It is impossible to watch the first adaptation of Charles Dickens Christmas story

The attractiveness of the missing media lies in the unknown mystery, as well as hunting hunting. This curiosity increases when something is only partially lost, giving us a glimpse of what could be. A famous example of this “The Mountain Eagle” from Alfred Hitchcock, which is considered one of the most desirable films. (Six interesting footage only managed to survive). While some experts believe that it is still possible to find missing media such as “The Mountain Eagle”, there are other artworks that seem to be lost forever. The first American adaptation to Charles Dickens “Carroll” is one of the examples of this, as there are no publications for this silent movie in 1908 present today.

Before we dug deeper into the history of this missing film, let’s take a quick look at Dickens’s most famous novel. You may already be accustomed to the essence of the story, as a strong hateful SCROOGE is subject to change in the heart after confronting it with the lives that push it towards salvation. Regardless of clear topics of kindness and forgiveness in the novel, Dickens’ use of “Happy Birthday” encouraged the philosopher among Victorian readers (which found a way to continue during a century, and more). It also strengthened the idea of ​​Christmas as the event of the neighbors together in the industrial city view (isolated) increasingly, which re -formulated it as a social gathering characterized by parking and making fun.

Looking at these connotations, it was interesting to see the first American adaptation of the story, if it was only to measure how these ideas translated into the silent medium at the time. Unfortunately, its missing situation can be attributed to the fact that 90 % of the films that were produced before 1929 can be impossible to find, even with the efforts of the film institution designated to maintain as much efforts as possible.

Although we do not have any remaining publications to go to it, a review of the magazine of Moving Picure World (Fortunately) provides a written description for every scene before the release of the 1908 movie. These descriptions indicate that the plot has often remained like Dickens’ novel, but it collected last Christmas ghosts, the present, yet it did not enter into one entity. This may have been done for creative or budget reasons, but we know that SCROOGE played by Thomas RichkettsWho was famous for his personality acting and directing one of the first animation in Hollywood. Although it is difficult to measure the quality of the RICKETTS performance, the description of the text presents the character as a person who is avoided by the local neighborhood because of his canthane behavior.

The rest adheres to what we know, as it ends with Scroge, which hosts a huge banquet for everyone, while promising to be more kind to his perception of those around him. We also have an approximate idea of ​​operating time (15 minutes!), Which fits the classification of the short movie according to today’s standards but may have been seen as the standard at that time. Critics’ reviews of the film also found a way to survive, with the world of moving images the following to say (across Wake missing media outlets):

“It is very impossible to praise this movie. It is closely reproducing the story as much as it can be done in a movie, and artistic excellence cannot be interrogated. Photography, gradual, all the best acting, and the story that is always impressive. … These films cannot be very praise.”

While these characteristics are mysterious (which is understandable, as there were not many titles that can be compared), they give us a good idea enough about their artistic merit. Perhaps the film’s rollers have been destroyed to make room for new owners; Whatever the situation, there are no footage or shots in any shape at the present time. This is a shame, because the presence of this silent film in 1908 by nature The cradle of the path for every adaptation came yet. Perhaps one of these Christmas, we will get a gift from someone who reveals a long -term version of the movie somewhere in the world.