The idea of legitimizing film 🎞️ as a medium by association with classic well-regarded literature is a thing which goes WAY back, if you look at it from that perspective.

I am quite a fan of the pantomime Oliver Twist (1922) played by Jackie Coogan, alongside Lon Chaney, Senior as Fagin.

Because it’s under-known today for classic silent cinema, I wanna bring more attention to the flick. 🍿 🤫 🎞️

In case folks don’t know, Jackie Coogan was a child star 🌟 of the silent era (& much later as Uncle Fester on THE ADDAMS FAMILY)

And Lon Chaney, Sr was a superstar silent film actor, probably as famous as Leonardo di Caprio in his time. Mostly in makeup as various monsters, and the majority of his films are lost so this is a valuable artifact too!

I hope you enjoy the silent artistry being employed to enliven this classic Dickensian novel :)

🎬 Methodology Note:

Film Availability vs. Release Dates

(Lovecraft Cinema Project)

A key issue in reconstructing H. P. Lovecraft’s film viewing history is the gap between a film’s original release date and its actual availability in smaller U.S. cities and “fine arts” exhibition circuits in the 1920s–1930s.

Unlike modern distribution, films in this period did not circulate globally in real time.

Instead, they moved through staggered, uneven exhibition networks involving commercial theaters, revival screenings, and later “art house” or cultural society programs.

⏳ Working Assumption (for this project)

For non-U.S. and prestige international films in particular, the following guideline is being used:

Baseline circulation delay:

~2–3 years after original release for likely appearance in U.S. secondary markets

Extended revival window:

5–15+ years later for re-screenings in museum, university, or “Fine Arts” programs

Silent / early prestige films:

frequently reissued or revived long after initial release, making “availability” non-linear

🎞️** Why this matters**:

This distinction is important because it means:

A 1920s European film shown in 1935 Providence is not necessarily “late discovery,” but part of a normal revival/exhibition cycle

“Release year” ≠ “possible viewing year” in this historical context

Programming at venues such as Fine Arts theaters likely reflected a curated mix of delayed international imports and revived cinematic “classics”

🧠 Application to Lovecraft

Given Lovecraft’s documented interest in international cinema and occasional attendance of curated screenings, this model helps better approximate what films were realistically accessible to him at different points in his life, particularly in Providence during the 1930s.

His quote seems to be for a film which isn’t directly named, but the passage is mostly about the art of cross-media adaptations.

QUOTE BELOW 👇

“Regarding cinematic adaptation—it would make an admirable film, though I am told that new writers have virtually no chance to place material with the established corporations.

What you say of the exaggerated cautiousness of producers (an attitude probably caused by fake plagiarism-charges) would seem to sustain this latter point.

Your idea for a Chaplin musical comedy sounds excellent to a layman.

In time Charlie will probably have to talk on the screen—was it you who said that his reluctance is the result of a residual Cockney accent which he can't quite shake off?

I should think he ought to have such a thing fairly in hand after all these years!”

QUOTE ABOVE 👆

Although he doesn’t name any Chaplin films directly, he has in fact shown us a glimpse of lively dialogue between Lovecraft and J. Vernon Shea, who was also an early movie hound.

There’s more to unpack but I’ll start us with the fact that they are speculating on why producers are making studio-level decisions.

That’s not casual or occasional attendance. HPL went to the movies 🍿 religiously, that’s what is emerging from this study.

In less than 5 days since the birth of this community, we have reached 100 members. As creator and senior moderator, I want to welcome all of you again. We’ve hit triple digits and I’m so thankful all of you are putting faith in our little community. I think with you all here, the subreddit has earned the title of community. Be well, and enjoy!

-u/Classicsarecool