Xiao Wanyi
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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
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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." -
Holypunq — 9 years ago(January 27, 2017 03:47 AM)
The Nervous Wreck (1926, Scott Sidney)
Looked like Harrison Ford was trying a combination of Buster Keaton's stone face with Harold Lloyd's glasses for The Nervous Wreck (1926). He in no way had their sense of comic timing, though he did have a certain personalty for light romance comedies like this. Regardless of what limitations he had, Phyllis Haver was there to back him up with some real personality! One of the great silent actresses making even the silliest of hypochondriac comedies durable. Plus they had Mack Swain eating things. With a face like that not much else as needed to make one laugh.
4/10 -
Holypunq — 9 years ago(January 29, 2017 09:47 AM)
Sold for Marriage (1916, Christy Cabanne)
Considering this stars the great Lillian Gish, Sold for Marriage (1916) was below expectations. Even her performance was unremarkable, though she did look crazy angry there. Filthy story rushed. Works alright for a quick dramatic fix into the world of forced marriage. Not exactly charming, but such stories are provocative.
4/10