Reference no: EM133607626

Question: What responses or opinions do you have about these impressions?

1. First Film Screenings in History: While pretty understandable that some of the first films aren't very narrative focused, the subjects the Lumiere brothers chose to focus on were very modern, Factories clearing out, trains stopping, and workers demolishing a building. There is very little to be seen from nature beyond the short of the rowers going out to sea. In addition to being some of the first motion pictures ever recorded and projected they also act as documents of what life was like in the time they were made.

2. How It Feels To Be Run Over: This one introduces subjectivity, as opposed to the other films which were used as clear, objective views of all action happening on screen. The title even going beyond "what it looks like" to How it feels".

3. Uncle Josh At the Moving Picture Show: This one goes even further to have an actual set. Which funnily enough is a stage. Part of what fascinates me about early films up through the 30s is that they still have elements which come from theater. Whether it's actors relying more on their physicalities, static shots where the action plays out uncut, and blocking which emphasizes actors staying turned toward the camera.

4. The Big Swallow: This is the first one with an actual edit. Although it's made to seem like it's continuous, it cuts between the yelling man and the cameraman who is sucked into his mouth. This one is also much more fantastical than the others, relying on the perspective of the camera in order to play with scale, revealing not only that the man is approaching, but that he also is massive.

5. What Happened In the Tunnel?: The early comedy shorts often work more as a single joke played over time, kinda like a bar joke instead of it being a narrative with humor in it.