Well here goes....
If you've read my introduction you know what I am writing about.  Silent film.  Easy on the ears, lovely to watch, a dream from a black and white vision.
I collect books, hundreds of books on silent film. I have a great collection of DVD's and I've been infatuated with Valentino, Keaton, Pickford, and Fairbanks and some of the ones we do not know in our era of *so-called* stars.  And you will know I do have an opinion of the modern media, people like Tom Cruise that mean nothing to me.  I've seen one of his films, I have never seen a show with Brad Pitt in it.  It's not often you will see me going to a film unless Turner is releasing "Singin' In The Rain" again.  I love happy films, I love European and I love drama as long as its silent or musicals!
I'm 53, have been a silent film fan since 1970.  I have been a writer for nearly as long, mostly in Star Trek and other fan-doms that I care a great deal about.  Film is my passion, silent film my true love.  I was born 27 years after the silent era ended.  My father, who was born in 1914 could never understand why I liked those 'old things' or would spend ages explaining why I could not like Charlie Chaplin because he was a 'commie'.  I had no idea what that meant.  What I did discover, long after I left home at 16, was that Chaplin was an artist.  A gift from God.  Much like my favorite actor now, Scott Bakula.  You get a person like this maybe ONCE in a generation.  In the silent era we had more than one and all amazing and I hope I can write my little essays in some way to please myself, maybe someone who lingers here.
I need to acknowledge my one true hero in the silent film era--although he was not born during it.  His name is Kevin Brownlow.  He wrote every single book that means anything to the history of silent film.  He is a magical, magical man who deservedly won an Oscar for his lifelong love of this media.  You want to get me started, well watch his wonderful, amazing documentary "Hollywood" -- it's on You Tube.  You will learn more from one hour of his series than you will learn in four years of film history studies!!!  He is a genius, he is my friend.  I like to think that.  We write each other occasionally by email.  I sent him a letter after his Oscar win, just stating how proud I was of him.  He wrote me a letter back--a real paper letter, typed and everything!  He is encouraging.  The reason that everyone in the silent era that lived to be interviewed by him gave him all they had is because he is a wonderful man who makes you feel you have known him all your life and treats you so special.  Kevin, I don't know if you will ever read this, but you have inspired me, today, to write this blog.  I love you.  I love silent films.  It's because of you.