Gimmickry

Rating: 5/10 (15 November 2012)

What's next? Will musicians release their work on 78RPM disks? Will television delay programs using kinescope technology. This movie admittedly had its moments. The whole thing was something of a send-up. And the old cars are certainly a treat to see. But the movie is essentially a gimmick and one of those "outre" works that that film festival crowd clucks and coos over. I fail to see what the purpose of the whole exercise was beyond film makers making a film for other film makers. The reality is that most of the audience has never seen a silent film (or, for that matter, a black and white one.) It is an interesting and well done conversation piece for film buffs. Maybe that rather than the public appeal accounted for its Academy Award success.