DbcultAccessing Vault...
Cult Review
Archivist John
Senior Editor
Is 'I Remember' a lost masterpiece or a forgotten relic? Short answer: it is a visual haiku that rewards the patient but will frustrate the restless.
This film is for the viewer who finds beauty in the way light hits a ripple on a pond. It is not for the viewer who needs the narrative propulsion found in something like The Adventures of Ruth.
Yes, if you want to see how early cinema translated poetry into light. No, if you need a story that moves.
1) This film works because it captures the specific, hazy texture of a childhood memory without over-explaining the emotion.
2) This film fails because it lacks a traditional narrative hook to keep the casual viewer engaged for its full duration.
3) You should watch it if you are a student of silent cinema history or a fan of Thomas Hood's evocative poetry.
Cinema in the 1920s was often obsessed with grand gestures and melodrama. You see this in the high stakes of The Leap of Despair or the gothic tension of Hansel and Gretel. 'I Remember' takes a different path. It is a film that dares to be still.
The boy, played with a surprising lack of artifice by Edward D. Venturini, isn't chasing a villain or saving a damsel. He is simply sitting. The camera lingers on his face as he stares into the water. It is a bold choice. Most films of this era felt the need to fill every second with action.
The dog is perhaps the most grounded element of the film. While the boy is lost in the past, the dog is firmly in the present. When the dog's ears twitch at a distant sound, it breaks the spell of the boy's memory. It’s a beautiful, small moment that highlights the divide between human sentiment and the natural world.
Edward D. Venturini’s performance is an exercise in restraint. In an era where actors often flailed their arms to convey 'thought,' Venturini simply breathes. He looks. He remembers. It is a performance that feels modern, unlike the theatricality found in A Manhattan Knight.
There is a specific scene where the boy sees the 'fair maid' in his mind's eye. The transition is soft. The girl appears not as a ghost, but as a flicker of light. She is shy, as the poem suggests, and her movements are fluid and ethereal. It contrasts sharply with the gritty realism of Toilers of the Sea.
The pacing is glacial. For some, this will be the film's undoing. But for those who appreciate the 'slow cinema' movement of today, 'I Remember' feels like an early ancestor. It asks you to sit with your own thoughts while the boy sits with his. It is a rare meditative experience.
Thomas Hood's poetry is known for its blend of humor and pathos. 'I Remember' leans heavily into the pathos. The film isn't just about childhood; it's about the realization that childhood is over. This isn't the lighthearted fun of Our Alley.
The cinematography uses natural light to create a sense of 'then' versus 'now.' The scenes with the boy and the dog have a certain sharpness, while the memories are bathed in a softer, almost glowing focus. It’s a sophisticated use of visual language for 1920. It rivals the atmospheric work seen in The Woman from Nowhere.
"The film suggests that childhood isn't a time of joy, but a time of pre-emptive mourning for things not yet lost."
When you compare this to Terror Trail, the difference in intent is staggering. Where 'Terror Trail' uses the medium for thrills, 'I Remember' uses it for reflection. It is much closer in spirit to the character-driven moments of Brass Buttons.
Even a film like Cupid the Cowpuncher, which deals with romance, feels frantic compared to the quiet longing of this short. There is a scene where the boy drops his fishing line, forgetting his task entirely. In that moment, he isn't a character in a movie; he is a person lost in time.
Is it too sentimental? Perhaps. But it’s a sincere sentimentality. It doesn't feel manufactured like the comedy in Hot and Cold or the staged nature of A Few Moments with Eddie Cantor.
This is a film for the quiet hours. If you are looking for a plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat like The Pursuing Vengeance, you will be disappointed. But if you want to see a film that treats the human heart with the same respect as a landscape, it is essential.
It is slow. It is quiet. It is enough.
Pros:
Cons:
'I Remember' is a fascinating anomaly. It doesn't care about being a movie in the traditional sense. It cares about being a feeling. While it lacks the heroic scale of Heroes All, it possesses a quiet dignity that is much harder to achieve. It is a minor work, but a deeply felt one. It works. But it’s flawed. If you can handle the silence, it’s a beautiful place to get lost.
IMDb —
1922
Community
Log in to comment.
Loading comments…
