They just don’t make ‘em like they used to. So goes the
lament of the traditionalist, the old curmudgeon, the aging aficionado who,
like me, thinks the state of commercial filmmaking these days is severely
lacking in skilled craftsmen to write a screenplay and cut together a coherent
film. Perhaps that’s why French filmmaker Michel Hazanavicius’s silent drama The Artist has garnered so much
attention and accolades. It’s not just a film shot without dialogue in a
contemporary style. It’s a complete throwback to classical storytelling
techniques used from the 20’s through the 50’s.
