Early Cinema Analysis: Promotional, Narrative, and Technical Aspects

This assignment analyzes several early films, starting with 'Admiral Cigarette' (1897), which served as a promotional piece for a cigarette brand. It examines the film's promotional techniques and its historical context. The analysis then moves to 'The Great Train Robbery' (1903), focusing on its narrativ...Read More

A. Movie name: Admiral Cigarette (1897)
1. Resource
Rothery, Jason. "for scotch (Dewar’s—It’s Scotch!, 1897), cigarettes (Admiral Cigarette, 1897),
clean-burning coal (A Romance of the Rail, 1903), and his own products (Streetcar Chivalry
(1905) displayed posters plugging the phonograph). Edison produced fifty-two films featuring
trains, the railway, and the purchase of train tickets,“providing promotional services for
customers of his industrial business,” and reducing production costs in the bargain. These
“efforts to influence audience." (2011).
2. Summary: First commercial film to promote a brand producing cigarettes-“Admiral
Cigarettes”
3. Criticism:
Did not demonstrate the utilities of smoking cigar, or did not highlight why people should smoke.
B. Movie name: The Great Train Robbery (1903)
1. Resource
Porter, Edwin S., et al. "The Great Train Robbery (1903 film)."
Dirks, Tim. "Filmsite Movie Review, The Great Train Robbery (1903)." (2017).

2. Summary:
It is a silent short film depicting how a group of bandits committed the crime of robbing
a passenger train
3. Criticism: A silent film depicting action beautifully, using medium to long shots,
however the actor’s faces were not visible clearly.
C. Movie name: The Gilded Cage (1915)
1. Resource:
Brayshaw, Emily. "The Jackdaw in the Gilded Cage: Uhlirova’s Birds of Paradise." (2015): 421-429.
2. Summary:
On screen-recreation of the Cinderella story
Criticism:
Poor cinematography is one of the drawback of the movie.
D. Movie name: Mutt and Jeff: On Strike (1920)
1. Resource: Anderson, Gillian B. "The presentation of silent films, or, Music as
anesthesia." The Journal of Musicology 5.2 (1987): 257-295.
2. Summary:
Two famous American Cartoon Characters’ rebel is depicted.
3. Criticism:
This movie is criticized in terms of the use of camera angles and the clarity of picture.

Movie name: Pathé News, No. 15-1922
Resource: Filmpreservation.org. "National Film Preservation Foundation: Pathé
News, No. 15? (1922)". Filmpreservation.org, 2020. Online. Internet. 6 Feb. 2020. .
Available: https://www.filmpreservation.org/preserved-films/screening-room/pathe-
news-no-15-1922#.
1. Summary:
This silent film combined the clips of a series of real incidents to inform the audience of
happenings around the world
Criticism:
The silent film was criticized due to its unorganized clips, faulty montage, which made the
film difficult to understand, incomprehensible to the audience.