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2.2/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 2.2/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Revival Day remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Right off the bat, let’s be super clear: Revival Day is not going to be a fun sit for most people today. If you’re just after a pleasant movie night, seriously, move on. This is one for the film history buffs, the curious, or maybe students of cultural shifts. Everyone else? You're probably going to find it pretty jarring, maybe even offensive, and that’s perfectly understandable.
What we have here is a short film featuring a preacher in black-face, leading his flock in song. It’s an immediate, unavoidable aspect of the film, and it pulls you right into a very different, and very uncomfortable, time. The performance itself feels… loud. Almost frantic. You can’t help but watch The Cardboard Lover or something else after, just to clear your head. The whole thing just kind of sits with you.
The core of it is this minstrel preacher, played by Charles Timblin. His energy is undeniable, sure, but it’s all wrapped up in that really tough-to-stomach presentation. He really gets into it, waving his arms, belting out tunes. You almost feel the movie trying to convince you this moment matters, like it’s a big deal.
Then there are the ‘gags.’ And these are… peculiar. There’s a scene where you see a whole pile of guns just sitting outside the church. Like, *a lot* of guns. It’s so out of place it almost becomes funny in a deeply confused way. Who put them there? Why? The film just throws it at you, doesn’t explain a thing. It’s just there. Like, what was the intent? A little joke, maybe? 🤔
And then the stolen chickens. Yep. Stolen chickens. It’s a whole side plot that feels utterly disconnected from the main revival scene, yet there it is. Peggy Ellis and Bobbe Arnst are in it, but their parts feel a bit like filler, to be honest. You’re watching these chickens get nabbed, and you’re thinking, “Is this supposed to be comedic? Or just… odd?” The movie keeps things moving, but the connection between these elements is pretty thin, if present at all.
The pacing is quick, as you’d expect from a short. It kinda bounces from the preacher’s sermon to these weird little vignettes. One moment, you’re trying to process the singing, the next you’re watching people run around with poultry. It’s not exactly seamless. Sometimes a shot holds for just a beat too long, and you start to notice the static nature of the set.
It’s hard to call Revival Day enjoyable in the traditional sense. It’s a document. A historical curiosity, definitely. It shows you a piece of what entertainment used to be, and how much things have, thankfully, changed. It’s a short, sharp reminder of some of the less shining moments in cinematic history. Worth seeing if you’re into that kind of thing, but don’t go in expecting to laugh along.
IMDb 7.1
1924
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