What are your experiences with the world of silent cinema?
Many people shy away from this pioneering time in the film where there was no sound and no color to bring these stories to life. I was hesitant when I was younger but have since gotten the opportunity to appreciate some great films from this era of film. My silent film journey really began in high school during my cinema class. We spent time focusing on German filmmaking of the 20s and 30s. That is when I first saw The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, a film that was formative for Tim Burton and influenced many films from my own youth (Edward Scissorhands, Batman Returns, etc). We also watched one of the original great horror films in Nosferatu. Long before being known as a silly gag in a Spongebob episode, this vampire film set the groundwork that led to the creation of the Universal Horror franchise. My first experience was quite unique as it was a special edition of the disc that included a death metal band supplying a new film score (it was metal AF).
But was the most formative experience with the dawn of filmmaking?
I can thank my dear brother for this. One year as a gift, he bought me a selection of silent films called Vintage Cinema: Experiments in Early Film. There were five early films that captured the scope of filmmaking at the time. There were early adaptations of classic works such as Alice in Wonderland and Frankenstein. These were just under 10 minutes apiece and feature some impressive early production and costume design as well as makeup. Then there was the silly slapstick fun of Pool Sharks. W.C. Fields (a name that carried weight at the time) set two suitors against each other in a humorous and absurd battle of shooting pool. There was even an entry from D.W. Griffith himself with the private investigator tale of The Mystery of the Leaping Fish. This was by far the longest of the set with almost 30 minutes of footage. But the crown jewel was one of the most renowned and beloved films of early cinema…Le Voyage dans la Lune. A Trip to the Moon was my first experience with the great Georges Melies.
But what is so significant about A Trip to the Moon and Melies?
This groundbreaking film from 1902 is one of the oldest and grandest films in all of the cinema but specifically in the science fiction genre. Channeling the energy of Jules Verne (one of my all-time favorite writers), this film captures the brilliance of Verne’s science fiction worlds and concepts to offer up a magical experience that was not seen at that point in the film. Melies understood the magical nature of the film and exactly what it could do for audiences. This film is only 9 minutes when run at 24 frames per second, but it offers up some of the most iconic imagery in all of the film. The man on the moon itself would have been enough to make this a classic that would never go away. The crazy vision of the moon that Melies offers is cinematic and chaotic with deadly creatures threatening our dear scientists at every turn. Homages of this classic can be seen throughout plenty of science fiction and even in French-focused films such as Moulin Rouge.
But who else loves this incredible time at the cinema?
Martin Scorsese. In general, Scorsese is a student of the game, and you can see many of his influences in his work. But up to this point, he had never made a true love letter to cinema.
Hugo is everything that I just said. This is a wonderful and moving story that the whole family can appreciate (even with some darker elements at times). The story is also something quite mainstream with an age-old story of a young man trying to find his place in the world.
What a perfect way to make a mainstream accessible and family-friendly affair something so Scorsese.
This is a story about a young man trying to help heal the broken and at the very heart of it is the love of cinema. Hugo Cabret takes his new friend Isabelle to the theater for her first time. She is in awe of the film Safety Last! which is iconic for its sequence featuring a man hanging from the face of a clock on the side of a building. It would only be fitting for Scorsese to feature such a stunt as the climax to his film as well. But a film that sits in awe of the silent era of film, the filmmaking process, and film preservation… is 100% without a doubt a film by Scorsese.
But what makes this a film that stands out from most in Scorsese’s filmography?
First and foremost, this digital and 3D exercise in filmmaking is one to behold. Even without the actual 3D glasses, how Scorsese and longtime DP Robert Richardson make Paris come to life and engulf you as an audience. Long digital tracking shots bring us down through the city and throughout the lively and majestic train station that is the setting for most of the film (as well as Hugo’s home). The world is a beautiful rendition of 1931 Paris and actually owes so much to the incredible computer-generated effects as well as the exuberant budget that Scorsese was entrusted with. Some of the shots of course have aged in the past 11 years but in general, this is a beautiful world brought to digital life. One scene that uses the 3D effects is so magical and engrossing that it made me a bit emotional. What a special thing that a whirlwind of art pieces can capture the imagination so well.
But there are plenty of other elements of Hugo that make this a unique Scorsese effort, right?
The other obvious element is certainly the fact that this is a family-oriented film. No other film in Scorsese’s filmography and say that at least. Scorsese’s films generally are violent and full of cursing but this film channels plenty of full slapstick chases and fun-loving youthful adventures. There is certainly a balance of tones as there are many tears to shed during the film. There is even one nightmare sequence with crazy effects that even freaked me out a bit…as an adult. This is also a French film through and through (well except for all the British accents). Scorsese is a truly iconic American filmmaker who embodies New York so well. But he can capture the beauty and flair of Paris so well in Hugo. The camera gazes upon the city and allows the audience to take in the beauty as well. One of the most important pieces of the film that captures the tone and love for Paris so well is the score. Howard Shore. Bravo. This is a moving and beautifully French parade of music that accentuates the story and setting so well. Hugo would not feel so magical without the impressive complement of Shore’s work.
But what is this ode to the cinema about?
Hugo is a boy who has been relegated to doing the clockwork of his drunken uncle in a Parisian train station. He spies upon the inhabitants including a flirtatious pair of citizens, a woman who sells flowers, the officer who fancies her but also hunts orphan kids, and a bookseller. But there is one who has a serious problem with the young Hugo. The toymaker. He is a grumpy old man who doesn’t intend on connecting with our young protagonist. But he soon meets the man’s niece and ward, Isabelle. Hugo tries to fix the automaton which is one of the last items left with him before his father dies. Hugo is joined by Isabelle on this moving journey to fix this gear-filled boy as well as the heartbroken Uncle Georges who sells his toys in sadness. The story is rousing and inspiring in so many ways. You cannot help but have a smile on your face as these two rambunctious children try to complete their mission.
But what about the talented ensemble that makes up the film?
Years, before he led one of Netflix’s, most unique and engaging series (Sex Education), Asa Butterfield brought wide-eyed awe to this sad and lost child. He is able to show the sadness, frustration, and pure joy that makes Hugo such a likable and empathetic protagonist. Chloe Grace Moretz is a true shining star in the film. There are certainly times when she makes acting choices that are a little too big but in general, she is completely infectious on screen. Butterfield and Moretz are a perfect pair of child actors that help anchor this magical film. Then you have a long list of talented actors who fill out this film. Ben Kingsley is a tragic presence in this film as he plays his character off as a grumpy and miserable wretch on the surface but always shows the audience that there is sadness just below the surface. We see him grow so much as the spark in his life finally returns…but we will get there soon. Helen McCrory is a perfect match as Mama Jeanne who is a warm but stern presence who is protective of her belabored husband. Sacha Baron Cohen walks an impressive tightrope of being the comic relief and antagonist all in one. He is stern and intimidatingly cold while also channeling humor from his exaggerated physicality. There is even a silly side plot over the phone that offers up plenty of laughs thanks to Baron Cohen’s dry wit. Throw in pitch-perfect smaller roles for the likes of Jude Law, Emily Mortimer, Ray Winstone, Richard Griffiths, Frances de la Tour, and of course Christopher Lee and we have a magical cast to match this magic film. But one special shoutout to Michael Stuhlbarg who is a film preservationist and professor who is a perfect representation of Scorsese and the audience all in one.
But all this comes down to something that I have built up quite a bit, right?
Love of cinema. If you do not want any of the surprises ruined for you…skip to the last paragraph. Who is Kingsley? Georges Melies himself. One of the most moving moments put to film is the visit that Stuhlbarg’s characters make to Melies’ home. As Melies wallows in the other room (or so we think), Mama Jeanne, Hugo, and Isabelle sit down to experience A Trip to the Moon in all its glory. A smile on Stuhlbarg’s face as he cranks the projector, a remembering feeling of nostalgia cloaks over Mama Jeanne, and Hugo looks on in awe as we the audience do as well. Goosebumps covered my body and tears filled my eyes as this moment struck a chord unlike the one at the end of Cinema Paradiso. Cathartic. Few films give me such a feeling. Then Scorsese reveals that Melies was there all along…watching his film with a mixture of emotions. Then Scorsese delivers a moving and poignant montage (narrated by Kingsley) that tells the audience and our protagonist the story of Melies and his journey from magician to cinematic showman to a tragic figure. But the film is not quite done with tugging on your heartstrings. The cherry on top of the beautiful journey is Melies walking out from the curtains and revealing a montage of his life’s work. What a breathtaking barrage of cinematic excellence. The wonder. The magic. The imagination. It will make you feel like a wide-eyed kid again…just like Hugo.
Are you going to check out Scorsese’s most unique film to date?
This love letter to cinema itself will wow any cinephile and it just might spark some love in those who have not loved before.
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This is his first feature that is something for the whole family to enjoy. There are wonderful effects that will wow the audience. There is an exceptional heart that will pull on the heartstrings and inspire the audience. I love Hugo in a way that is unexpected. There are plenty of films in Scorsese’s extensive filmography that better work…but it is hard to not love this one. I know I am glad that Scorsese went outside his comfort zone with this visual effects-driven, family-friendly, ode to cinema. We all benefited from his venture.
