Forgotten Silver
"A work of demented genius...insidiously clever!" -Seattle Times
When director Peter Jackson discovers a cache of ancient nitrate in a neighbor's shed he realizes he has found "the most extraordinary collection of films I had never heard of. Imagine if Citizen Kane suddenly came out of the blue!"
So begins this insidiously funny, yet utterly believable "mockumentary" which uncovers the life of one Colin McKenzie, film pioneer and inventor extraordinaire in early 1900s New Zealand. The young genius McKenzie had invented motion picture cameras, color film, sync sound, tracking shots, and many other important cinematic techniques -- before the likes of D.W. Griffith and the Lumiere brothers. His Biblical epic Salome, for which he recreated ancient Jerusalem in the New Zealand jungle, is now recognized as a masterpiece of early cinema.
Featuring actor Sam Neill, film critic Leonard Maltin, and a cast of thousands, Forgotten Silver is "endearing and hilarious...a devilish ride straight into the heart of movie love!" (LA Weekly)
Member Reviews
Forgotten Silver - bosoxx
Is this the best film of its type?I think so.I was watching it with a friend who knew nothing of its history & she was taken in as were so many kiwis. In fact the reaction of the NZ public [ see extras on the DVD ]is a fascinating social psychology experiment in itself. But even if you are aware of the films intent makes little difference in ones enjoyment of how it was put together. Also, some hilarious bits througout. A classic. Dont miss it.No longer forgotten - koth
I really liked this little film. Especially the comedian whose face is on the cover, those scenes are hilarious.
What I liked most about this film was that on the insert it compared forgotten silver (a great mockumentary) with the buried secret of M. Night Shyamalan (the worst mockumentary ever made which I made the mistake of wasting my money on).
I just wish PJ himself were on the commentary, because the DVD seems a bit like Costa Boats trying to cash in on Jackson's new found success.
But it is a great little film that I'm glad is now easily available and no longer forgotten.Fun Little Flick - Scott
Obviously, if Peter Jackson hadn't made it big with the Lord of the Rings trilogy we would probably never know about this little mockumentary. It doesn't have the brilliance of something like Spinal Tap; but it is certainly an entertaining, and ostensibly plausible, piece of storytelling. Yet, it is like a filmmaker's reverie put on film: there's possibly more than a little of Peter Jackson's personal hopes and dreams in this made-for-New-Zealand-TV film. The bottom line, though, is that it's very well made, and great fun.
Member Reviews
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Forgotten Silver - bosoxx
Is this the best film of its type?I think so.I was watching it with a friend who knew nothing of its history & she was taken in as were so many kiwis. In fact the reaction of the NZ public [ see extras on the DVD ]is a fascinating social psychology experiment ...No longer forgotten - koth
I really liked this little film. Especially the comedian whose face is on the cover, those scenes are hilarious.
What I liked most about this film was that on the insert it compared forgotten silver (a great mockumentary) with the buried secret of M. ...Fun Little Flick - Scott
Obviously, if Peter Jackson hadn't made it big with the Lord of the Rings trilogy we would probably never know about this little mockumentary. It doesn't have the brilliance of something like Spinal Tap; but it is certainly an entertaining, and ostensibly ...