Where Cinema Began, Before Hollywood Took the Credit

Read Time:6 Minute, 10 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Made in New Jersey: Films From Fort Lee (Blu-ray)
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Genre: Silent, Comedy, Drama
Year Released: 1909–1939, 2015† Milestone Films/Kino Lorber Blu-ray 2025
Runtime: 6h 23m
Director(s): Various
Writer(s): Various
Where to Watch: available now, order your copy here: www.kinolorber.com or www.amazon.com

RAVING REVIEW: MADE IN NEW JERSEY: FILMS FROM FORT LEE isn’t just a collection—it’s a resurrection of sorts. Across two Blu-ray discs, Milestone Films/Kino Lorber curates 14 early short films and two documentaries that collectively remind viewers that the story of American cinema didn’t start in Hollywood—it began in the backlots of Fort Lee, New Jersey. Spanning over a century of history, the set provides a fascinating archival deep dive and a wildly entertaining survey of the earliest moving pictures.

Film historian Richard Koszarski's carefully assembled booklet offers critical context, making the release both academically significant and enjoyable. Whether you're a diehard cinephile or just curious about where the modern movie industry began, this set provides an accessible gateway into a lost era that helped shape the language of film as we know it today.

The collection opens with two short films directed by D.W. Griffith: THE CURTAIN POLE and THE CORD OF LIFE (1909). These shorts showcase early narrative innovation, especially Griffith's knack for spatial dynamics and moral storytelling. The former is a slapstick chase comedy, while the latter deals with class and heroism—a reminder of how even silent films balanced tone and theme more thoughtfully than many modern features.

From there, the lineup diversifies. ROBIN HOOD (1912) is the earliest surviving film adaptation of the iconic folk hero, complete with charm and rudimentary action. However, THE VAMPIRE (1913) steals the spotlight on disc one. This Kalem production is often cited as the birth of the “vamp” (femme fatale) archetype in cinema, and Alice Hollister’s performance is mesmerizing even without spoken dialogue. It’s a defining artifact of cultural influence, myth-making, and performance style from the silent era.

Lesser-known titles like FLO’S DISCIPLINE, A GROCERY CLERK’S ROMANCE, and A GIRL OF THE WEST offer a more grounded, human glimpse at melodrama, western tropes, and comedy, often elevated by their unique production quirks and crisp restorations. The music from Ben Model, Rodney Sauer, and others helps bring these films to life with warmth, underscoring moments that might otherwise feel too distant for modern eyes.

Disc two shifts focus from Fort Lee’s golden age to its enduring legacy. Edgar G. Ulmer’s COSSACKS IN EXILE (1939) is the crown jewel of the second half—a Ukrainian operetta filmed in New Jersey that feels distinct in tone and texture. It’s theatrical, yes, but also lush and culturally significant. The visuals and emotional sincerity make it a standout even for those unfamiliar with Ukrainian traditions. It’s also a rare example of Ulmer working outside noir aesthetics, revealing the breadth of his directorial voice.

Paired with the 2015 documentary THE CHAMPION and the mid-century time capsule GHOST TOWN: THE STORY OF FORT LEE (1935), the set takes on a wider lens. These documentaries ground the entire experience, adding a layer that reinforces how fast history forgets and how vital these rediscoveries are. Fort Lee may be a footnote in most film textbooks, but this set insists it deserves its own chapter.

Restoration quality across the board is impressive. Whether 4K scans or carefully curated transfers from other prints, the presentation breathes new life into material that could have easily faded into obscurity. Given the age of the films, there are natural limitations— scratches, missing frames, and softness in a few segments—but the curation and preservation efforts far outweigh these minor blemishes. It feels more like you're watching ghosts come alive on screen, full of character, charm, and mischief.

These films aren’t just important—they’re fun. They move quickly, offer unexpected laughs, sincere drama, and inventive editing, and capture human nature in surprisingly resonant ways. Modern viewers can sit down with a piece like THE VAMPIRE or THE DANGER GAME and still feel the sting of betrayal or the thrill of defiance, which is a testament to the medium’s universality, even in its earliest years.

There’s a reverence here—not just for the films, but for remembering. MADE IN NEW JERSEY: FILMS FROM FORT LEE doesn’t try to romanticize the past—it revives it. It treats the people behind and in front of the camera not as relics but as pioneers. It also argues that Fort Lee deserves to be remembered alongside Hollywood and New York as a foundational site in cinema’s evolution.

This collection is essential for history buffs, silent film lovers, and those interested in the overlooked roots of American film. And even for the casual viewer, there’s something surprisingly moving about watching these stories flicker back to life after more than a century. The magic of the movies might’ve migrated west, but it was born in the Garden State.

Product Extras:
Booklet with essay and film notes by Richard Koszarski

DISC 1: BEFORE HOLLYWOOD
The Curtain Pole (Biograph, 1909)*
The Cord of Life (Biograph, 1909)*
Robin Hood (Éclair, 1912)**
†The Champion (Documentary about Fort Lee, 2015)
The Indian Land Grab (Champion Studios, 1910)***
A Daughter of Dixie (Champion Studios, 1911)***
Not Like Other Girls (Universal Victor, 1912)***
Flo’s Discipline (Universal Victor, 1912)***
Marked Cards (Universal Champion, 1913)***
The Vampire (Kalem, 1913)****
A Girl of the West (Vitagraph, 1912)***
A Grocery Clerk’s Romance (Keystone, 1912)**
There She Goes (Pathé, 1913)***

DISC 2: AFTER HOLLYWOOD
The Danger Game (Goldwyn, 1918)*
Cossacks in Exile (Edgar Ulmer, 1939)
Ghost Town: The Story of Fort Lee (1935)***

*Music Composed and Performed by Donald Sosin
**Music by Rodney Sauer and Performed by the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra
***Music Composed and Performed by Ben Model
****Musical Accompaniment Composed and Performed by Philip C. Carli

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[photo courtesy of MILESTONE FILMS, KINO LORBER]

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