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Day Four: Medal Competition for Artistic Design

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Eugenio Bava, Segundo de Chomon, & Giovanni Pastrone: Cabiria (1914) (Italy)
Italy steps up to the plate. Yes, before Griffith, there was Cabiria. The Birth of a Nation came out in 1915, but for the previous two years, the Italians were the masters of the epic spectacle, and Cabiria is the greatest film they produced. A historical drama with a run-time of over two hours, this one paved the way for all the epics and feature length films to come. Like all future epics, Pastrone's film was visually stunning. The detail of the lavish period sets and costumes were practically unheard of for the time and set the tone for the decadence to come, and the special effects by Bava & de Chomon were marvelous. The appreciation of the audience for Italy's first foray into the competition shows the visual splendor of Cabiria still has the power to amaze.
� Wilfred Buckland (Art Director), Howard Higgin (Production Manager) & Mitchell Leisen (Costume Design): Male & Female (1919) (USA)
This is the second nomination for Cecil B. DeMille's delightfully frothy tale of class and manners among a delightful cast of castaways, and showed that he, like Griffith jumped head-first into the realm of visual decadence after the Italians paved the way. First a brief word for the great sets. From the lavish mansion (especially Gloria Swanson's marble bathroom), to the interior details of the ship soon to be lost at sea; from the settings of the bizarre biblical fantasy to the characters new deserted isle abode this is glorious eye candy throughout. But for the real treat, Mitchell Leisen helped establish himself as perhaps the leading light in costume design. In whatever the locale, Mr. Leisen was spot on perfect, especially in always knowing how to attire the absolutely delectable Swanson to the best advantage. The especially enthusiastic response from the male members of the audience in attendance shows your Smitten Chairman is not alone in this assessment.
� Claudel (Art Direction) & Georges Melies (Production Design): A Trip to the Moon (1902) (France)
The French are delighted at yet another nomination for the marvelous Melies (who is rapidly becoming the hometown hero of these games.) While his films are the most primitive of the nominees, they are a joy to behold. The visual highlight of this film is the moon itself, very artfully constructed as a living organism that is mightily perturbed when the rocket lands in its eye! The surface of the moon was well designed as well, greatly enhancing Melies' typical world of magical fantasy.
� Richard Day (Set Direction) & Erich von Stroheim (Art Direction): Blind Husbands (1919) (USA)
Mr. von Stroheim is also becoming a regular at these games. The first-time filmmaker paid slavish attention to detail in getting his vision to the screen. The details of his sets in this film set in a mountainous vacation getaway pay great dividends for the viewer, but unfortunately the cost involved doesn't pay quite the same dividends to his backers. One wonders if Mr. von Stroheim will run into trouble with the penny pinchers in the future.
� Robert A. Dietrich & Klaus Richter (Production Design & Costume Design): The Student of Prague (1913) (Germany)
The German's enter the medal sweepstakes! The largely French crowd hasn't forgotten recent events, so this first nomination for its country has, to put it kindly, a less enthusiastic response than some of the other nominees. It is a marvelous film, however, and the debut of the horror genre into the Cinema Olympics. This film is rather dark visually, to reflect it's dark themes. The sets are well used to display contrast, as we shift from the student's spartan rooms to the opulence of the world around him to help show the motivation behind his desire to make a Faustian bargain to enhance his standing in the world.
� Rochus Gliese & Kurt Richter: (Production Design) The Oyster Princess (1919) (Germany)
More love for Germany. This wonderful comedy is set in the world of rich but eccentric capitalists and those who wish to crash the party. The lavish mansion of the Oyster magnet has to be seen to be believed, and once again it is nicely contrasted with the less lavish digs of those who are trying to hoodwink them. There is nice attention to detail in both settings and costumes that mark filmmaker Ernst Lubitsch as the leading force in Germany right now, and a man to keep an eye on.
� D. W. Griffith (Production Design, Costume Design), Walter L. Hall (Art Direction), Ralph M DeLacy (props), Joseph Stringer (set builder), Frank Wortman (head carpenter): Intolerance (1916) (USA)
This is the epic to end all epics. The film bounces back and forth from the slums of the workers and ballrooms of the industry magnets of the modern day to 16th Century France, the time of Christ and all the way back to Ancient Babylon with lavish attention to detail in each sequence. The costumes are marvelous and even the most insignificant extra in the cast of thousands is outfitted in great detail. The sets are stunning in every sequence, but special attention should be paid to those depicting Babylon, and not a few jaws drop in the Olympic Hall when marveling at the scope of the examples shown. This film cost (and lost) a fortune, but is a stunner to behold.
� Georges Melies: (Production Design) Kingdom of Fairies (1903) (France)
Jubilation reigns for the surprise double nomination of the Frenchman of the hour Georges Melies! This marvelous film has already been discussed, but the wonderful tableaux art craft & delightful underwater sets bear repeated mention here. A magical little fantasy that plays like entering the dream of primitive cinemas greatest dreamer.
� Cash Shockley (set painter), Joseph Stringer (set builder) & Frank Wortman (set designer): The Birth of a Nation (1915) (USA)
The expected boos reign out, but one of this films many accomplishments was it's meticulous re-creation of the civil war and reconstruction periods. Stringer & Wortman did an excellent job in recreating the look of the south, and no attention to detail was spared.
� Joseph Stringer: (Set Builder) Broken Blossoms (1919) (USA)
Joseph Stringer, as the primary set builder for D. W. Griffith, is in a strong position to make a killing in Paris. Broken Blossoms wasn't the epic of the other two films but contains what maybe Mr. Stringer's best work to date. Whether the exotic setting of China or the despair of the London slums, the audience shows great appreciation for this wonderful work. Each room is designed to enhance the theme, and the attention to detail is, as usual, superb.

As the audience takes an intermission before the finalists are announced there is a buzz of excitement. Joseph Stringer and the Griffith films look to be in solid position with three nominations, but there is a decidedly more international flavor to this category, as four nations are represented.. Will Georges Melies pull a shocker and parlay his double nomination into a medal? How about the Germans, with two nominations of their own? Will historical influence win the day for the Italians? Or will one of the other American entries pull an upset on old D.W. and carry the day. You'll have to come back with the rest of the audience to find out!

There is excitement in the air, as we enter the second of our competitive categories, awarding medals for artistic design. This is the place to honor the wonderful craftspeople that create the physical worlds that we allow to inhabit our imaginations whenever the lights dim, the curtain rises and we sit staring at the screen hoping for something special. These people delivered on those hopes. This is one of your Visually Decadent Chairman's favorite categories, and for any who think it a lesser award, just remember that more than anything else, film is a VISUAL medium. This evening the art directors, production designers, set builders and costume designers will step out of the background and take their well deserved turn in the spotlight. Whether striving for stark realism or gloriously over-the-top splendor, those who create the sets and costumes are responsible for the physical worlds that the performers breath in and the directors bring to life. So whether looking for epic splendor, frothy decadence, heartbreaking realism, artful dreamscapes or gloomy despair; prepare to be wowed. Here are the nominees...