Sunrise

Title: Sunrise 
Year: 1927
Country: USA
Director: F.W. Murnau
Producer: William Fox
Genre: Drama & Romance 
Oscars: William Fox (unique and artistic picture); Janet Gaynor (actress); Charles Rosher & Karl Strauss (photography)
Oscar Nominations: Rochus Gliese (art direction)
Runtime: 110 minutes 
Viewed: June 24, 2013

Review: If you've been following my journey for awhile then you probably noticed two new categories listed above! Well, that's because this is the first year they had the Academy Awards. The book noted that most believe that the first Best Picture was Wings, well that is accurate except for the fact that the academy actually honored two films, Sunrise of course being the second. 

I really wanted to like this movie, especially since it was recognized by the Academy, but I didn't. I actually remember the most about this movie out of all of the silent ones thus far because it made me so angry! I always read what 1001 says before I watch the movie and based on the description I did not think it would be bad. However, I was very wrong. The plot itself is so simple but the execution enraged me. 

The concept is that this mysterious woman comes to town and the married man falls for her and she convinces him to kill his wife so they can be together. So let me tell you how I saw this movie. A man falls for a new woman after his wife fairly recently had a baby, she tells him to kill the wife, he tries to follow through, fails to do so, tries to make up to his wife for trying to kill her, almost loses her in the storm, tries to kill the mistress, and then everything ends well because the wife is alive. 

GAG! Seriously, I'm sorry but this sounds like the pattern of a domestic violence perpetrator and that is not a film I want to watch. Oh I'm sorry I tried to kill my wife, let's experience the honeymoon period again and make everything better. I was kind of hoping the wife died so that he would have to suffer for what he had tried to do her, but of course not. This is not a movie I like. I wouldn't want to watch it again and I definitely wouldn't make someone else sit through it. Strong feelings about cheating and abuse are never going to be pushed aside. I guess you could say getting my degree in Sociology ruined this film for me, but I'm okay with that. 

Rating: 
2 Shamrocks (The only reason it's getting 2 is because visually it is appealing but if it was based solely on the story and my level of enjoyment of the film, it'd be a 1) 

Movie 31 down... 970 to go! 

Metropolis

Title: Metropolis 
Year: 1927
Country: Germany
Director: Fritz Lang
Producer: Erich Pommer 
Genre: Drama & Sci-Fi
Runtime: 148 minutes 
Viewed: March 6, 2013

Review: As my readers know by now, I do not like silent films. That being said, this one, although much longer than necessary, was good. It takes place in the year 2026, which is a mere 13 years away from where we are now. It is interesting to compare how the Lang and Pommer imagined 2026 would be to today. One thing that is unfortunately accurate is the work of those being done underground. The rich don't want to have to see who is making the world go around and they try to make sure of that in this movie. 

There are many commonalities between the way the workers depicted in this movie and those of today, as well as the rich. I think the end of the film though is what is most interesting. Spoiler alert: Although the poor want to succeed and find a way out from the bottom in their rush to collapse the system they all forget about their children.

The line that is driven home in this film is, "The mediator between the head and the hands must be the heart." i think it is good to remember this while watching the movie, not that you could forget because they won't allow you to. But also, in life. 

The way this film was made is incredible for the time in which it was created. The transformation of the robot to woman, the way all the machines are working throughout the film, and so much more is just phenomenal. I do not even like sci-fi films and this one really set the bar high for all future films, but specifically sci-fi movies. 

It was also very awesome to watch the character development of Freder throughout the film, he is after all the films hero!

Rating: 
3 Shamrocks 

Movie 30 down... 971 to go! 

The Big Parade

Title: The Big Parade
Year: 1925
Country: USA
Director: King Vidor
Producer: Irving Thalberg
Genre: Romance & War
Runtime: 140 minutes 
Viewed: February 14, 2013

Review: Oh silent films how I have not missed you. I really cannot wait to be out of silent films in the book. I do try to see the positives in films such as this. Initially, I was surprised by the fact that there were actual sounds in the movie, such as the horn being blown at the beginning of the film. I did enjoy the Army music throughout the movie as well. It was fun that the director thought to put the words with music notes surrounding them into the film. The story begins with a rich boy, who is often described as "idle" which I believe to just mean lazy, spending time with his girlfriend. It isn't long before it is announced that WWI is happening. The young man decides to join based on his patriotic friends and his girlfriend who thinks he will be so cute in his uniform. All that to say as he is sent to France he falls in love with a girl, loses his two closest friends, and gets his leg blown off. One might ask what is better than that experience to which I reply, he returns home to find out his girlfriend has started dating his brother! To say the least I was not a fan of the girlfriend character. Of course the girlfriend is not supposed to matter at this point though because he is in love with the French woman and returns to find his love. Now, ever since I was a kid I remember people doing the long run into an intense embrace, whether it was joking between friends or on other TV shows/movies, and I believe this is where that came from. The ending of the movie of course is touching because what are the odds that he would be able to find his love again. Overall the movie was good, but long. I could definitely do without silent films lasting 2+ hours. Would I watch it again? Probably not. But I can understand why the movie was put in the 1001 book. 

Rating: 
2.5 Shamrocks

Movie 29 down... 972 to go! 

The Gold Rush

Title: The Gold Rush
Year: 1925
Country: USA
Director: Charles Chaplin
Producer: Charles Chaplin
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 80 minutes
Viewed: May 20, 2012

Review: Charles Chaplin is amazing, simply put. He is a genius, there are not many who can effectively direct, produce and star in a movie. I was confused by the upbeat music not matching what was always happening during the movie. There were a few times where I laughed pretty hard. The first is the roll dance. It is classic and so funny. The second is when the house is about to tip off the mountain. The behavior between the two actors is perfectly done and makes the comedy of the situation even greater.

Rating:
2.5 Shamrocks (While there were a couple good laughs, I'm not sure I want to re-watch because silent films are just not my thing for the most part)

Movie 28 down... 973 to go!

Bronenosets Potyomkin

Title: Bronenosets Potyomkin - The Battleship Potemkin
Year: 1925
Country: U.S.S.R. 
Director: Grigori Aleksandrov & Sergei M. Eisenstein 
Producer: Jacob Bliokh
Genre: Drama & War
Runtime: 69 minutes
Viewed: May 20, 2012 

Review: What to say about this movie? There are two scenes specifically that I probably will always be able to recall. The first is when the men raise the red flag in protest and the second is the child bleeding from his head on the stairs. As a viewer, I had to read more about where the Director was coming from to understand the film. I definitely sided with and felt bad for the men at the beginning when they are showing the rotten meat. I am torn on how to feel about the film as a whole. I don't quite understand the necessity in the stair scene because up to that point you are angry with the men at their leaders and then you become confused as to why they are taking out their anger on the towns people. I am not sure ultimately how I felt about this film. But the ending is a good one. 

Rating: 
2 Shamrocks 

Movie 27 down... 974 to go!

The Phantom of the Opera

Title: The Phantom of the Opera
Year: 1925
Country: USA
Director: Ruper Julian & Lon Chaney
Producer: Carl Laemmle
Genre: Horror 
Runtime: 91 minutes
Viewed: May 20, 2012

Review: This is actually the second time I have seen this film. The first time I watched it with a good friend, but ended up enjoying her company more than I paid attention to the film. So, I thought in order to give a proper review I had to watch it a second time. I have never seen the any of the Phantom of the Opera movies nor have I seen the play, so it was nice to start with the original. While I was not fully captivated by this movie there were a few scenes in particular that caught my attention. The first is the scene where the chandelier falls to the ground. That scene was well done for the time period it was produced in. The second scene in the film that I enjoyed was where the Phantom comes out in his red outfit. The way the movie was shot going specifically to a color sequence at this part was brilliant. Over time the mask the Phantom wears has clearly changed from the fuller face mask in this film to the half face mask used currently. It would seem with time the film has also become less horror and more romance, from my understanding. The grotesque face of the Phantom when it is revealed in itself allows this movies genre category to be horror.

Rating:
3 Shamrocks

Movie 26 down... 975 to go!

Seven Chances

Title: Seven Chances
Year: 1925
Country: USA
Director: Buster Keaton
Producer: Joseph M. Schenck & Buster Keaton
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 56 minutes
Viewed: December 29, 2011

Review: This movie was pretty good. The concept is pretty funny, a man who only inherits his millions (left from his grandfather) if he is to marry by his 27th birthday, which of course happens to be that day. As Keaton's last movie I watched, there is a lot of comedy which makes the movie entertaining. There are plenty of parts in the movie that are funny and for the most part it will keep your attention. Buster Keaton definitely had a lot of talent whether that be in acting or directing. It is clear why this movie was listed in the book.

Rating:
3 Shamrocks

Movie 25 down... 976 to go!