Member review

The Artist superbly showcases to the audience the transition from silent films to sound films, whilst at its core, tells a heartbreaking and tragic tale. Taking place in Hollywood, between the years 1927 and 1932, this masterful film tells the stories of a rising actress, and a silent film icon as silent film is replaced by sound films (or talkies). Both actors portray their characters with perfection, being able to convey so may emotions with their incredible use of body language and facial expressions. The Artist is able to capture the essence of a silent film, with it’s hopeful yet depressing music, which helps amplify every scene to it’s fullest potential. The director had a clear vision of exposing what silent film icons went through as sound was discovered, how their lives were torn apart, how their popularity declined and how they were left forgotten by the very thing that they helped construct, which the director can illustrate with such gravitas and wonder. The cinematographer is so clear when showing how camera work was advanced, for example during the dream sequence, one of my favourite scenes in the film, which uses the cinematography to showcase a character’s true mind and emotions. Every set matches the types of sets you would set foot on int the era of silent cinema, any silent film fan would be pleased by how this film looks visually. Every part of the film had me so invested in these characters that I just wanted to see how their journeys continue, hoping that they have a happy ending as the story unfolds. So overall, if you are a fan of era of silent and sound in film, or you are studying film and want to find out about how film started and developed over the years, then I would highly recommend this wonderful film. It will leave you wanting to find out more, it will feed your knowledge of the history of cinema, and it will leave you to hopefully watch more silent or sound films and how they changed film for the better.