Haxan

Title: Haxan
Year: 1923
Country: Denmark/Sweden
Director: Benjamin Christensen
Producer: N/A (not given)
Genre: Documentary & Horror
Runtime: 104 minutes
Viewed: July 9, 2010

Review: This movie was not exactly what I had expected it to be, I knew it would be about witchcraft but towards the end of the film it takes an extremely odd turn. Honestly, I've taken a couple days before writing this review because I'm not completely sure what to say. I did not like the movie overall, I felt it went on and on, especially with the picture interruptions that provided a history lesson. The history lessons made more sense at the end of the film, with the twist being that people who could be claimed to be witches may just suffer from hysteria because both end up having similar temperaments. But overall I did not feel like the history lesson was necessary, it honestly could have just gone on with the movie and made sense. I guess it made sense with the twist, especially when you consider people who suffer from hysteria do see things, such as witches supposedly do, and in a time (in the film) where if you were accused to be a witch you were punished, and more than likely burned at the stake. I felt like the message of the film was really that we should treat those that suffer from psychiatric problems better, but with the rest of the film it just doesn't seem to make sense. Drake put it best when she stated that, "The end of the movie just got preachy." The best part about the film would be the costumes of the "devils" and the effort that was put into the set designs.

Rating:
2 Shamrocks
2 Soccer balls

Movie 16 down... 985 to go!

Nosferatu, Eine Symphonie Des Grauens

Title: Nosferatu, Eine Symphonie Des Grauens - Nosferatu, A Symphony of Terror
Year: 1922
Country: Germany
Director: F.W. Murnau
Producer: N/A (not given)
Genre: Horror
Runtime: 81 minutes
Viewed: July 1, 2010

Review: Most traditionally know this film as the one that started the Dracula movies. I understand that what we typically refer to as frightening now is different then what was frightening then. Now we enjoy things that make us jumpy, however in that period I can completely understand how this was a horror type film. There are a few images from the movie that are scary but nothing that is going to leave me with nightmares. This is the first movie so far that either Drake or I had actually heard of, but not only that, Drake has watched a couple versions of the movie before. It was entertaining to say the least and there are some nice effects throughout the movie that make it worth watching. I'm not sure it would be one I would actively seek out to watch again, but I would not be opposed to watching it again if someone else was already watching it. All that to say it is cool to see where the Dracula movies began.

Rating:
3 Shamrocks
3 Soccer balls

Movie 15 down... 986 to go!

Nanook of the North

Title: Nanook of the North
Year: 1922
Country: USA
Director: Robert J. Flaherty
Producer: Robert J. Flaherty
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 79 minutes
Viewed: June 30, 2010

Review: The best word to describe this film is wow! This was the best movie we have watched so far. I'm not sure whether it was the fact that it was the first documentary or what, but the fact that we got to be a part of these Eskimos' lives for a little over an hour was throughly entertaining. Everything they did was captivating. The beginning scene captures the viewers attention because it is beautiful but from there the viewer is left seeing a hilarious canoe scene where more Eskimos than you think pop out like it's a clown car. The whole movie, seeing their way of life, truly is just attention grabbing. There is no question in my mind why this movie is in the book, even if it wasn't in the book for it being considered the first documentary, it should be in there solely because of how amazing it is. Absolutely, one hundred percent, the best film we have watched so far. My hat to you Robert J. Flaherty, well done. Also, it should be said that this is the only movie so far that caught one of our roommates attention to the point she sat down to watch with us.

Rating:
4 Shamrocks
4.5 Soccer balls

Movie 14 down... 987 to go!