Stachka

Title: Stachka - Strike
Year: 1924
Country: U.S.S.R
Director: Sergei M. Eisenstein
Producer: Boris Mikhin
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 82 minutes
Viewed: August 21, 2011

Review: Well, this movie is definitely intense. The storyline, the way it was directed, everything about it is just very captivating. That being said I would probably never watch it again. The whole film is black an white and even remastered is a struggle visually. Not that that is anyone's fault it just makes it difficult for me to pay attention. If I had not read what was written in the 1001 Movie book before I watched the movie I would not have caught on to the correlation between the slaughtering of the animals and its significance to the people dying, but since I had it made sense. I thought the comparison between the main characters and animals was an interesting idea and I enjoyed how it was carried out throughout the film. I think by far my favorite thing about this film was the pictures and how at first it just appeared to be a picture but then came into action with the film and that individual character.

Rating:
2 Shamrocks

Movie 21 down... 980 to go!

The Thief of Bagdad

Title: The Thief of Bagdad
Year: 1924
Country: USA
Director: Raoul Walsh
Producer: Douglas Fairbanks
Genre: Action & Adventure
Runtime: 139 minutes
Viewed: July 2011

Review: In short, this is the movie that Disney took the entire idea for Aladdin. A lot of the movies visually are becoming clearer, but for me this one had an obvious different, it was very clear. Granted that could just be the way it had been restored and so forth. This is the first movie that I recall having mythical creatures in it, which was fun. There is a scene with a spider and it appears as if it is happening under water, the whole thing throws any viewer for a loop because it is technologically very advanced. I can honestly say I have no idea how this scene was produced but due to the time it was made it had me extremely captivated. Following the idea that this is where Disney got the idea for Aladdin it tells the story of a "street rat" falling in love for and competing for the princess against the mean, more powerful king. There is even a flying carpet, which is also well done for it being 1924. Being that I enjoy the movie Aladdin I did like this movie, the only problem I had with it was how long it was.

Rating:
3.5 Shamrocks

Movie 20 down... 981 to go!

La Roue

Title: La Roue - The Wheel
Year: 1923
Country: France
Director: Abel Gance
Producer: Abel Gance & Charles Pathé
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 273 minutes
Viewed: July 2011

Review: Honestly, I don't know what to say about this movie other then it is extremely odd. It definitely seems like the 1923 version of what is currently a soap opera. So and so falls in love with so and so, but way the twist is that's his sister, but not really! I am guessing in 1923 this plot was not as common and probably quite scandalous. That being said there were a couple unique things to this movie. The first being the daydream that appeared to have existed in a different era. It was as if the time the daydream took place was completely different from the time the movie took place which was interesting. There was the fortune telling scene which honestly I did not understand and so my response to it was what is the point to this scene? There were a lot of special effects in this movie which definitely helped me pay attention more then I would have otherwise, including one scene that was reminisce of The Matrix. Overall, I did not enjoy this movie but could see why it was important to put in the 1001 Movies book.

Rating:
2 Shamrocks

Movie 19 down... 982 to go!