These three Dreyer films had a profound affect on me.

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Posted by Harmonia (A) on February 6, 2008 at 19:09:01

In Reply to: Amazing lead performance especially since it was her posted by tinear on February 6, 2008 at 17:42:29:

...Vampyr, The Passion Of Joan Of Arc and Ordet.

I encountered them in film class as a young lass of 19 and 20 - I was never the same again. I think my jaw fell into my lap durring Vampyr. The Passion of Joan of Arc moved me to copious tears. Ordet is just as shocking and beautiful today as it was in 1955, one of the finest films about faith ever made, and the only film I know containing an amusing reference to Kierkegaard.

The Art Institute of Chicago had 16mm copies in their stash and Stan Brakhage used to teach them in his film history class. We also used to dig them out during evening film club and watch them over and over. I have them on DVD and was pleased to see TCM doing a Dreyer retrospective a couple years ago. Ordet comes in a set with Gertrud and Day of Wrath, also recommended, though in my mind not quite the staure of the afirementioned trio.

Dreyer's films have been hugely unfluential - Tarkovsky, Von Trier, Kurosawa, Bergman - the stunning wide shot exteriors, the slow panning interiors shots, the magical lighting, the pure, austerely composed images, the understated acting. The editing of the sequence of Joan at the stake is one of the marvels of film, with an almost unbearable instensity rendered in fluid close-up of Falconetti's face.

Dreyer is essential viewing for anyone interested in film.

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - The Passion of Joan of Arc - Mali 16:17:19 02/06/08 (8)

This one is interesting to me . . . - Pjay 16:06:14 02/09/08 (0)

Amazing lead performance especially since it was her - tinear 17:42:29 02/06/08 (6)

These three Dreyer films had a profound affect on me. - Harmonia 19:09:01 02/06/08 (5)

You had Brakhage for a teacher?! LUCKY guy. Netflix has some of his - tinear 04:48:52 02/07/08 (4)

Yup, Brakhage. I *am* a lucky "girl". - Harmonia 23:06:21 02/07/08 (3)

We all owe you - tinear 05:05:03 02/08/08 (2)

Maya Deren? - Harmonia 09:05:09 02/08/08 (1)

Oops, yeah, I have a way of mangling names sometimes. - tinear 13:35:15 02/08/08 (0)

Follow Ups

These three Dreyer films had a profound affect on me. - Harmonia 19:09:01 02/06/08 (5)

You had Brakhage for a teacher?! LUCKY guy. Netflix has some of his - tinear 04:48:52 02/07/08 (4)

Yup, Brakhage. I *am* a lucky "girl". - Harmonia 23:06:21 02/07/08 (3)

We all owe you - tinear 05:05:03 02/08/08 (2)

Maya Deren? - Harmonia 09:05:09 02/08/08 (1)

Oops, yeah, I have a way of mangling names sometimes. - tinear 13:35:15 02/08/08 (0)

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