Reading Room

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) | The Definitives (opens deepfocusreview.com in a new tab)

Comprehensive critical analysis of Wiene's German Expressionist horror masterpiece and its cultural significance.

Deep Focus Review

On The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

The Golem's Step Away from Expressionism (opens trettleman.medium.com in a new tab)

Essay examining the Golem's relationship to German Expressionism and its cinematic techniques.

Medium

On The Golem: How He Came Into the World

The Mark of Zorro (1920): The fabrication of freedom and the cultural hero — UBC Latin American Cinema Blog (opens blogs.ubc.ca in a new tab)

Analysis of Fairbanks' pioneering swashbuckler and its role in defining the adventure film genre.

On The Mark of Zorro

The Parson's Widow (1920): Dreyer's humanism and humour (opens silentlondon.co.uk in a new tab)

Essay on Dreyer's Swedish comedy-drama and its exploration of human relationships and morality.

Silent London

On The Parson's Widow

The Scarecrow (Buster Keaton, 1920) — Bethany Lee's Film Studies Blog (opens filmstudiesleeb.wordpress.com in a new tab)

Analysis of Keaton's farmland comedy and innovative gadget-based visual gags.

On The Scarecrow

Way Down East (1920) — TCM Articles (opens tcm.com in a new tab)

Essay on Griffith's melodramatic masterpiece featuring Lillian Gish and innovative ice-break climax.

On Way Down East

'Within Our Gates' (1920) By Daniel Eagan — Library of Congress (opens loc.gov in a new tab)

Library of Congress essay analyzing Micheaux's foundational race film addressing racism and black uplift.

On Within Our Gates

Master of the House: In the Corner - The Criterion Collection (opens criterion.com in a new tab)

Essay examining Dreyer's visual style and domestic drama.

The Criterion Collection

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm | film by Neilan [1917] (opens britannica.com in a new tab)

Encyclopedia entry on Pickford's adaptation of the popular novel featuring screenwriter Frances Marion.

Britannica

On Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm

film essay for 'The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse' — Library of Congress (opens loc.gov in a new tab)

Library of Congress preservation essay on Ingram's epic World War I drama starring Valentino.

On The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

The Goat (1921) (opens anttialanenfilmdiary.blogspot.com in a new tab)

Analysis of Keaton's mistaken identity chase film featuring iconic train and locomotive stunts.

Antti Alanen Film Diary

On The Goat

The Haunted House (1921) (opens silverscreenings.org in a new tab)

Essay analyzing Keaton's bank robbery comedy with elaborate props and supernatural comedy elements.

Silver Screenings

On The Haunted House

'The Kid' (1921) is one of Charles Chaplin's finest — Library of Congress (opens loc.gov in a new tab)

Library of Congress essay on Chaplin's masterpiece blending comedy and drama about abandonment and family.

On The Kid

film essay for 'Tol'able David' — Library of Congress (opens loc.gov in a new tab)

Library of Congress essay on Henry King's coming-of-age drama set in Appalachia with acclaimed cinematography.

On Tol'able David

Blood and Sand (1922): Rudolph Valentino — Alt Film Guide (opens altfg.com in a new tab)

Essay on Niblo's matador melodrama featuring Valentino's performance and Arzner's innovative editing.

On Blood and Sand

The Jazz Singer By Ron Hutchinson — Library of Congress (opens loc.gov in a new tab)

Library of Congress essay on the first feature-length talkie.

On The Jazz Singer

film essay for 'Cops' — Library of Congress (opens loc.gov in a new tab)

Library of Congress preservation essay on Keaton's political chase comedy and police slapstick.

On Cops

film essay for Foolish Wives — Library of Congress (opens loc.gov in a new tab)

Library of Congress essay on Stroheim's million-dollar Monte Carlo con artist drama and Gothic sensibility.

On Foolish Wives

100 Years Ago Today: Harold Lloyd's First Feature, The Original 'Grandma's Boy' (opens travsd.wordpress.com in a new tab)

Essay on Lloyd's pioneering feature-length comedy mixing slapstick with character development and heart.

Trav S.D. Blog

On Grandma's Boy

film essay for 'Nanook of the North' — Library of Congress (opens loc.gov in a new tab)

Library of Congress essay on Flaherty's pioneering documentary raising questions of ethics and representation.

On Nanook of the North

The Incredible Architecture of Douglas Fairbanks' Robin Hood (opens trettleman.medium.com in a new tab)

Essay on Dwan's most expensive silent film featuring Lloyd Wright's castle set and Fairbanks' athleticism.

Medium

On Robin Hood

A Gag Every Minute: Buster Keaton in The Blacksmith (1922) (opens thewonderfulworldofcinema.wordpress.com in a new tab)

Analysis of Keaton's comedic techniques and endless string of gags around the blacksmith theme.

The Wonderful World of Cinema

On The Blacksmith

The Electric House (1922) - The Electric House (1920) — Turner Classic Movies (opens tcm.com in a new tab)

Critical analysis of Keaton's automation comedy and examination of human error in design.

On The Electric House