Lost Films Lost Heritage Part 2 | Under Lens

Films which are lost might not be discovered ever but the people We continue with our list of lost films with introduction to few more such films:

L'Arroseur (Watering the Flowers): It is said that only 4% of Georges Méliès’ cinema is available. This might be a little exaggeration, but the fact remains that most of his works are lost.  L'Arroseur, made in 1896, is one such film. Based on another classic - L'Arroseur Arrosé – film was appreciated by the audience of the time. Méliès’ influence on global cinema is huge. Martin Scorsese’s Hugo is a beautiful reminder.

Madonna of Avenue A: This silent film lost during the phase of transition is remembered for two major reasons – it was one of last few silent appearances of Dolores Costello, The Goddess of the Silent Screen and it was also first film of Michael Curtiz – the legendary director who made films like Casablanca, Yankee Doodle Dandy, Mildred Pierce and many more.

Farewell Performance: Relatively new film, made in 1963, Farewell Performance had David Kernan in lead role. David, more known That Was the Week That Was show in early sixties, was a known figure in music world of his time. The film, as one would expect, was a murder mystery woven around death of a pop-singer. A deserving BFI 75 Most Wanted.

Lost Films Lost Heritage Part 1 | Under Lens

Many films are literally wiped off from the face of this earth. They are artifacts deserved to be preserved for humanity. TRM makes a note of some brilliant films which are lost.

The Fall Of The Romanovs: Made in 1917, film was about fall of Czars and was released shortly after Nicholas II ‘s abdication. This movie was woven around Rasputin and his influence on the Russian monarchy. This movie was one of the inspirations of 1932 film Rasputin and the Empress. This movie was a strong statement against the monarchy. Rasputin’s confidante turned foe Iliodor played himself.

Different From The Others: One of early sympathetic portrayals of homosexuals, 1919 German film Different From The Others was targeted by Nazis in 30s and this was the major reason why this film lists here. Film shows life and struggle of Paul Körner with the world around them. It also made an attempt to understand the science involved.

A Woman Of The Sea: Also known by its working title Sea Gulls, this is probably only film in which Charlie Chaplin neither directed nor acted in. It was supposed to be made exclusively for Edna Purviance and remained in production for half an year. However, Chaplin was not happy with the outcome and shelved the project. Prints of the film were burnt for tax purposes.

We will talk about a few more films in next edition.