Silent Film, Swedish Silent Film: Biograph and Svenska Bio; D.W. Griffith and Victor Sjostrom

Sunday, July 12, 2026

The Photoplay: Swedish Silent Movie Posters

Erika Lunding, Stockholm University, in her paper on Archives, Curatorship and Curatorship, writes, "The posters were made to advertise a movie, in order for it to attract as many moviegoers as possible. The poster's illustration was supposed to catch the essence of the film and to summarize the story....The large image format was overwhelming and initially attracted viewers, even though the image content appeared abstract from a distance." In regard to Lost Silent Film, Found Magazines, Erika Lunding explains the value of movie posters to Style and graphic design, as well as image and text content of the movie posters, provide large amounts of information to viewers, many years after the film's premiere. The majority of silent movies are lost, however, the posters survive and have become valuable historical documents." Swedish Silent Film

Swedish Silent Film

Gustaf Molander

Swedish Silent Film

Thursday, July 9, 2026

Scott Lord Silent Film: Carol Dempster in The Girl Who Stayed Home (D.W. Griffith, 1919)

Directed by D.W.Griffith and photographed by G.W. Bitzer for the Famous Players Lasky Corporation "The Girl Who Stayed at Home" (seven reels) showcased actress Carol Dempster. In their volume The films of D.W. Griffith, Edward Wagenkneckt and Anthony Slide describe the theater transpiring on screen, the theatrical element, by contrasting the loves scenes of each of the two couples; compared to the Seymour-Harron affair, the "Carol Dempster-Richard Barthelmess love affair is strangely tepid; it lacks the joyful emotion of true feeling."

D.W. Griffith and S.E.V. Taylor had adapted the photoplay from an original story Taylor had written.
D. W. Griffith

D.W. Griffith