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| A still from Theda Bara's lost 1917 film "Cleopatra" |
The biggest thing that incurs sadness in me as far as cinema goes is the issue of lost films. It's sad to imagine how people poured their creative efforts into a piece of celluloid, hoping to imbue it with a life of its own; a life that will carry on beyond their own. They thought to grant their work of art immortality. But mankind in its recurring shortsightedness has often withstood the force of immortality itself, destroying all in its path. Most films from 1984 to the 1930s are lost, with director Martin Scorsese estimating that 90 percent of films from that era are lost.
Admittedly, some of those films were lost due to the nitrate film they were printed on, through no fault of mankind. Any film shot before 1952 was printed on that sort of film, which proved to be highly flammable. These nitrate films were prone to quick deterioration and, if stored in a hot place, were also prone to spontaneous combustion. As they were often times stored in vaults with poor air conditioning, the film material turned decrepit quickly, spreading like an epidemic. Furthermore, in 1967, MGM's vault caught fire, resulting in the further loss of hundreds of films from the early era of cinema. In addition, some early sound films
However, mankind's was the biggest predator to those films, dead and gone. Hollywood executives during that time did not foresee a future where advanced technology could again air films beyond their date of release. They did not foresee the fruits of royalties, home videos, companies such as Netflix or the advent of television in becoming a tool to re-air films. Furthermore, those executives viewed silent films as having lost their commercial appeal since the introduction of sound cinema. Hollywood has always been about making a profit. Thus, silent films were cleared from the vaults to make space for the new sound films or Technicolor extravaganza films. The silent films were either sold for cheap or completely destroyed. Some early sound films also had their prints and sound printed separately. Thus, a film's sound may be discovered, while the actual image print of the film is lost, or vice versa.
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| The Lady From Shanghai, Welles' severely cut thriller |
Sometimes, films were cut because the studios opposed the vision of their directors. Such a fate notably befell directors Orson Welles and Eric von Stroheim, with many of their films being butchered. The cut portions of their films remain lost. In those days, there were no Director's cut. A footage once excised was usually gone forever. What remains of Welles' 1942
The Magnificent Ambersons and von Stroheim's 1924
Greed promise to be nothing sort of masterpieces; yet, those promises can unfortunately not be kept.
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| Greed, von Stroheim's severely cut masterpiece |
Films from the 1894 to early 30s era sometimes survive in fragmented forms, fossil oddities from a bygone time. The stars of the lost films, such as Theda Bara, have become nearly mythical given that few of the works on the resume have survived into the modern age. Is it better to be a myth than a legend? Often times, some films previously considered lost are rediscovered. This is the case with Fritz Lang's 1927
Metropolis with most of its negatives having been found over the years. Martin Scorsese's
Film Foundation also continues efforts to relocate and preserve lost films. You never know, you might even have one in your garage.
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| Metropolis, 1927 |
