Silence provides a unique restriction to an otherwise freeing medium of media. Silent animated movies are the fruit of what artists can do in the face of scarcity. By removing speech, it forces creators to convey story through setting, movement, expression, colour and music.
So, let’s make haste, and move right into 5 exemplary silent animated movies:
1. Gertie the Dinosaur
Release date: February 18, 1914
Genre: Comedy
Animation Method: Traditional Animation
Country of Origin: USA
Director: Winsor McCay
Rated: Not Rated
Gertie the Dinosaur is one of the earliest animated movies, and the earliest one to feature a dinosaur. It was made in the early 1900s, during the age of silent cinema, so naturally it lacked dialogue. Essentially, the silent animated movie follows Gertie and her master McCay. The dynamics of the duo closely resemble one of a circus animal and its trainer, where McCay would nudge her to do simple tricks.
Unique and innovative for its time, Gertie the Dinosaur is an intricate silent animation where breaths are rhythmic, backgrounds relatively detailed, and thick skin folded cohesively. Akin to its place in time, instead of speech, they had used dialogue intertitles—even then, they had to get visually descriptive to make up for the Dinosaur’s lack of communicating in human languages. This keyframe silent animated movie was drawn on rice paper and photographed atop cardboard, but more importantly, it has ultimately contributed largely to animation as we know it today.
2. Fantasia
Release date: November 13, 1940
Genre: Fantasy, Musical, Drama
Animation Method: Traditional Animation
Country of Origin: USA
Directors: Samuel Armstrong, James Algar, Bill Roberts, Paul Satterfield, Ben Sharpsteen, David D. Hand, Hamilton Luske, Jim Handley, Ford Beebe, T. Hee, Norman Ferguson, Wilfred Jackson
Rated: G
Fantasia is a piece out of Disney’s history. It was considered experimental at the time, with this silent animated movie being comprised of a series of musical sequences. It’s an anthology film that acted as homage to classical pieces, featuring orchestral compositions by Bach, Beethoven and Stravinsky, among others. Segment differed in tale, where each would have storylines that were reliant on the music of the scene.
The animation was fully hand drawn, since the technology for computer generated films would not be available till decades later. Fantasia was a work of elaborate detail—each segment had designated colour schemes according to the themes of a musical piece, and three-dimensional puppets were created for referencing during the animation process. It’s an outlier of Disney’s movies, vastly different from the old and modern classics we all love today.
3. Idiots & Angels
Release date: January 14, 2009 (France)
Genre: Fantasy, Comedy, Drama
Animation Method: 2D Animation
Country of Origin: USA
Director: Bill Python
Rated: N/A
Angel is an anti-hero—or at least, he starts off as so. In this silent animation, Angel is a man who is self-servient and abuse, who spends his time reproaching the people in his path. However, he diverges from his morally discordant behaviours when he wakes up with wings attached to his back. He first tries to remove the wings, but eventually gives into the good that his newfound appendages provide.
Idiots & Angels is 2D animated, where drawings were scanned and colourised digitally. This silent animation is mostly composed with hues of browns, blacks and sketchy lines. Where there were colours outside of muddied shades, they were muted. Ultimately, this created visuals that were as grimy as Angel’s character. Atop this and music to match, this Idiots & Angels is a solid example of storytelling without dialogue.
4. The Illusionist
Release date: June 16, 2010
Genre: Romance, Comedy, Drama
Animation Method: 2D Animation
Country of Origin: France
Director: Sylvain Chomet
Rated: PG
Interestingly, The Illusionist is derived from an unpublished script written by a French mime. It surrounds an illusionist, a master of deceptive showmanship, and his fickle-tempered rabbit. The two move out of London, struggling to compete with modern entertainment. The Illusionist hops from small cafes and speakeasys, despondent. However, once he meets Alice, a young and naive woman, for better or for worse things change.
The animation method itself was created by an international team, with members and individuals across continents working on this silent animated movie. It’s a 2D hand drawn piece, and comes with the charm of imperfections that computer generated imagery struggle to fully replicate. Even in moments of inactivity, scenes stay captivating from the human-like nature of rough lines and graphite—an intentional decision to deliver the themes of art, love and social structures.
5. Shaun the Sheep Movie
Release date: February 6, 2015
Genre: Comedy, Adventure
Animation Method: Claymation
Country of Origin: USA
Directors: Mark Burton, Richard Starzak
Rated: PG
This predominantly silent animated movie is a classic spin-off, of an equally classic television series. Shaun the Sheep is a claymation about a scheming Shaun, who plots to escape mundanity. He devises a plan to buy himself a day off on his farm—but this go awry when his farmer hits his head and becomes an amnesiac. The farmer wanders into a city salon, and his sheep are left to fend for themselves.
The Shaun the Sheep Movie is mainly made out of modelling clay and thumbprints—truly leaving a human touch to the fictional movie. The fluidity and freedom that clay brings makes up for the lack of dialogue from the main cast. Facial expressions and movements are exaggerated and elaborate, doubling as a way to deliver messages and as slapstick comedy. Shaun the Sheep has always been a family favourite, and the movie is no exception.
Conclusion
Silent animated movies are simply how the medium had started off as, and yet, the form still prevails. It’s a classic form, and yet it is not antiquated. While it may not be as popular or universal as it once was, there are still creators out there who keep silent animation alive.
Author Bio
From Malaysia, Leia Emeera is a writer at TESSR and a published author. She has been putting pen to paper ever since she learned how to, and has an anthology to her name, titled 'Ten'. Leia loves music, games and her beloved labrador retriever, George. She aims to further her studies in English Literature and Creative Writing the moment her gap year ends. 'Till then, you will find her sitting behind a desk, writing with TESSR.
Connect with her on LinkedIn: Leia Emeera
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