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| THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE FADING OF SILENT FILMS By Kim Anehall, 7/31/2002 |
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 Maria Falconetti as Joan of Arc.
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In silent
film people such as D.W. Griffith, Georges
Méliès, and Erich von Stroheim
are those who took the lead in the art of cinema.
These filmmakers were vital for development of cinematic story
telling and can be enjoyed in many silent films that are
still around today. These stories can be experienced in films like Metropolis,
The Passion of Jean of Arc, and City Lights.
However, many other films have vanished due to deterioration and past
usage of highly flammable nitrate film.
The horrible truth is that more than 80% of films from the
silent period will perish today. Thus, various organizations are struggling with restoration of
the films that otherwise might get lost to time.
In 1927-28 the Danish director Carl Theodor Dreyer shot the silent film The Passion of Jean of Arc with the French title La Passion de Jeanne d'Arc. Dreyer based the story on the original transcript of the historical trial of Joan of Arc using extraordinary close-up shots in order to display Joan of Arc’s feelings. The film seemed to be cursed, since there was overwhelming pressure to avoid using a foreign director to shoot Joan of Arc's last moments. The notion was that a foreigner could not know anything about Joan of Arc, a French national symbol. The Catholic Church was also complaining and demanded cuts along with the French government who ordered changes in the film. These changes were so dramatic that the Rouen tribunal practically seemed caring in the film. Dreyer was furious over the changes and, as if that was not enough, a fire consumed the original print of the first version. Dreyer made a second attempt at making a new version of the film, however, this one burned as well. Copies of the second version become extremely hard to come by during the 40s and 50s and meanwhile there were several fake versions made of The Passion of Jean of Arc. The film seemed to be lost forever, until someone was cleaning out a closet in a Norwegian mental institution and found an original print of the first version. The Passion of Jean of Arc is now safe from future destruction due to help from the Danish Film Institute and Cinémathèque Française. The National Film Preservation Foundation (NFPF) is another organization that keeps up the battle against time in the fading of old cinema. The NFPF is a non-profit organization that was established by the U.S. Congress in order to maintain American film tradition. The object of the organization is to actually preserve film and help further the convenience of film for the American people through education and screening. In addition, the NFPF is offering grants to different organizations that help provide publicly available cinematic heritage without intentions to profit. The NFPF has the restored 440 films to date including American Aristocracy (1916), Sherlock Holmes (1922), and A Virgin's Sacrifice (1922). However, the budget that the NFPF has to work with is rather limited and they are in need of grants and donations. The campaign against the fading of silent film is crucial, since it is a part of film heritage. Traditions depicted in silent films explain the origin of people who live in the United States and throughout the world. Thus, cinematic heritage can be seen as a window to the future, which can help us prevent harmful events and help push progress. Up and coming filmmakers also need these mute stories from films' predecessors to understand the development of cinema. Saving silent films then has importance for filmmakers to advance as students, innovative creators, and storytellers. After all, roots are foundations for future traditions. Work
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