Xiao Wanyi
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tobias_681 — 9 years ago(June 05, 2016 10:18 PM)
I watched
Cowards Bend the Knee or The Blue Hands (2003)
yesterday. I thought it was really good. Maddin always creates such a unique and haunting world. The visual style is dazzling and the surreal plotting is nothing short of fever-dreamish.
I also watched
Easy Street (1917)
today. It's the best Chaplin short I watched yet. I thought it was quite witty but also incredibly action-packed (more reminiscent of Keaton than of Chaplin) which I really enjoyed.
I'd rate both 8,5/10
"You see things; and you say Why? But I dream things that never were and I say Why not?" -
Brendan_Waters — 9 years ago(July 22, 2016 04:20 PM)
Over the last week I have watched four German films directed by Gerhard Lamprecht in the 1920's. The theme that these films have in common is that they give a very realistic focus on the human suffering of everyday life in 1920's post-war Berlin.
Slums of Berlin
(1925) is about an engineer who has served a term in prison. After his release he wants to continue his life as before but soon realizes that life is not going to be the same again as before he was imprisoned.
Children of No Importance
(1926) is about three children that are in a foster home and the abuse that they suffer. Then a dramatic event happens and life changes.
Menshen untereinander (The Folk Upstairs) (1926)
sketches a cross-section of Germany's new post-war society, with its winners, social climbers and losers who are tenants in an apartment building.
Under the Lantern
(1928) is about a young woman who runs away from her domineering father and the unfortunate sequence of events that lead to her downward spiral.
When mention is made of German silent film directors, usually the names mentioned are Lang, Murnau, Pabst or Lubistch. But these four films are evidence that Gerhard Lamprecht deserves his place among them. These films are wonderful and thanks to Edition Filmmuseum they are now available on DVD.
Highly recommended. -
CanterburyTale — 9 years ago(January 09, 2017 01:23 PM)
I have sadly never seen any of Lamprecht's Silent work, but I am a huge fan of his
Emil Und Die Detektive
(1931), and am very interested in seeing more. The films you mentioned all sound very interesting, and I shall try to seek them out."Barney SloaneThat's my new nameMy old one's a little more Italian." -
CanterburyTale — 9 years ago(November 02, 2016 04:45 AM)
Prix De Beaute
(1929).I had the pleasure of seeing this wonderful Louise Brooks film, as part of an event discussing the transition from Silent to Sound in European films.It was absolutely stunning, beautifully directed and performed.Louise Brooks was mesmerising, and the whole experience was enhanced by live accompaniment on piano and accordion. The only existing copy is taken from an Italian print, and missing scenes were replaced by muted frames from the sound version, but the end result was seamless, and the Italian inter-titles (and on screen French text) were translated on a separate screen above the film.Not as distracting or confusing as it sounds. I hope that this becomes available on DVD some day, as it is a truly sublime piece of work that deserves to be seen by a wider audience.
"Barney SloaneThat's my new nameMy old one's a little more Italian." -
Holypunq — 9 years ago(December 02, 2016 02:19 AM)
Like most of it's silent stars, this thread is dead! To liven it up here is a selection of obscure silent films watched in November:
The Captive (1915, Cecil B. DeMille)
The Captive (1915) is one of those lucky pictures that was presumed lost and eventually got preserved for re-release 100 years after it's original premier. A missing piece among Cecil B. DeMille's early films. And it turns out to be fine melodrama. Perhaps nothing exceptional for the period, but respect for not choosing one of the more glamorous conflicts to set it's story. Blanche Sweet looks the part and House Peters never looked more handsome. Far cry from DeMille's series of marriage comedies which would start a few years later before he got his epic kick.
5/10
Hasta después de muerta ['Til After Her Death] (1916, Ernesto Gunche & Eduardo Martinez de la Pera)
Surprisingly well done film considering it's a Argentinian feature film from as early as 1916. Given the period it's not the easiest of films to get underneath the emotions of the story, but at the same time it's not the most difficult of plots to follow and the acting is good, almost natural. One is dependent on subtitles for there is a lot of reading needed to get the right mood. Once you have them, this can be a intriguing one to seek out if interested in early South American film.
4/10
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch (1919, Hugh Ford)
The dramatic portion of Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch (1919) wasn't really interesting. This was more for those little adorable things the the old ladies, children and of course the main attraction - Marguerite Clark. A actress who's works are mostly lost. Only her Snow White (1916) is widely available, but Mrs. Wiggs shows she wasn't just a one hit wonder. A sweet little film where she shines nicely.
4/10
Maksim Maksimich (1927, Vladimir Barsky)
Another barely known Soviet silent. This one from the Georgian parts of the Soviet Union. And which is often the case, not the easiest of viewings. Some parts are tragic enough to get the imagination flowing, but in a way I felt they were hamming it so the effect wasn't all that strong.
3/10
Bela (1927, Vladimir Barsky)
Apparently these are a series of Georgian films and I'm watching them in reverse order. Perhaps Maksim Maksimich (1927) would have made more sense had I watched it after Bela (1927). Unfortunately I'm unsure of the availability of the first in the trilogy Tavadis asuli Meri (1926). Regardless Bela was a fairly good composition of love and tragedy. Visually some strong moments and even teasing some nudity as a added attraction. Story wise sad, though not engaging enough. Still it shows that Soviet states could produce well crafted movies just as mother Russia.
4/10
Gospoda Skotininy (1927, Grigoriy Roshal)
A bubbly Soviet comedy about those poor lower-class people and stupid rich folks. Quite enjoyable in it's way, before it ends in true Communist fashion, without a smile and a rebels revolution against the establishment.
4/10
Bolnye nervy (1929, Noi Galkin)
A Soviet health warning! Starts off as a typical office drama follow a man, a smoking wreck, about to have a nervous breakdown from stress at work and at home. Then it turns into documentary mode with doctors explaining health warnings and how to deal with them. General health tips. Once that was over this becomes a rare film without a "Russian ending" as they show the positive results of listening to your doctor with all smiles and family bliss.
3/10
Sopernitsy [Rivals] (1929, Aleksey A. Dmitriev)
Cute in it's rural ways, but not exactly the most polished movie making one'll ever see. except for one exceptional scene. One of alluring nature. No nudity, but during the courting one of the women cuts a wound on her breast and fools her suitor to suck on it to extract the alleged poison (or something to that effect). Almost shocking, but brilliant moment in what was otherwise forgettable Soviet movie.
3/10
Poslednij attraktsion (1929, Ivan Pravov & Olga Preobrazhenskaya)
A surprisingly well-crafted and largely unknown Soviet silent from the directorial duo that brought us the more known Baby ryazanskie [Women of Ryazan] (1927), nicely restored too, following a traveling circus during the revolutionary turbulence in Russia. Could possibly have built more tension up to the climax, but besides that it's both captivating and easy to follow story. Wonderful acting too. Loved the old clown! Poslednij attraktsion (1929) deserves a larger audience!
6/10 -
Holypunq — 9 years ago(December 06, 2016 07:23 AM)
Phono-Cinéma-Théâtre (1900)
Funny how sound and color was a part of the absolute earliest experimental years of cinema, and it still took nearly 40 years before sound became the standard and even longer before color became cheap enough to become the norm. This series of shorts of various popular entertainers at the turn of the century was filmed and shown at the 1900 Paris World's Fair to promote the new media using cylinder sound rotators synchronized with colored 3 minute sequences of someone dancing, singing or doing comedy. Not all the prints exists the way they were shown, but the few that combines all three aspects of picture, sound and color this presentation was eye opening.
4/10 -
Holypunq — 9 years ago(December 06, 2016 11:10 AM)
The Children in the House (1916, Chester M. Franklin & Sidney Franklin)
Norma Talmadge's The Children in the House (1916) is a imaginative attempt at the 'wrong marriage' story. Overall not a amazing film, but the fantasy scene and bits & pieces does tingle the brain a little bit. I rarely have much expectation for Norma's films, which is a good thing, for they are usually fairly average stuff only sensationalized by the Talmadge-mafia. However, what was amazing was seeing a almost thin Eugene Pallette! You know, the gruff voiced character actor from 1930s films that looked like a balloon.
4/10 -
Holypunq — 9 years ago(December 06, 2016 03:23 PM)
La quena de la muerte (1928, Nelo Cosimi)
Argentinian melodrama of the silent variety. Slow and unspectacular, unless you count the flirting between the ethnicities, yet there in an certain feel to it which makes it durable in all it's simplicity.
3/10 -
Holypunq — 9 years ago(December 07, 2016 09:29 AM)
Das Eskimobaby [The Eskimo Baby] (1918, Heinz Schall)
Inuits (and probable everyone else) will cringe over Asta Nielsen's portrayal of a Eskimo, but screw it, this is a comedy so let's just go with the silliness of a duck out of water as the Eskimo visits continental Europe. Speaking of a duck out of water, watching the dramatic actress Asta Nielsen do comedy was a grotesque sight. She rarely did comedies and the result is strangely freaky. Not sure if "funny" describes it, but it was a sight I couldn't take my eyes off.
4/10 -
Holypunq — 9 years ago(December 07, 2016 12:14 PM)
Haji Agha actore cinema [Haji Agha, the Cinema Actor] (1933, Ovanes Ohanian)
Unfortunately I saw a crap print of this movie without subtitles in any language I understand (though it was subbed for 3 languages with French being the closest to anything I could decipher). But it's not every day one comes across a Iranian silent film, so I had a go anyway. And the result was tiering and confusing. Even knowing the plot it was hard to follow. A few scenes got a smile, but as I feared, not very rewarding in this quality.
2/10 -
Holypunq — 9 years ago(December 07, 2016 07:00 PM)
Mästerman [A Lover in Pawn] (1920, Victor Sjöström)
Mästerman [A Lover in Pawn] (1920) is another quality film from the great Swede Victor Sjöström. Story of a cruel pawnbroker. who everybody else is also cruel to. I had expected the broker to be more evil, but I ended up gaining more sympathy for the ugly old man then the money lending villagers. A fairly diverse drama of control, bullying, revenge and I guess happy endings.
6/10 -
Holypunq — 9 years ago(December 07, 2016 10:29 PM)
The Daughter of Dawn (1920, Norbert A. Myles)
I found The Daughter of Dawn (1920) to be fairly easy viewing, but I wouldn't call it a exciting film. More intriguing for it's historical aspect. Fairly positive portrayal of Native Indians with a largely real-Indian cast making it feel authentic and with a purpose.
4/10 -
lubin-freddy — 9 years ago(December 28, 2016 07:52 AM)
L'enfant de Paris
.
Quite effective feature (shot, as I learned, as a serial), with great use of depth in cinematography, lighting, set design, and (mostly) understated acting.
Well worth the two hours.
What can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence. -
CanterburyTale — 9 years ago(January 09, 2017 01:16 PM)
Jewish Prudence
(1927) -Consistently funny short with Max Davidson as the cunning father trying to find jobs for his idle offspring. This was my first experience of Davidson, but I hope to see more.Martha Sleeper and Eugene Pallette also appear, with Pallette in particular featuring in a very funny scene involving a fraudulent insurance claim.
Thundering Fleas
(1926) -Typically silly Little Rascals offering, with the gang causing havoc with a flea circus at a wedding.Oliver Hardy, Jimmy Finlayson,Charley Chase and Martha Sleeper all make an appearance.
Fluttering Hearts
(1927) - Inventive Charley Chase comedy, with our hero determined to retrieve an incriminating letter from blackmailer Oliver Hardy. The wonderful Martha Sleeper, and Eugene Pallette lend fine support."Barney SloaneThat's my new nameMy old one's a little more Italian." -
CanterburyTale — 9 years ago(January 13, 2017 07:42 PM)
The sublime Louise Brooks in G.W Pabst's
Diary Of A Lost Girl
.Wonderful storytelling, and Louise Brooks was positively radiant as Thymian,the wronged heroine.
"Barney SloaneThat's my new nameMy old one's a little more Italian." -
CanterburyTale — 9 years ago(January 16, 2017 07:13 AM)
Queen Of Spades
(1910)
The House In Kolomna
(1913)
Two Russian shorts by Petr Chardynin, adaptations of stories by Alexander Pushkin. Queen Of Spades being the first of many screen adaptation, both Silent and sound.
"Barney SloaneThat's my new nameMy old one's a little more Italian."