Why was there a clip of silent movie at the start of John Wick Chapter 2?

Why was there a clip of silent movie at the start of John Wick Chapter 2? - Professional retro cameras in dark room

At the start of John Wick Chapter 2, there is clip of a silent movie being projected onto a wall. This clip has nothing to do with the story of the film, and no character seems to notice or remark on it.

Why is this clip projected onto this building in the film?



Best Answer

In this article on Silent London, director Chad Stahelski says that by including the clip of the silent movie at the start of the film, he is letting the audience know that many of the techniques used in John Wick Chapter 2 were invented by silent movies, and that the film itself references various silent movies throughout.

“We want to let you know we’re having fun and we stole this all from silent movie people,” says director Chad Stahelski.

The article then goes on to talk at length about John Wick Chapter 2's references to silent films and the way it has quite clearly taken inspiration from them. It's an interesting read, if you're so inclined.

And if you were wondering, the clip is from a Buster Keaton movie.




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Why was there a clip of silent movie at the start of John Wick Chapter 2? - Man dreaming about going to space in cinema
Why was there a clip of silent movie at the start of John Wick Chapter 2? - TV set surrounded with figurines and souvenir of comic character and movie heroes
Why was there a clip of silent movie at the start of John Wick Chapter 2? - Exterior of residential house with green trees and lawn growing in countryside in summertime



What happens at the start of John Wick 2?

Plot. John Wick recovers his stolen Ford Mustang Mach 1 from Abram Tarasov, brother of the late Viggo. John dispatches Tarasov's men in a violent rampage that heavily damages the Mustang, but spares Tarasov under the promise of peace, and returns home.

What car is in the beginning of John Wick 2?

Cape Town - If you're a fan of the terrific first chapter of John Wick, you'll remember the beginning of the movie shows the epic hitman head off to an airport hanger strip with his 1969 black Ford Mustang to show off his driving skills.

Who is the mute in John Wick 2?

Ruby Rose worked opposite Keanu Reeves in 2017's John Wick: Chapter 2, where she played the mute assassin Ares.

What happens at the start of the John Wick movie?

The first film in the series focuses on Wick's search for the men who broke into his home, stole his beloved vintage car, and killed his puppy, Daisy. She was the final gift from his recently deceased wife, Helen (Bridget Moynahan).



JOHN WICK 2: The Influence of Silent Cinema




Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Nicholas Garman, Whicdhemein One, Erik Mclean, Max Vakhtbovych