significant." In 1997, Film Comment published a review calling Hell's Hinges a "classic of its kind" and arguing that "to dismiss it casually as a western would be a mistake, for it more resembles The Atonement of Gosta Berling than it does Riders of the Purple Sage. The reviewer gave particular praise to Hart's directorial skill: The camera placement here, the simple yet effective symbolism, and the flair for spectacle as in the brilliantly handled mob scenes where all of Inceville goes up in smoke, the real 'feel' of the old, dusty, unglamorised West, all should have earned Hart a reputation as one of the great directors. ... For the most part, 'Hell's Hinges' offers highpowered drama rather than traditional western action. ... Fine camerawork utilising long panoramic shots, excellent cutting and a sure control over the masses of extras fuse this into an episode of astonishing vigor. Hart, his assistant Cliff Smith, his writer Gardner Sullivan and cameraman Joe August were one of the sturdiest (and least appreciated) teams of craftsmen the cinema ever produced. The film was given a centenary screening at the Museum of Modern Art in January 2016. In a capsule review for the occasion, The New Yorker's Richard Brody praised the film for its uncommon intensity: "The images are as direct and bare as the characters' emotions, and the harsh drama builds to a mad, apocalyptic climax of crime and revenge." In popular culture In 2009, the band Caledonia Mission wrote a song for Esopus magazine inspired by the movie. The song is named "The Ballad of Blaze Tracy." References External links Hell’s Hinges essay by David Menefee at National Film Registry Hell's Hinges at the National Film Preservation Foundation Thomas Ince: Hollywood's Independent Pioneer'' (University Press of Kentucky, 2012) by Brian Taves, pages 94–95, [2] Hell's Hinges available for free download at Internet Archive 1916 films 1916 Western (genre) films American black-and-white films Films directed by William S. Hart United States National Film Registry films Articles containing video clips Silent American Western (genre) films 1910s American films 1910s English-language films