MovieChat Forums > Roundhay Garden Scene (1888) Discussion > Anyone else find old film kinda creepy?

Anyone else find old film kinda creepy?


I saw this a few days ago and it was a bit creepy. Something about early film, how dull and drab it looks, is a bit unsettling. Also, it's weird to think that everyone in this film and their kids are long dead. It's not the same as reading an old book or looking at old pictures; when you actually see an old film it makes you realize how long ago it was and how far the world has progressed. Comments?

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amazing and creepy

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I don't know, I could imagine it to be rather creepy. Supposing it is used as footage like The Ring, the people walking around might come out. Maybe one at a time or all together, and it'd be kind of like the Saw movies. The young woman could have freakish mind powers and just stare at you and eventually make your eyes burst out and probably drain your brains somehow. The older man could be like Jack the ripper, the Old Lady might just be vampiric and the younger man could easily carry a dagger. I can see how that might work if this were to be used in The Ring. haha ^_^

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Personally I don't view this film as disturbing in any manner. But I can understand why others would. The knowledge that this film took place almost 120 years ago would give the viewr the impression that the lifestyle and environment present ceased to exist a substantial numer of years ago. The poor quality and awkward movements of the 'cast' would give the viewer the feeling of becoming somewhat involved with the illogical events potrayed and living in this era would intimidate many. I'll also point out that the sequence filmed would resurface supernatural ghost stories as most of the disruptive spooks we've heard of resemble these characters.

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Actually I heard that the director of this stole material from The Ring.

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I agree, that is pretty weird. I am doing a research on Movies, from 1888 all the way to present day.

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old film is really creepy to me.
unsettling.

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I'm beginning to think that one could make a pretty kick-ass horror movie if they were to recover or find a way to reproduce the kind of video "technology" they had in the late 1800s, and combine it with some of our modern movie-making sense.

I think this early cinematography is unsettling for some because of the fact that, unolike some movies/films portraying earlier times, these are ACTUALLY set in them - you get the feeling like you've opened some kind of portal to the past and that you aren't supposed to be there somehow. Also, the lack of detail these films often had - you often have to strain to figure out exactly what was going on.

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About the technology (not speaking about Roundhay Garden Scene in particular, but in general terms) 35 mm film has been a standard since the 1890s, and is still used today even if digital alternatives are taking over. I think the second paragraph along with the fact that most of these films are so worn-out better explains why they're creepy to you.

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movie_buff_starlet you probably saw one of at least 10 productions of Uncle Tom's Cabin that were made between 1903 and 1927. The scene of the little girl dying in bed would have been the demise of Eva (Evangeline St. Clare). That would be my guess.

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[deleted]

Well, that could apply to pretty much any film made before 1930, really. According to the Wikipedia article on this, the old woman seen walking, for some reason, backwards died about a week later, the director disappeared 2 years later and one of the other men in the clip was shot dead about 10 years later. That actually makes it a bit creepier.

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I totally agree. It's so creepy. I think you people posting crap on here that means nothing is creepy. It's so choppy and grainy. Like looking at a bunch of stupids. Real creepy!!

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That idea would be pretty creepy.

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It's strange, as I grew up about 2 minutes away from where it was filmed, so I know the area really well - to see it all those years ago, however briefly, is massively interesting, and a little bit unsettling in a way too.

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To me, for some reason, when I was younger...I use to find all black and white movies creepy! Including up to the 1960s...it was still the same to me! But now I only find these really, really old ones eerie.

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You're right. I feel kind of suicidal admitting it, but you're right.
Someday, the records of the internet will be the only record of our meaningless existence. It makes me nervous thinking about it.


How unsettling and creepy is that? Can you imagine that? In 200 years, these sites are gonna be preserved, the only thing left that documented our very existence. Our whole life, only evident by a few short lines hundreds years earlier. How scary is that?!

"It was definitly some puerto rican guy alright".-OJ Simpson, South Park

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On TMC channel they often show movies from the 1930's and yes they are kind of weird. It was like a different world back then. They talk differently also. They say thinks like "Why yes sir I am going to go over there". As opposed to today were we would say "yea I'm fix'n to go later dude".

What is weird is that watching a modern day movie set in another time such as The Aviator, or 3:10 to Yuma is not creepy.

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