Forgotten Silver
- TV Movie
- 1995
- 53m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
6.3K
YOUR RATING
The film deals with the career of a supposedly forgotten pioneer of international cinema, Colin McKenzie, who was allegedly born in rural New Zealand in 1888.The film deals with the career of a supposedly forgotten pioneer of international cinema, Colin McKenzie, who was allegedly born in rural New Zealand in 1888.The film deals with the career of a supposedly forgotten pioneer of international cinema, Colin McKenzie, who was allegedly born in rural New Zealand in 1888.
- Awards
- 2 wins & 1 nomination
Jeffrey Thomas
- Narrator
- (voice)
Johnny Morris
- Self - Film Archivist
- (as Jonathon Morris)
Beatrice Ashton
- Hannah McKenzie
- (uncredited)
Peter Corrigan
- Stan the Man
- (uncredited)
Julie Holmes
- Market girl Extra
- (uncredited)
Paul Kingdom
- Farmer
- (uncredited)
- …
Isaac D Lucas
- Policeman
- (uncredited)
Sarah McLeod
- May Belle
- (uncredited)
- …
George Port
- Undertermined role
- (uncredited)
- Directors
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis was originally screened as a genuine documentary to an unsuspecting New Zealand public, and was only revealed to be a hoax a few days afterwards.
- GoofsThe film implies that Colin invented the close-up around 1912, but the earliest close-ups date from around 1903, nine years earlier.
- Crazy creditsThe hoax of this film is carried on into the credits. Cast members Beatrice Ashton (Hannah McKenzie) and Sarah McLeod (Mae Belle) are credited as Research Assistants. Other bit players are credited as research assistants, production advisers, and are otherwise given phony credits.
- ConnectionsEdited from Dewars Scotch Whiskey (1897)
Featured review
What is real anyway?
Documentary is all about taking real life and shaping it into a story. 'Forgotten Silver' suggests that real part doesn't even have to be real, as long as the story's good.
I watched this again tonight - probably the 4th or 5th time I've seen it since it was first screened as an (allegedly) true doco back in 1996. Despite knowing the whole thing was cod, I was quite surprised to find tears in my eyes as NZ pioneer film-maker Colin McKenzie accidentally filmed his own death in Spain, so drawn was I into the story.
Once you strip away the hype over the hoax factor, what's left is just a great story about a struggling film maker facing and almost overcoming insurmountable obstacles to create a work of mad genius. Anyone expecting belly laughs from 'Forgotten Silver' is probably going to be disappointed, because viewed as a story, this isn't a comedy - it's a tragedy. It's no wonder so many people were sucked into believing it when it first screened - the Colin McKenzie saga has an emotional depth which is heartbreaking.
Bonus points for a brilliant musical score, some superb technical effects (especially the corroded, bubbling, self-destructing nitrate film; most filmmakers would have settled for a couple of cliché tramlines to make the footage look old), and the gorgeous Thomas Robbins as Colin McKenzie.
I watched this again tonight - probably the 4th or 5th time I've seen it since it was first screened as an (allegedly) true doco back in 1996. Despite knowing the whole thing was cod, I was quite surprised to find tears in my eyes as NZ pioneer film-maker Colin McKenzie accidentally filmed his own death in Spain, so drawn was I into the story.
Once you strip away the hype over the hoax factor, what's left is just a great story about a struggling film maker facing and almost overcoming insurmountable obstacles to create a work of mad genius. Anyone expecting belly laughs from 'Forgotten Silver' is probably going to be disappointed, because viewed as a story, this isn't a comedy - it's a tragedy. It's no wonder so many people were sucked into believing it when it first screened - the Colin McKenzie saga has an emotional depth which is heartbreaking.
Bonus points for a brilliant musical score, some superb technical effects (especially the corroded, bubbling, self-destructing nitrate film; most filmmakers would have settled for a couple of cliché tramlines to make the footage look old), and the gorgeous Thomas Robbins as Colin McKenzie.
helpful•273
- paston
- Dec 16, 2004
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- La verdadera historia del cine
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $650,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $26,459
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $1,740
- Oct 5, 1997
- Gross worldwide
- $26,459
- Runtime53 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.66 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content