This short, one minute Edison film makes no sense if you don't know the history behind it. Hand-colored with reds, yellows and blues, the film has no plot; if you read the title of my review, then you've just read the full 'plot' of the film. So why did Porter bother telling us about this stuff?
According to what I've read, this short was meant to be shown at the ending to a film show. Thus, to make this film seem extra memorable to their audiences, every copy was hand-colored to create an effect that would leave a lasting impression on the audiences. I'm sure they never showed it in Europe, though, because it's really quite patriotic and wouldn't have any relevance in that part of the world. But it sort of makes you feel loyal to your country, though, doesn't it? And in addition, it also provides a look at early hand-colorization. Not to say the coloring is good (it's pretty sloppy in places, but I can forgive considering I've tried the technique myself and done no better). Also, the historical background provides a little interest to this film that would otherwise make no sense.
According to what I've read, this short was meant to be shown at the ending to a film show. Thus, to make this film seem extra memorable to their audiences, every copy was hand-colored to create an effect that would leave a lasting impression on the audiences. I'm sure they never showed it in Europe, though, because it's really quite patriotic and wouldn't have any relevance in that part of the world. But it sort of makes you feel loyal to your country, though, doesn't it? And in addition, it also provides a look at early hand-colorization. Not to say the coloring is good (it's pretty sloppy in places, but I can forgive considering I've tried the technique myself and done no better). Also, the historical background provides a little interest to this film that would otherwise make no sense.