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6.1/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.1/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. A Hollywood Star remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you have ever sat through a work presentation where the audio didn't match the slides, you will feel this movie in your soul. A Hollywood Star is a 1930 short that feels like a fever dream about the early days of 'talkies'.
Is it worth watching? Yes, but only if you find old-school technical failures funny. If you want something polished or serious, go watch The Dawn of a Tomorrow instead.
The whole thing is about a premiere for a new movie starring Bert Swor. Everything that can go wrong with the sound system definitely does.
The audio keeps skipping and making weird pops. It is actually pretty relatable if you've ever had a bad Zoom call.
There is a scene where the sound is so out of sync it becomes painful. You can almost feel the actors on screen panicking in real time.
It reminds me of the weird pacing in The Marriage Market. Except here, the awkwardness is actually the joke.
Then there is the talking horse. Why is there a talking horse? I have no idea.
The horse is honestly more articulate than some of the humans in the crowd. He just stands there giving his opinion like he's a paid critic.
Andy Clyde and Harry Gribbon show up to do some slapstick. Harry has this face that always looks like he just smelled something bad.
The hecklers in the audience are the real stars though. They are so mean and fast with their insults.
It feels like the writers actually spent time in cheap vaudeville theaters. They knew exactly how a crowd turns on a performer.
The movie is way more chaotic than something like Cleopatra. It doesn't care about being pretty.
I noticed a few spots where you can see the shadow of a microphone. It’s those little mistakes that make these old shorts feel real.
The ending is very abrupt. It just kind of stops when they run out of film, I guess.
It is not a masterpiece by any means. It’s just a loud, messy bit of history that happens to have a horse in it.
If you like seeing 1930s technology break down, give it a go. It's short enough that you won't regret it even if you hate it. 🐴