WHAT A GREAT EVENING!

         Two nights ago, I unexpectedly found myself attending an outdoor screening at Paramount Ranch in Agoura Hills…and I’m so glad that I did!

         The film – 1925’s silent western, The Clash of the Wolves – was directed by Noel M. Smith and photographed by Edwin B. DuPar, Allen Thompson and an uncredited Joseph Walker (each of whom would later be invited to ASC membership).  The plot, such as it is, concerns the close attachment that develops between a wolf and the cowboy who saves his life after a serious injury.  None of this is terribly notable but for the fact that it marked the debut of the famous Rin Tin Tin character, and an amazing debut it was!  Whatever dog played the role did so with a conviction far beyond that of his human counterparts.

         Considering the period in which the movie was made and the primitive tools the cinematographers were using, the look is quite sophisticated.  It contains an unusual amount of camera movement for a silent film, often advancing the lens smoothly over rough or broken terrain.  This had to have been difficult to execute, what with the need to turn the crank and frame through a dodgy offset viewfinder.  But the effect is truly remarkable.  The majority of stunts – some of them breath-taking – also appear to have been captured in-camera, along with a number of glass shots and not-so-subtle matte shots that add to the drama.

         As the sky darkened and I settled into my folding chair, I had no idea how pleasantly I was about to be surprised.  The Clash of the Wolves is an iconic piece of film history and was one of the main titles that helped establish Warner Bros. as a major studio.  In 2004 it was recognized by the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress, marking for all time its cultural and aesthetic importance.  Better yet, no less an authority than Jeff IV gave it four paws up, so what greater endorsement would anyone need?