Director: Edwin S. Porter
Year: 1903
Country: US
Language: English
It seems that far too many people nowadays take pre-thirties Cinema for granted, accusing them of being too primitive and a complete waste of time. That assumption is not only primitive itself but is completely inaccurate. The Great Train Robbery is not only entertaining, but it is full of innovative shots and techniques that we in the 21st Century take for granted. Not only did Edwin Porter's film initiate the Western genre, which until then was only popular in fiction novels, but it became the most successfull film of the pre-Griffith era of American Cinema which resulted in a ton of remakes and imitations.
The opening scene of Great Train Robbery shows two anonymous robbers who force the telegraph operator to send a false message so the train will make an unscheduled stop.They tie him up then board the train as it stops. After a fight they use dynamite to blow up the safe. Next the robbers hold up the train and its passengers, one tries to run away but is shot on the spot. They ride off but the telegraph operator is able to send a message, calling for assistance. In a saloon a posse gets formed to take down the robbers. How many scenes in Westerns have there been in which a posse is formed to take down the bad guys? Far too many, but this film was the first to do it.
The film was revolutionary in many ways, first there is the backscreen projection that makes the train look like it's actually movie even though they're not really on a train at all.There's also a stoppage of action to see the environment, no film bothered to have that before then. Mainly because most films were a lot shorter than Great Train Robbery. A lot of the scenes were filmed in one take, which is why you may notice some comedic undertones such as one of the men tripping on a rock, or taking a much longer time getting on their horse. Though one might argue that it betrays the dramatic nature of the film, others may say that it makes it feel more authentic.
Great Train Robbery also captures the nature of the culture it was filmed in. There's a lot of violence and death within this. Innocents get shot down, robbers get shot down, yet it was the most successful film of its time. A lot of people paid to see these incredible acts of violence. The film also suggests that the "heroes" of this story are as guilty as the robbers. Once the robbers are caught by a posse, the posse doesn't bother to arrest them and bring to them to justice, they kill them with a barrage of bullets and are without remorse. Ignoring the bodies and immediately taking the money for themselves. Greed is quite a problem in this film as well.
In conclusion, Great Train Robbery is both innovative and intelligent, giving us a peak of the darker side of American culture. The "end" of this film, though it was sometimes played at the beginning, was also pretty memorable. It features a man shooting at the screen, which would have greatly shocked audiences in the beginning early 20th Century. It was only for shock value though, since it really has nothing to do with the main narrative. Still, at 12 minutes this is a film you could watch over and over and over again. Praise it! 5/5
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