Date of Award

Fall 2018

Document Type

Thesis

Primary Advisor

Professor Christopher Clark

Abstract

The era of silent film, though brief in comparison to the history of cinema itself, set a solid foundation for the medium that is beloved by audiences around the world today. However, many stereotypes and preconceived notions surround the lost art that fell from the spotlight at the invention and mass production of sound film a mere thirty-two years after the invention of the motion picture itself. Changing technologies, the adaptations of filmmakers of the period, and the opinions of the general public were all contributing factors in the quick and total transition from silent film to sound film. Through this research, several benefits of silent film became apparent that caused audiences of the late 1920s and early 1930s to be resistant to this change. The works of Alfred Hitchcock and the example of films such as Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans provide case studies for what makes a silent film successful in the eyes of filmmakers and audiences alike. In response to this research and study, a silent short film has been produced using the techniques of classic silent films in the context of film technology today.

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