Silent Film recommendations please... (1 Viewer)

[george kaplan]

Well if you're going to use Bunuel, who in many, many, many cases IMO, made some of the stupidest films ever, as your criteria for calling Lang's Metropolis stupid, then that explains a lot.

It would be trivially easy to find lots of critics who say bad things about films you love. You continue to think that in your university you are being taught some sort of profound truth about the aesthetic value of various films. All you are being taught is the 'opinions' of your professors, which may, in some cases, be somewhat more informed than certain other opinions, but are certainly not "truth", and are most certainly not any more informed than Robert Harris'.

As the old saying goes, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder", and that's especially true for film. Anyone's opinion, including mine, and including yours, is equally valid, but no one's, including yours, is more correct than any other. This is not an objective exercise, and you are not being taught "truth" in your classes.

Hitchcock used to say that instead of "slices of life" (which seems to be the type of film that a lot of pretentious critics drool over), he made "pieces of cake". That's a profound statement if you understand it, and a lot more meaningful than most of what you're professors seem to be teaching you.

 

[Eric Huffstutler]

I purchased "Sunrise" by itself through eBay from someone who broke up a box set. Payed too much at the time but did enjoy the movie. Also have the Kino version of "Metropolis" and the Chinese release of "Wings". Bad thing here is that the Chinese subtitles can not be removed but they give you enough time to read the English cards under them. I too would like to see a legitimate release of this first Academy Award winner!

Have some PD of classics like Nosferatu (1922), The Phantom of the Opera (1925), and The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923). I like all three of these horror films and like to replace each one but understand Hunchback is extremely hard to do so with a decent copy? Any suggestions?

 

[Jason Seaver]

It might be worth waiting a bit on Phantom of the Opera. The Alloy Orchestra is touring with a new, restored print that is quite impressive - the hand-colored sequences, in particular, are absolutely stunning. Supposedly, their new company ("Box 5") intends to release their restored/rescored films in digital form as well.

 

[Michael Elliott]

You could always get Milestone's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA since it contains two versions plus some great extras. HUNCHBACK you had better wait on because there are rumors of a SE coming sometime. I personally find it to be one of Chaney's worst films so you might want to start with a PD version before throwing $20 down. With NOSFERATU you should probably go with the Kino release, which is also in a box set with three other German classics. Or you could go to www.creepyclassics.com and order a copy of NOSFERATU, which includes the 1910 version of FRANKENSTEIN. The NOSFERATU print isn't the best but it is properly windowboxed.

 

[Robert Harris]

Silent films are certainly an odd breed.

Because of the lack of quality duping elements, some silent productions were photographed with multiple cameras. Domestic and foreign versions could differ wildly in takes as well as the overall quality of acting and photography.

And the meaning of a film can also differ drastically dependant upon the inter-titles, their originality and (worst of all) translations.

A number of years ago I was able to locate 35mm elements for a silent short film by Abel Gance. Although the original titles would have been in French, the print in question had come through the Czech archive. By the time the verbiage had been mis-translated, the film had all but lost its meaning.

If that doesn't make things difficult enough, surviving elements from several different cuts or foreign releases may be cut together in an attempt to cohesiveness.

Unless one has knowledge, with some surity, of what they're viewing, the experience can become wildly confusing, with many mis-representations of original intent.

Having personally removed the Violine sequences from Napoleon at Abel Gance's request in our need to shorten the film for live performances, I can tell you that the film plays totally differently with and without.

RAH

 

[Jing_B]

A mere mention that turned into a heated argument!

 

[Michael Elliott]

I just got done watching Kevin Brownlow's brilliant documentary UNKNOWN CHAPLIN, which any fan of silent film should pick up. All three parts of the documentary are terrific and it was wonderful seeing the alternate opening to MODERN TIMES as well as the two scenes cut from THE CIRCUS. The doc did a great job at show why Chaplin was a genius and showed the madness that had Brando call him the most sadistic man he had ever met.

 

[Richard M S]

Those were the fictional romance scenes with Annabella, right? I always remember reading that sequence was removed, and that it's removal improved the film.

I loved Napolean when I first saw it at Radio City Music Hall with the full orchestra all of those years ago. It really opened my eyes to silent films. I know this is slightly off topic but are there any plans to release it on DVD with the Violine sequences as an extra? - Or better yet, are there any plans to show the film again theatrically?

 

[Armin Jager]

Hey, wait a minute, removing scenes with Annabella? That's the worst imaginable idea and can't improve any film :frowning: . Such a lovely lady :b. She could give this fascistoid horror film at least some good scenes .