silent films.

This summer as the kids and I were staying in the little 3 bedroom apartment, with no yard to play in and the heat and humidity too much to go out in, we started reading books.  Each afternoon after we had gone to the pool or in the morning before going to the pool we would lay on my bed and I would read to them.  I will always love this summer just for that reason.  Having all of my kids laying on the bed with me completely enrapt in a book is a wonderful feeling and a great time.  Every time I would say, "Okay that's it for the day.  We'll pick up there tomorrow."  The would always beg. "No Mom!  Read some more.  Just one more chapter.  Please!"  Not only did I love having their imaginations caught up in a book I also loved the worlds that reading together opened up for them.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret opened up the world of silent films to them. If it weren't for this book they wouldn't have loved silent films as much as they do now.  I think if, before Hugo, I would have said, "Hey, let's watch this George Melies film...or this Charlie Chaplin film"  They would have thought I was crazy to watch a show with no dialogue.

The way Hugo Cabret is written is so imaginative and completely different from any other book I've every read or seen.  It's written like it IS a silent film.  In the introduction of the story it asks you to 'imagine that the curtain is being lifted to reveal a giant screen.  In the first few pages you will see the sun coming up over the city, it will zoom into the city, then to a train station in the city, then to a boy, follow him...'

What a great beginning to a book!  It had us hooked right from the start!  The illustrations of Brian Selznick draw you in as though you are watching a movie.  We couldn't put the book down!  This is a book the kids didn't want to have end.  After the last page we immediately got on the internet and found films by George Melies, Buster Keaton, and Charlie Chaplin.  The kids couldn't stop laughing as they watched Charlie Chapin in the boxing ring and George Melies's The Black Imp. 

The illustration below is a film still from one of George Melies's films.  They were amazed to see the film 'Le Voyage dans la Lune' with the picture in the book below.

Now when we see a black and white movie on TV they want to stop and watch it.  I love that they are interested in the classic beginnings of film.  Thank you Brian Selznick!

new. LOVE.

Make sure to check out the video of George Melies's 'Le Voyage dans la Lune' below (After the picture from the book that goes with the video link):