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Re: 50 Memorable Films: 1932-1968.

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rico

(A)

In Reply to: 50 Memorable Films: 1932-1968. posted by AudioHead on September 21, 2004 at 06:43:32:

Great list. I have 30 of these.
No silent films?

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On Silents..... - AudioHead 06:19:22 09/22/04 (2)
Rico, There are two French miniatures that I like: Melies' "A Novice At
X-Rays"(Les Rayons Roentgen) and "The Mechanical Butcher"(Charcuterie
Mechanique), each 1 minute long and made in 1897. Great little
imaginative pieces. Also like his later (1902) and longer(21 minutes)
"A Trip To The Moon"(Le Voyage dans da Lune).
Couple others that I've not seen, but would like to, are:
Protazonov's "Aelita: The Revolt of the Robots"-1924 and Gallen's
"Alraune"-1928. ~AH
- Don't forget Fritz Lang's UFA (German) film Woman in The Moon ('29) . - Audiophilander 08:26:46 09/22/04 (1)
  That's the first motion picture to employ a "countdown" which has since become the standard method for timing rocket launches. This classic silent will be available here for the first time Nov. 11th, from KINO.
  AuPh
  - Frau im Mond: zehn,neun,acht,sieben,sechs.....! nt - AudioHead 12:15:59 09/22/04 (0)
    ~AH
Re: 50 Memorable Films: 1932-1968. - AudioHead 12:00:01 09/21/04 (5)
Rico, I'm not big on silents. But I did like Metropolis and Nosferatu. AuPh I believe likes silents a lot. ~AH
- "I'm not big on..." - SILENCE! Seriously, yes, I'm a big fan of silent film. - Audiophilander 22:35:05 09/22/04 (4)
  AudioHead, if you want to see something that will blow your contemporary mind from the 20's get the Spanish reconstruction of Murnau's Faust (i.e., the ultimate German Expressionist film); I also highly recommend Murnau's Sunrise (20th Century Fox) which recieved the first Academy Award for Best Picture (Art & Production). Also Criterion's release of Dreyer's Passion of Joan of Arc, and for something lighter, KINO's recent restored release of Douglas Fairbank's Thief of Bagdad.
  I agree that silents aren't everybody's "cuppa tea" but there are certainly some silents which have never been improved on, either visually or conceptually and have a tendency to grow on you. Those that work least well tend to come across too stagey; over-acted to the point of being comical in order to convey visual cues to the audience, compensating for lacking audible dialogue. Proper projection speed can also be a key element to enjoyment of silent films (i.e., silent movies which are shown at sound film projection speed appear speeded up and cartoony, which tragically undermines the original artistry).
  Anyway, I like movies from all eras, but NOT all movies, and there are clinkers from every period, IMO; silent films are no exception.
  Cheers,
  AuPh
  - Re: "Also - rico 11:28:57 09/23/04 (0)
    I guess my five favorite silent films are:
    "Greed"
    "Sunrise"
    "The General"
    "Sherlock, Jr."
    "Birth of a Nation" (in spite of its overt racisim and outright revisionism).
  - Re: "I'm not big on..." - SILENCE! Seriously, yes, I'm a big fan of silent film. - AudioHead 07:15:28 09/23/04 (2)
    AuPh,
    I like some silents, viz, "The Lost World", "Cabinet of
    Dr. Caligari" and the others I previously mentioned, but would
    characterize my enthusiasm as relatively 'small' vis-a-vis some others at
    The Film Forum. Didn't mean to imply that you liked ALL silents,
    of course, we all know here that you are much more discerning than
    that. Remember seeing "Thief of Bagdad" many years ago, found
    it rather longish, but enjoyable. Will try and see your
    recommendeds. You detailed my dislikes of some silents well. Thanks and Happy Viewing-Enjoying ~AH
    - Thanks, and great response. - Audiophilander 08:36:51 09/23/04 (1)
      Sorry, I'd intended my remarks as light and humorous in my prior post; my bad. You're right about Fairbank's Thief of Bagdad being rather longish and KINO's restoration print, clocking in at 154 minutes (i.e., apparently displayed at or very near the correct projection speed) doesn't shorten it one bit! Length aside, this version is an exceptionally nice print which displays the charm and cinematic flourishes of this classic fantasy better than prior home video releases. Moreover, there's a wonderful orchestral score of appropriate period music, provided courtesy of the Mont Alto Orchestra, that's perfectly cued to the rhythm, mood and grandeur of the story. I can't imagine anyone who sees this version being disappointed.
      One word of caution should you decide to check out the Criterion release of Dreyer's Passion of Joan of Arc: this is a uniquely disturbing film based upon the actual trial/inquisition transcripts; not for the faint of heart.
      BTW, here's another off-the-wall recommendation; also a Criterion release. Haxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages is a somewhat documentary-like, albeit remarkable, frequently fascinating film from the early 20's that must've kept the censors busy when it was first released, that is when they weren't scratching their heads. This unusual movie was groundbreaking on several levels and so provocative that William S. Burroughs narrated an edited down version of it (orchestrated by Jean-Luc Ponty) in the late 1968; both versions are included on the Criterion disc.
      Oh, one more thing: which version of The Lost World have you seen? If you've seen or acquired the Image release DVD, which is a restoration containing rediscovered previously missing footage, animation outtakes and a miniature reproduction of the Original program, then you've got two thumbs up from your's truly. :o)
      Cheers,
      AuPh
      - Have Not Seen Restored "Lost World". Hope To Update. nt - AudioHead 15:50:22 09/23/04 (0)
        
        In Reply to: Thanks, and great response. posted by Audiophilander on September 23, 2004 at 08:36:51:
        
        ~AH

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