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By PAUL BRENNER
Kino Video has released a
fascinating artifact of the early days of American
film, the James Keane directed "Richard III" from
1912, starring the legendary Shakespearean stage
actor Frederick Warde, filming his famous role of
Richard III at the age of 62 (Warde reaches back
so far in American theatrical history that he
toured with Edwin Booth).
What makes this film unique is that at five reels
in length "Richard III" is the earliest surviving
American feature film. The film, the nitrate print
donated to the American Film Institute by film
collector William Buffun in 1996, was a major news
item upon its rediscovery in 1996.
The most amazing thing about the film is that --
more than ninety years since it's making -- it
holds up impressively well. The film is divided up
into five parts, reflecting the five-act structure
of Shakespeare's play. Of course, at 59 minutes in
length, each act is greatly abbreviated and given
that the film is an American film, the accent is
on the sensational -- murder and mayhem drive the
show, popular mainstays of American movies that
make the film anything but boring.
"Richard III" is also notable for the detail and
elaborate staging of the scenes. Shot in New York
in Westchester and the Bronx, the production
doesn't skimp on the sets, costumes, or cast
members. Since the film is from 1912 and the film
hadn't incorporated the innovations of close-ups
and medium shots being explored at the time by
D.W. Griffith and others, the accent is still on
the scene rather than the shot. But there are
still baby-step leanings in that direction with
the incorporation of a few insert shots and
changing of perspectives within certain scenes.
Along with the allure of witnessing an important
film discovery in impressive condition, the film
also boasts an evocative new symphonic score by
the great film composer Ennio Morricone. Frederick
Warde's "Richard III" is a surprising treasure of
early American cinema that cannot be missed.
The extras include a 17-minute documentary on the
rediscovery of the film and an article from 1912
on the film written by Warde for The Brooklyn
Eagle. |
