Silent Films, 1877-1996

Expanding on his Silent Films on Video (McFarland, 1996), Klepper offers his personal appraisal of 646 films. Arranged by year of release and then alphabetically by title, the entries provide a chronology of the development of the film industry as well as information on specific titles. Each entry includes production company, running time, director and other technical contributors, and cast, including vital dates and the names of the characters portrayed. While these facts are helpful and sometimes hard to come by, the real merit of the book lies in the zest with which Klepper covers his subject. He goes beyond the usual feature films and serials and delves into the early experiments of Edison and Lumi`ere, issue films on such topics as civil rights and homosexuality, and even some films that were considered pornographic at the time. His critiques summarize the plot, note historic significance, give facts about the filming, and relate fascinating anecdotes about the stars on and off the set. Well over 200 illustrations, a four-star rating system, and a copious index add to the appeal of the book. Unfortunately, the sources for obtaining the films are not usually mentioned, so another reference book such as Klepper's own (mentioned above) must be consulted. Recommended for any library where there is interest in silent films.AVivian Reed, Long Beach P.L., CA

Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.