogue or any title cards
229* ''Film/CowardsBendTheKnee'' (2003) -- by avant-garde filmmaker Creator/GuyMaddin
230* ''Film/TheCallOfCthulhu'' (2005) -- Adaptation of ''Literature/TheCallOfCthulhu'' by the Creator/HPLovecraftHistoricalSociety, made to look like it has been produced at the time the original story was written (Creator/HPLovecraft wrote ''The Call of Cthulhu '' in 1926 and published it in 1928).
231* ''Film/BrandUponTheBrain'' (2006) -- LeFilmArtistique from Guy Maddin, accompanied by narration from Creator/IsabellaRossellini
232* ''Film/DaftPunksElectroma'' (2006) -- film about two robots trying to become human; no dialogue, lots of desert trekking
233* ''Film/{{Tejut}}'' (2007) -- Hungarian film composed of multiple silent [[LeaveTheCameraRunning static Oners]].
234* ''Film/TheArtist'' (2011) -- A deliberately {{Retraux}} romantic comedy about, appropriately enough, a silent movie star who struggles to adjust to talkies
235* ''Film/{{Blancanieves}}'' (2012) -- Similar to ''The Artist'' above, done as a DeliberatelyMonochrome silent movie in 1920s style, a take on Snow White set in 1920s Spain
236* ''Film/AllIsLost'' (2013) -- Creator/RobertRedford as a sailor alone on his yacht who struggles to survive when the yacht founders. Almost completely dialogue-free.
237* ''Film/{{Moebius|2013}}'' (2013) -- Korean film about a wife who takes violent revenge on her cheating husband, told without any dialogue or written words.
238* ''Film/{{Wonderstruck}}'' (2017) -- Creator/ToddHaynes period piece, based on the YA novel from Brian Selznick (of ''Hugo'' fame, below) with [[HyperlinkStory two storylines]], one of which is set in the 1920s, in black-and-white and silent.
239[[/index]]
240
241!!Notable talkies about the silent film era:
242* ''Film/SunsetBoulevard'' (1950)
243* ''Film/SinginInTheRain'' (1952)
244* ''Film/TheComic'' (1969)
245* ''Film/{{Nickelodeon|1976}}'' (1976)
246* ''Film/{{Hugo}}'' (2011)
247
248!!See also
249* MediaNotes/TheSilentAgeOfAnimation
250* UsefulNotes/NotableSilentMovieActors

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