MovieChat Forums > Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927) Discussion > Horrifying news - 80% of European silent...

Horrifying news - 80% of European silent films are lost...

posted 14 years ago by filmabinitio
3 replies | jump to latest

An EU Commission reported that 80% of European silent films are missing, with more to follow given the current procedures for film archiving.

http://filmabinitio.blogspot.com/2010/07/news-review-80-of-european-si lent-films.html

The only thing sadder than this news (which includes the fact that all early Lang, Murnau and Pabst's early films are lost) is the lack of coverage this story has received in the mainstream media.

Spread the word!

[–] agera 14 years ago

That is horrifying.

TCM showed some rarely-seen silents from various European nations a few years ago. They were all wonderful and well worth saving. I hate to think how many like them are already gone forever.

I must add that not every silent film is a work of genius, or even a work of art. But that's not the point. Taken collectively, they tell us so much about how people viewed life back then. Plus, I'm sure there are some real gems among those forgotten silents--not every movie we think of as great was appreciated at the time of its release.

"The night was sultry."

[–] LadyOfTheMasque 14 years ago

I whole-heartedly
agree! They are so important, at the very least for the historical value, ie how people dressed, what audiences enjoyed for entertainment, etc. There are a lot of silent films that I absolutely adore for the way stories were told, for the expressiveness of actors who could say so much with just a look.

Every time I think of how many films are lost, either entirely or partially, I lament. But it also makes me appreciate the films that have managed to be saved and/or restored all the more.

House: Climb out of your holes, people!

[–] Strazdamonas 14 years ago

and that is why i try to archive as many movies as i can. from the 10s silents to the 2010 blockbusters. maybe someday 100 years from now somone will find my collection and discover movies that were lost. one can only hope. heck when it comes to silent films i dont really care if its legal to copy them or not, thier worth copying into the digital format, because they are dissapearing, and so far digitalizing is the best way to keep them alive.

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"Common sense is not so common."
- Voltaire