Film technology has improved significantly over the past century or so. We went from having silent black and white films to fully colored movies with immersive sound and special effects. If forced to choose between the two, most people, myself included, would probably say that they’d prefer to watch a movie with sound and color over a silent film. Despite this, films such as Metropolis (1927) and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) are still considered classics, with some people going as far as saying they’re some of the best films to be made. What is it about these films, with seemingly primitive filming technology and techniques, that makes them so good? 

The most obvious reason is the fact that these movies pioneered cinema as both an art form and an industry. For instance, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is considered as the first actual horror film, and heavily inspired the film noir genre. Similarly, Metropolis is to thank for the sci-fi genre’s iconic use of robots and large, futuristic buildings. 

However, knowing the impact of these movies on the film industry hardly has an effect on whether the viewers will actually enjoy watching the film or not. Something that is known to make movies more enjoyable to general audiences, however, is immersion. Having watched all three hours of Metropolis, I have to say that its immersion is unmatched to any other film I’ve watched, which is ironically one of the effects of its “primitive” silent nature. I personally found that due to the silence and minimal dialogue in the movie, I had a much easier time not only understanding but interacting with the film. This is because the film relies on the viewer’s ability to analyze what’s happening on the screen at all times without being able to physically explain anything to the viewer. In turn, this allows the viewer to perceive the film in a much more unique and personal way.  

Although silent films are considered as nothing but “outdated” art forms by many people, these movies have managed to stay relevant, even in the 21st century. Ironically, their relevance is a result of how outdated they are, since these films were able to pioneer entire genres of movies. Also, the elementary filming techniques used in these movies greatly contribute to the unique experience of viewing silent films.