Definition

1. Noun:
   • A movie without a soundtrack: "silents" refers to motion pictures produced without synchronized recorded sound, especially dialogue. This term is most commonly used in the plural form to describe the era of filmmaking before the introduction of sound technology.

Usage

• The term "silents" is used as a plural noun to collectively refer to films from the silent film era (approximately the 1890s to the late 1920s).
• It is often used in historical, cinematic, or artistic contexts when discussing early film history.

Examples

• Noun:
  • Charlie Chaplin was one of the greatest stars of the silents.
  • Many modern film scores are composed for screenings of classic silents.
  • The museum is hosting a festival of early silents this weekend.

Advanced Usage

• "the silents": This phrase is used to refer to the silent film era as a whole or its body of work.
  • The transition from the silents to "talkies" revolutionized the film industry.

Variants and Related Words

• Silent film (n): A single motion picture without synchronized sound. This is the singular form.
  • "The General" is a famous silent film starring Buster Keaton.
• Silent movie (n): A common synonym for "silent film."
  • We watched a silent movie with live piano accompaniment.

Synonyms

• Silent films: Motion pictures without soundtracks.
• Silent movies: A more casual term for silent films.
• Silent cinema: Refers to the art form or industry of making silent films.

Notes

• The word "silents" is almost exclusively used in its plural form. The singular concept is typically expressed as "a silent film" or "a silent movie."
• This term is specific to the domain of film history and criticism.

Noun

1. a movie without a soundtrack