h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I don't want to sound picky (I like your article), but I thought I'd better write before some real pedant does.
Rudolph Valentino had a cast iron excuse for not making the transition to talking pictures. He died in 1926.

Oops. I must take the blame for that blunder. But you have to admit, it would have been a worse mistake to cast him in "The Jazz Singer".

JTG

yeah off the top of my head I don't recall talking about Valentino in the first draft of this thing. So I concur with John. It's his fault. LOL! Just kidding, John. =)

Good eye, though Potholder.

Yep... My fault entirely... timelines, mortality... there's obviously a lot more to human existence that at first meets the eye... just when I thought I was starting to get a really good grasp of things too.

(I still think dropping dead is a pretty definitive shortfall though)

There's no reason why we can't wip Valentino out and stick in a less dead would-be talkie star. Though, perhaps it would be best to wait 'till after the Xmas mayhem.

Sorry pardner.

JTG

For the Attention of JTG
The reason Cinema's are losing the plot is due mainly to their
blinkered approach to what they show. We were promised
Multiplexes that could cater for both main stream " Blockbusters "
and minority / art house films .Completely wrong.
Here in Notlondon ( only 2 hrs from the capital ) our local 8 screen
Virgin (sic )is still showing " The Phantom Menace " - dubbed by
those who know to be shmuck of the highest order - but have refused to show " The Limey " , released on December 12 to mainly good
reviews.

you infer that the first movies were seen in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania in the first nickelodeon. However, if this is to be an 'Official Guide Entry' I think you should mention that the first movie shown to a paying audience was 'Departure of the Workers of the Lumiere Factory', shown at the Grand Cafe, Paris on December 28 1895. It showed just that, employees leaving their place of employment, hardly a riveting subject, but it was viewed in amazement by a public only used to magic lantern shows.

You say that the first colour movies date from the 1940s but the first full length feature film made in colour was 'The World, the Flesh and the Devil', made in Britain in 1914. You may not have heard of it because the acting and directing was generally considered to be poor, but everyone was impressed by the colour.

I have other ideas on this if you are interested as I was going to do this one myself, but you beat me to it. Happy New Year, anyway and good luck to you.

I hope you don't mind these suggstions -

or even these suggestions!!

Good point Robbie. I live in a community where movies are only booked if they have a monkey.
JTG

I really liked the article - it's a great summary of a LOT of material. I wanted to point out a couple things, tho'... First, I think the term "movies" came from the phrase "moving pictures." And I think you misspelled Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

I'm thinking about writing my first Guide article on film sound, and I'm sure there'll be lots of little technical things people will correct me on. So feel free to chime in on that, if you want a chance to nitpick me back!