Not-so-silent Films of the 1920s

[altivo]

I never make polls, but answering a meme about films over on Facebook inspired me to ask these questions of LJ readers.

[Poll #1445665]

Comments

[schnee.livejournal.com]

Oh, Lang and Murnau are definitely available. I actually started watching "Metropolis" at one point, but I'm not generally able to watch longer movies these days anymore, at least unless they're hilariously funny (like the Laurel and Hardy ones you mentioned would probably be - I'll have to check those out, thanks!), and that's not something you could say about any of Fritz Lang's works, I think.

"Nosferatu" I haven't even started watching, but I know it's considered a great classic that can still be found.

Mmm, Eisenstein? I've got to admit the only Eisenstein I know (of) is the one behind this. ^.~

[altivo.livejournal.com]

This Eisenstein is one of film-making's early saints. ;p

Yep, Lang was no comedian. But then, neither were others of the early silent writers and directors. The surrealist film Un chien Andalou by Luis Bunuel and Salvador Dali is one of the strangest things I've ever seen. Thank the gods it's only 16 minutes long, because I'm sure an hour of that would drive anyone insane.

Another one I have seen, though I can't remember the title, was made by either a French or German film maker and features the temptations of a Roman Catholic priest who has fallen in love (or lust) with a woman who comes to him for confession. It is filled with drawn out misery, scenes of him crawling up cobblestone streets on his knees or imagining being carried away by overwhelming floods of water. The saving grace was the organist at the showing, Jay Warren, who kept entertaining us by shouting out comments from the organ console, such as "You haven't seen the worst yet" or "Halfway done, grit your teeth!" The music, needless to say, was the reason I went to see it, so it was still worthwhile.

[schnee.livejournal.com]

*noddles* Yeah, that doesn't sound like a movie I'd particularly enjoy, either.

(Of course, there is no reason why a film should be any less nerve-wracking or possibly even annoying just because it's silent instead of having sound.)