70 Percent of Silent Films are Lost

This article discusses the loss of most silent films. After a two year survey the Library of Congress announced that 70% of silent films are lost. Many of these films were lost because there was no effort to preserve these cultural films and many were destroyed by deterioration, fire or just a lack of care. As we know, nitrate film is extremely inflammable if not cared for correctly and because of this many nitrate films have been lost. A single film might spontaneously combust and then cannibalizes all the others.

Sadly Paramount Pictures did not start a film preservation program until the 1980’s and because of this only 29% of their silent films still survive today. The studio created over 1,222 silent films and only a small fraction survives. Some films thought to be lost forever are: “The Great Gatsby” 1926, “Cleopatra” 1917, and “The Patriot” 1928.

MGM studios was one of the only major studios to start preserving there silent films. They saw the value in being able to re-release films and use film clips in other ways to bring in revenue. Because of this they were able to save 113 films and give prints and negatives of film to archives. By doing this they were able to save nearly 68% of their silent films.

While it is terrible that these films were lost maybe this will be a wake-up call to the general public that part of American history and culture is being lost and without further action more will be gone. I agree with David Pierce, the archivist who organized the survey when he argues that silent films are still as pervasive and effective as they were on audience many years ago. These films are a different format then the regular audience is used to viewing, yet each film can teach us a lot about our past. Not only do we get to experience the film and its storyline but we get to place ourselves in the shoes of those who came before us. We get to experience the films as they saw them and because of that photography and film revolutionized the world and enabled us now to gain perspective on the past. Silent films must be preserved before the rest are lost because with every film that disappears we lose another piece of history.

Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/05/silent-films-lost_n_4388656.html?utm_hp_ref=entertainment