The artistry of silence

Rating: 10/10 (23 July 2012)

Many other reviewers have provided a synopsis of the film, so I won't re-do that.
Silent movies are very different from talkies: to paraphrase Norma Desmond, "we didn't need sound because we had faces." As you watch the great silent stars such as Clara Bow or Lillian Gish or Louise Brooks you will notice how much of the time the frame is filled by their faces. These great actors could communicate their thoughts by their incredibly expressive faces. Pantomime was a major part of silent film acting, and a repertoire of effects was developed. In the movie "The Artist", this style was disdained as "mugging" by the newer talkie stars, but it was a legitimate cinematic language distinct from that used in sound cinema.
The Artist reproduces the look of the old films as well, perhaps by using vintage lenses or special film stocks. I believe it was originally filmed in color and then reduced to black and white. However it was done, the high-key low contrast look seems very convincing. Other reviewers have objected to this, but along with the static camera work it seems to me to be a very successful rendition of the vintage look and feel.
Although the plot was also a homage to the old plot devices, it was executed with great energy and conviction. There were many clever uses of unexpected sounds. I can't imagine how anyone could find "The Artist" boring.