Dream Street (film)
Encyclopedia
Dream Street is a silent
movie directed by D. W. Griffith
, and starring Carol Dempster
, Charles Emmett Mack
, and Ralph Graves
in a story about a love triangle
set in London
, and based on two short stories by Thomas Burke
, "Gina of Chinatown" and "Song of the Lamp". The film, released by United Artists
, was poorly received in its day and critics still consider it one of Griffith's worst films. In 1936, Griffith's film was reissued and narrated by Lillian Gish
, Griffith, Eddie Cantor
and Al Jolson
.
, an early sound-on-disc
process developed by Orlando Kellum. Some films made in the Photokinema process, including Dream Street, are preserved at the UCLA Film and Television Archive
.
The silent version premiered on April 12, 1921 at the Central Theatre in New York City. On April 27, Griffith and Ralph Graves recorded their respective sound segments at Orlando Kellum's Photokinema office at 203 West 40th Street.
The premiere engagement of the sound version of Dream Street took place on May 2, 1921 at Town Hall in New York City
with Griffith's introduction. On May 15, the film reopened, now also with two other short sound sequences — Ralph Graves singing, and background noise in a scene showing a craps game
. Unfortunately, no other theaters could show the sound version of the film, since no other theaters had the Photokinema sound system installed.
On Sunday, May 29, Dream Street opened at the Schubert-Crescent Theater in Brooklyn
with a program of short films made in Phonokinema. However, business was poor, and the program soon closed.
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
movie directed by D. W. Griffith
D. W. Griffith
David Llewelyn Wark Griffith was a premier pioneering American film director. He is best known as the director of the controversial and groundbreaking 1915 film The Birth of a Nation and the subsequent film Intolerance .Griffith's film The Birth of a Nation made pioneering use of advanced camera...
, and starring Carol Dempster
Carol Dempster
Carol Dempster was an American film actress of the silent film era.-Biography:Born in Duluth, Minnesota, Dempster got her start in films as a protégé of legendary film director D.W. Griffith alongside other Griffith actresses of the mid-1910s Lillian and Dorothy Gish and Mae Marsh...
, Charles Emmett Mack
Charles Emmett Mack
Charles Emmett Mack , was an American film actor during the silent film era. He appeared in 17 films between 1916 and 1927. Born Charles Emmett McNerney in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Mack was a protégé of pioneering film director D. W...
, and Ralph Graves
Ralph Graves
Ralph Graves was an American screenwriter, film director, and actor who appeared in 93 films between 1918 and 1949....
in a story about a love triangle
Love triangle
A love triangle is usually a romantic relationship involving three people. While it can refer to two people independently romantically linked with a third, it usually implies that each of the three people has some kind of relationship to the other two...
set in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and based on two short stories by Thomas Burke
Thomas Burke (author)
Thomas Burke was a British author. He was born in Eltham, London.His first successful publication was Limehouse Nights , a collection of stories centered around life in the poverty-stricken Limehouse district of London...
, "Gina of Chinatown" and "Song of the Lamp". The film, released by United Artists
United Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
, was poorly received in its day and critics still consider it one of Griffith's worst films. In 1936, Griffith's film was reissued and narrated by Lillian Gish
Lillian Gish
Lillian Diana Gish was an American stage, screen and television actress whose film acting career spanned 75 years, from 1912 to 1987....
, Griffith, Eddie Cantor
Eddie Cantor
Eddie Cantor was an American "illustrated song" performer, comedian, dancer, singer, actor and songwriter...
and Al Jolson
Al Jolson
Al Jolson was an American singer, comedian and actor. In his heyday, he was dubbed "The World's Greatest Entertainer"....
.
1921 Premiere
The original 1921 version of Dream Street is notable for a brief sequence when Griffith steps out in front of a curtain at the beginning of the movie and talks to the audience about the film, using PhotokinemaPhotokinema
Photo-Kinema was a sound-on-disc system for motion pictures invented by Orlando Kellum.-1921 introduction:The system was first used for a small number of short films, mostly made in 1921...
, an early sound-on-disc
Sound-on-disc
The term Sound-on-disc refers to a class of sound film processes using a phonograph or other disc to record or playback sound in sync with a motion picture...
process developed by Orlando Kellum. Some films made in the Photokinema process, including Dream Street, are preserved at the UCLA Film and Television Archive
UCLA Film and Television Archive
The UCLA Film and Television Archive is an internationally renowned visual arts organization focused on the preservation, study, and appreciation of film and television, based at the University of California, Los Angeles. It holds more than 220,000 film and television titles and 27 million feet of...
.
The silent version premiered on April 12, 1921 at the Central Theatre in New York City. On April 27, Griffith and Ralph Graves recorded their respective sound segments at Orlando Kellum's Photokinema office at 203 West 40th Street.
The premiere engagement of the sound version of Dream Street took place on May 2, 1921 at Town Hall in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
with Griffith's introduction. On May 15, the film reopened, now also with two other short sound sequences — Ralph Graves singing, and background noise in a scene showing a craps game
Craps
Craps is a dice game in which players place wagers on the outcome of the roll, or a series of rolls, of a pair of dice. Players may wager money against each other or a bank...
. Unfortunately, no other theaters could show the sound version of the film, since no other theaters had the Photokinema sound system installed.
On Sunday, May 29, Dream Street opened at the Schubert-Crescent Theater in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
with a program of short films made in Phonokinema. However, business was poor, and the program soon closed.