Deaf Culture: Silent Film Experience
Throughout the semesters of learning American Sign Language, I experienced silent movie nights with my fellow classmates. When I say silent movies I mean exactly just that. We watched a film with no sound and with subtitles only. My ASL professor who was deaf would assign us “Cultural Observation” assignments that consisted of experiencing anything of the Deaf culture and sharing your experience. This could include signing with a stranger in the grocery store, going to events that had an interpreter, and watching silent films as I did. The idea of the assignment was to experience Deaf culture as close to first hand as possible.
I had watched several films throughout the semester but a film in particular really impacted my experience this time around. We watched The Greatest Showman, and I can say that it kept me very in tuned throughout the entire movie. It was challenging to stay focused while watching the other silent films.
I had never seen the film before, so I assumed it would be animated and far-fetched, but I was wrong. The movie was more so a musical, and my love for musicals is what really captured my attention with this movie. It being a musical and a silent movie caused me to use my imagination throughout the movie. Well…with all the other silent movies, I had to use my imagination also, but it was different.
Through the actors facial expressions while singing, I relied on my memory of high and low notes in songs. If their mouth was wide and in an O shape, their shoulders slightly pushed back, and neck extended, I knew they were singing a high note, and the music was probably dramatic. If their jaws looked rested and their mouth was in a normal talking form, I knew they were singing in a monotoned voice. If their chin hung low, and they basically looked as if they were forcing a swallow, I knew they were most likely singing a low note.
You can’t help but to imagine if this was the same experience people endured during the 1890’s when the first motion films with no sound was introduced. Films during this time were shot in black and white, less than a minute long and without sound.
Usually, I get emotional when sad moments play in a movie, but I was not able to have sympathy for the characters this time. I believe it was due to not being able to hear the cracks in their voice when you are trying to hold back tears, or the slow melody that plays during sad moments. This is one of the effects of not being able to hear.
I also want to pay recognition to the subtitles, because without them I don’t think I would have been confident to tell someone else what the movie was about. The acting, body language, and facial expressions really played a crucial role in making the movie understandable and worthwhile without sound, but the subtitles was the life saver.
My first time watching a silent film, I zoned out throughout the entire movie. It was extremely difficult to stay focused because I am not used to watching film without sound. When sound finally came along in films it became a major component of it. As I continued to watch silent films over the course of the semester, focusing became easier as my body used its other senses to take ahold of the moment.
I won’t say I know what the Deaf culture experiences, because I am sure not being able to hear a movie isn’t even the half of their life, but I will say that I have an idea of what they may feel when watching a movie.
