Still by far the best adaptation of the Robert Louis Stevenson story, Paramount’s glossy pre-Code is also one of the most prestigious horror shows on record. Fredric March won an acting Oscar and it’s one of Miriam Hopkins’ best performances. The film is sexually daring and technically astute — with the help of cameraman Karl Struss director Rouben Mamoulian makes use of every cinematic trick he can conjure. The horrible Mr. Hyde is conceived as a near-simian primitive man, equating unrestrained lust and desire as something ‘society’ must repress. The disc packaging says it’s two minutes longer than the 2004 Warner DVD . . . but it’s not.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1931 / B&w / 1:37 Academy / 98 min. / Available at Amazon.com / General site Wac-Amazon / Street Date October 25, 2022 / 21.99
Starring: Fredric March, Miriam Hopkins, Rose Hobart, Holmes Herbert, Halliwell Hobbes, Edgar Norton, Tempe Pigott, Douglas Walton.
Cinematography: Karl Struss...
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1931 / B&w / 1:37 Academy / 98 min. / Available at Amazon.com / General site Wac-Amazon / Street Date October 25, 2022 / 21.99
Starring: Fredric March, Miriam Hopkins, Rose Hobart, Holmes Herbert, Halliwell Hobbes, Edgar Norton, Tempe Pigott, Douglas Walton.
Cinematography: Karl Struss...
- 10/15/2022
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
The message of this ode to early Christian martyrs is overpowered by Cecil B. DeMille’s indulgence of his sanctimonious/perverse instincts: although seldom lumped in with other pre-Code sex & sadism offenders, there’s more salacious and violent content here than in a dozen ordinary ‘discouraged’ pre-Code pictures. Fredric March and Elissa Landi provide the pro-Christian idealism, but Charles Laughton and especially Claudette Colbert steal the show with marvelously wicked portraits of Emperor Nero and Empress Poppea. The smirks and come-hither looks are backed up with hot content that filled seats in Depression-era theaters.
The Sign of the Cross
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1932 / B&w / 1:37 flat Academy / 125 min. / Street Date August 25, 2020 / available through Kino Lorber / 24.95
Starring: Fredric March, Elissa Landi, Claudette Colbert, Charles Laughton, Ian Keith.
Cinematography: Karl Struss
Art Direction & Costumes (+ assistant director): Mitchell Leisen
Film Editor: Anne Bauchens
Original Music: Rudolph G. Kopp
Written by Waldemar Young,...
The Sign of the Cross
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1932 / B&w / 1:37 flat Academy / 125 min. / Street Date August 25, 2020 / available through Kino Lorber / 24.95
Starring: Fredric March, Elissa Landi, Claudette Colbert, Charles Laughton, Ian Keith.
Cinematography: Karl Struss
Art Direction & Costumes (+ assistant director): Mitchell Leisen
Film Editor: Anne Bauchens
Original Music: Rudolph G. Kopp
Written by Waldemar Young,...
- 8/18/2020
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
The most notorious pre-Code shocker comes to Criterion — and proves to be a superior drama with an entirely mature, sound outlook on the political issues around women’s sexuality and personal freedom. Taken from a raw novel by William Faulkner, this tale of rape and terror stars Miriam Hopkins in one of the bravest, best performances of its era. Truth-telling like this always comes at a price — Temple Drake was a prime target for the oppressive Production Code, with the result that Hopkins’ achievement was banned and unseen for over thirty-five years.
The Story of Temple Drake
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 1006
1933 / B&w / 1:33 Academy / 71 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date December 3, 2019 / 39.95
Starring: Miriam Hopkins, William Gargan, Jack La Rue, Florence Eldridge, Guy Standing, Irving Pichel, Jobyna Howland, William Collier Jr., Elizabeth Patterson, James Eagles, Harlan Knight, Jim Mason, Louise Beavers, Grady Sutton, Kent Taylor, John Carradine.
Cinematography:...
The Story of Temple Drake
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 1006
1933 / B&w / 1:33 Academy / 71 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date December 3, 2019 / 39.95
Starring: Miriam Hopkins, William Gargan, Jack La Rue, Florence Eldridge, Guy Standing, Irving Pichel, Jobyna Howland, William Collier Jr., Elizabeth Patterson, James Eagles, Harlan Knight, Jim Mason, Louise Beavers, Grady Sutton, Kent Taylor, John Carradine.
Cinematography:...
- 12/10/2019
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
MGM’s gigantic silent sci-fi extravaganza took three years to make, by which time the talkies arrived and everything went to pieces. Lionel Barrymore emotes (Emotes!) in his early sound footage, and terrific effects take us to the bottom of the ocean where monsters and a race of Donald Duck creatures menace our heroic adventurers. And don’t forget a few sundry other elements: a Russian revolution, torture scenes, and cool steampunk nautical hardware. All this Life Aquatic lacks is Steve Zissou!
The Mysterious Island
DVD
The Warner Archive Collection
1929 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 93 min. / Street Date March 26, 2019 / available through the WBshop / 19.99
Starring: Lionel Barrymore, Jane Daly (Jacqueline Gadsdon), Lloyd Hughes, Montagu Love, Harry Gribbon, Snitz Edwards, Gibson Gowland, Dolores Brinkman, Karl Dane, Robert Dudley, Sydney Jarvis, Bob Kortman, Angelo Rossitto.
Cinematography: Percy Hilburn
Film Editor: Carl L. Pierson
Technical Effects: James Basevi, Irving G. Ries, Louis H. Tolhurst
Original Music: Martin Broones,...
The Mysterious Island
DVD
The Warner Archive Collection
1929 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 93 min. / Street Date March 26, 2019 / available through the WBshop / 19.99
Starring: Lionel Barrymore, Jane Daly (Jacqueline Gadsdon), Lloyd Hughes, Montagu Love, Harry Gribbon, Snitz Edwards, Gibson Gowland, Dolores Brinkman, Karl Dane, Robert Dudley, Sydney Jarvis, Bob Kortman, Angelo Rossitto.
Cinematography: Percy Hilburn
Film Editor: Carl L. Pierson
Technical Effects: James Basevi, Irving G. Ries, Louis H. Tolhurst
Original Music: Martin Broones,...
- 5/4/2019
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
The last time a black-and-white film won a cinematography Oscar was in 1994, when Polish cinematographer Janusz Kaminski won the category for lensing Steven Spielberg's haunting Schindler's List. This year could be the next if one of two cinematographer nominees — Alfonso Cuaron for Roma (Netflix) or Lukasz Zal for Cold War (Focus Features) — claims the prize.
A cinematography Oscar was first handed out in 1928 — to Charles Rosher and Karl Struss for the silent film Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans. In 1939, the award was separated into two different categories, color and black-and-white. In 1968, cinematography again became a ...
A cinematography Oscar was first handed out in 1928 — to Charles Rosher and Karl Struss for the silent film Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans. In 1939, the award was separated into two different categories, color and black-and-white. In 1968, cinematography again became a ...
The last time a black-and-white film won a cinematography Oscar was in 1994, when Polish cinematographer Janusz Kaminski won the category for lensing Steven Spielberg's haunting Schindler's List. This year could be the next if one of two cinematographer nominees — Alfonso Cuaron for Roma (Netflix) or Lukasz Zal for Cold War (Focus Features) — claims the prize.
A cinematography Oscar was first handed out in 1928 — to Charles Rosher and Karl Struss for the silent film Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans. In 1939, the award was separated into two different categories, color and black-and-white. In 1968, cinematography again became a ...
A cinematography Oscar was first handed out in 1928 — to Charles Rosher and Karl Struss for the silent film Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans. In 1939, the award was separated into two different categories, color and black-and-white. In 1968, cinematography again became a ...
In celebration of its 100th anniversary, the American Society of Cinematographers has released a list of the 100 best shot films of the 20th century.
This list was released to "showcase the best of cinematography as selected by professional cinematographers.” Here's how the list was put together:
The process of cultivating the 100 films began with Asc members each submitting 10 to 25 titles that were personally inspirational or perhaps changed the way they approached their craft. “I asked them — as cinematographers, members of the Asc, artists, filmmakers and people who love film and whose lives were shaped by films — to list the films that were most influential,” Fierberg explains. A master list was then complied, and members voted on what they considered to be the most essential 100 titles.
Here's a little sizzle reel that was cut together showcasing some of the films on the list:
It's hard to argue with the Top 10 films,...
This list was released to "showcase the best of cinematography as selected by professional cinematographers.” Here's how the list was put together:
The process of cultivating the 100 films began with Asc members each submitting 10 to 25 titles that were personally inspirational or perhaps changed the way they approached their craft. “I asked them — as cinematographers, members of the Asc, artists, filmmakers and people who love film and whose lives were shaped by films — to list the films that were most influential,” Fierberg explains. A master list was then complied, and members voted on what they considered to be the most essential 100 titles.
Here's a little sizzle reel that was cut together showcasing some of the films on the list:
It's hard to argue with the Top 10 films,...
- 1/9/2019
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
The American Society of Cinematographers (Asc) celebrates its 100th anniversary on Tuesday by unveiling two lists devoted to 20th century visual achievements: the 100 Milestone Films and the top 10 Best-Shot Films, led by “Lawrence of Arabia” (1962), shot by Oscar-winning cinematographer Freddie Young.
The rest of the Top 10 list includes sci-fi classics “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968), shot by Geoffrey Unsworth, and “Blade Runner” (1982), shot by Jordan Cronenweth; two from director Francis Ford Coppola: “The Godfather” (1972), shot by Gordon Willis, and “Apocalypse Now” (1979), shot by Oscar-winner Vittorio Storaro; two black-and-white entries: “Citizen Kane” (1941), shot by Gregg Toland, and “Raging Bull” (1980), shot by Michael Chapman; “Days of Heaven” (1978), shot by Oscar winner Néstor Almendros; and “The French Connection” (1971), shot by five-time Oscar nominee Owen Roizman.
Alas, there are no silent movies in the top 10. And there’s no representation of the ’30s; ‘the ’50s; or the ’90s.
The lists were voted on by...
The rest of the Top 10 list includes sci-fi classics “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968), shot by Geoffrey Unsworth, and “Blade Runner” (1982), shot by Jordan Cronenweth; two from director Francis Ford Coppola: “The Godfather” (1972), shot by Gordon Willis, and “Apocalypse Now” (1979), shot by Oscar-winner Vittorio Storaro; two black-and-white entries: “Citizen Kane” (1941), shot by Gregg Toland, and “Raging Bull” (1980), shot by Michael Chapman; “Days of Heaven” (1978), shot by Oscar winner Néstor Almendros; and “The French Connection” (1971), shot by five-time Oscar nominee Owen Roizman.
Alas, there are no silent movies in the top 10. And there’s no representation of the ’30s; ‘the ’50s; or the ’90s.
The lists were voted on by...
- 1/8/2019
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
This past weekend, the American Society of Cinematographers awarded Greig Fraser for his contribution to Lion as last year’s greatest accomplishment in the field. Of course, his achievement was just a small sampling of the fantastic work from directors of photography, but it did give us a stronger hint at what may be the winner on Oscar night. Ahead of the ceremony, we have a new video compilation that honors all the past winners in the category at the Academy Awards
Created by Burger Fiction, it spans the stunning silent landmark Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans all the way up to the end of Emmanuel Lubezki‘s three-peat win for The Revenant. Aside from the advancements in color and aspect ration, it’s a thrill to see some of cinema’s most iconic shots side-by-side. However, the best way to experience the evolution of the craft is by...
Created by Burger Fiction, it spans the stunning silent landmark Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans all the way up to the end of Emmanuel Lubezki‘s three-peat win for The Revenant. Aside from the advancements in color and aspect ration, it’s a thrill to see some of cinema’s most iconic shots side-by-side. However, the best way to experience the evolution of the craft is by...
- 2/6/2017
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, then there will never be a definitive list of the greatest cinematography, but for our money, one of the finest polls has been recently conducted on the matter. Our friend Scout Tafoya polled over 60 critics on Fandor, including some of us here, and the results can be found in a fantastic video essay below. Rather than the various wordless supercuts that crowd Vimeo, Tafoya wrestles with his thoughts on cinematography as we see the beautiful images overlaid from the top 12 choices.
“I’ve been thinking of the world cinematographically since high school,” Scout says. “Sometime around tenth grade I started looking out windows, at crowds of my peers, at the girls I had crushes on, and imagining the best way to film them. Lowlight, mini-dv or 35mm? Curious and washed out like the way Emmanuel Lubezki shot Y Tu Mamá También,...
“I’ve been thinking of the world cinematographically since high school,” Scout says. “Sometime around tenth grade I started looking out windows, at crowds of my peers, at the girls I had crushes on, and imagining the best way to film them. Lowlight, mini-dv or 35mm? Curious and washed out like the way Emmanuel Lubezki shot Y Tu Mamá También,...
- 4/28/2016
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
This proto- juvenile delinquent epic launched celebrated WW2 warrior Audie Murphy on the road to Hollywood fame, fortune and more troubled times. Audie commits every crime short of shooting dogs and nuns, but those wacky liberal social workers still give him the benefit of the doubt. Director Kurt Neumann back our hero with expert acting support from Lloyd Nolan, Jane Wyatt and James Gleason. Bad Boy DVD-r The Warner Archive Collection 1949 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 86 min. / Street Date January 5, 2016 / available through the WBshop / 21.99 Starring Audie Murphy, Lloyd Nolan, Jane Wyatt, James Gleason, Stanley Clements, Martha Vickers, Rhys Williams, Selena Royle, Jimmy Lydon, Dickie Moore, Tommy Cook, William F. Leicester, Stephen Chase, Walter Sande, Ray Teal, Charles Trowbridge. Cinematography Karl Struss Art Direction Theobold Holsopple Production Design Gordon Wiles Film Editor William Austin Original Music Paul Sawtell Written by Robert Hardy Andrews, Karl Kamb, Paul Short Produced by Paul Short...
- 3/5/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
With a new film entitled The Birth of a Nation in cinemas, we may expect to hear more about D.W. Griffith, whose 1915 version stands as both a crowning glory and a primal sin of the early American film. The period of Griffith's career least discussed is the late silent era, when he was falling from both independence and preeminence and was forced to take work he might otherwise have looked down on. Nevertheless, his restless creativity sometimes found expression in what he probably saw as potboilers.Battle of the Sexes starts as a Jazz Age comedy in which flapper-vamp Phyllis Haver and her "jazz hound" lover Don Alvarado conspire to seduce (her department) and fleece (his specialty) a wealthy businessman (Jean Hersholt). Griffith sets up the good bourgeoise's family home with all the sentimentality one might expect from his Victorian sensibility, but unexpectedly finds far more fun in the bad guys.
- 2/18/2016
- by David Cairns
- MUBI
Though he would actually direct other features, including the ill received 1967 A Countess From Hong Kong, wherein Marlon Brando decided to be a mean girl to co-star Sophia Loren, and the neglected A King in New York (1957), many read the 1952 Limelight as Charles Chaplin’s ‘enduring’ final film. An appropriate approximation of his immortal Tramp character after fame has fallen away, the bittersweet tragicomedy wasn’t well-received at the time (though Bosley Crowther raved in The New York Times, hailing the film as “eloquent, tearful, and beguiling with supreme virtuosity”). McCarthyism succeeded in thwarting the film’s distribution, limiting the release to New York City and those labeling Chaplin a Communist picketed screenings where it did play. In the UK, the film’s release was less harried, with newcomer Claire Bloom securing a BAFTA win for Most Promising Newcomer. The film would receive a theatrical release for the first in Los Angeles twenty years later,...
- 5/27/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Limelight
Written and directed by Charles Chaplin
USA, 1952
Rightly dubbed a “supreme auteur” by David Robinson, who provides a video essay on the newly released Criterion Collection Blu-ray of Limelight, Charlie Chaplin wore many hats in making this 1952 film. Aside from writing, directing, and starring in the picture, he was the producer, he arranged the score, and he choreographed the dance sequences, in addition to other supervisory duties behind the scenes. Part of the preparation for the film even included Chaplin penning a novel on which the movie was based, called Footlights, which was then adapted with great ease by the author. Set in 1914 London (about the time Chaplin had left England for America), Limelight is a basically familiar showbiz story, with one performer’s career on the wane as another’s is ripe for revival, but there is far more to this late Chaplin classic. For the great comedian,...
Written and directed by Charles Chaplin
USA, 1952
Rightly dubbed a “supreme auteur” by David Robinson, who provides a video essay on the newly released Criterion Collection Blu-ray of Limelight, Charlie Chaplin wore many hats in making this 1952 film. Aside from writing, directing, and starring in the picture, he was the producer, he arranged the score, and he choreographed the dance sequences, in addition to other supervisory duties behind the scenes. Part of the preparation for the film even included Chaplin penning a novel on which the movie was based, called Footlights, which was then adapted with great ease by the author. Set in 1914 London (about the time Chaplin had left England for America), Limelight is a basically familiar showbiz story, with one performer’s career on the wane as another’s is ripe for revival, but there is far more to this late Chaplin classic. For the great comedian,...
- 5/26/2015
- by Jeremy Carr
- SoundOnSight
Stumbling across that list of best-edited films yesterday had me assuming that there might be other nuggets like that out there, and sure enough, there is American Cinematographer's poll of the American Society of Cinematographers membership for the best-shot films ever, which I do recall hearing about at the time. But they did things a little differently. Basically, in 1998, cinematographers were asked for their top picks in two eras: films from 1894-1949 (or the dawn of cinema through the classic era), and then 1950-1997, for a top 50 in each case. Then they followed up 10 years later with another poll focused on the films between 1998 and 2008. Unlike the editors' list, though, ties run absolutely rampant here and allow for way more than 50 films in each era to be cited. I'd love to see what these lists would look like combined, however. I imagine "Citizen Kane," which was on top of the 1894-1949 list,...
- 2/4/2015
- by Kristopher Tapley
- Hitfix
First Best Actor Oscar winner Emil Jannings and first Best Actress Oscar winner Janet Gaynor on TCM (photo: Emil Jannings in 'The Last Command') First Best Actor Academy Award winner Emil Jannings in The Last Command, first Best Actress Academy Award winner Janet Gaynor in Sunrise, and sisters Norma Talmadge and Constance Talmadge are a few of the silent era performers featured this evening on Turner Classic Movies, as TCM continues with its Silent Monday presentations. Starting at 5 p.m. Pt / 8 p.m. Et on November 17, 2014, get ready to check out several of the biggest movie stars of the 1920s. Following the Jean Negulesco-directed 1943 musical short Hit Parade of the Gay Nineties -- believe me, even the most rabid anti-gay bigot will be able to enjoy this one -- TCM will be showing Josef von Sternberg's The Last Command (1928) one of the two movies that earned...
- 11/18/2014
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Sunrise
Scenario by Carl Mayer, from an original theme by Hermann Sudermann
Directed by F.W. Murnau
USA, 1927
William Fox had seen Faust, Nosferatu, and The Last Laugh, and on the basis of these German masterworks, he brought their creator, F.W. Murnau, to Hollywood. What he got was a truly distinct cinematic vision, which was what he had in mind: something to set a few Fox features apart from the other studios’ output. What he probably didn’t expect was just how much of that “artsy” European touch he was going to get with Murnau on contract. Were American audiences going to go for this type of movie, with its symbolism, melodious structure, and overtly self-conscious style? At any rate, Murnau’s first picture at Fox was one to remember. Sunrise, from 1927, is one of the greatest of all films. It is a touching, beautiful, and artistically accomplished movie, one of the best ever made,...
Scenario by Carl Mayer, from an original theme by Hermann Sudermann
Directed by F.W. Murnau
USA, 1927
William Fox had seen Faust, Nosferatu, and The Last Laugh, and on the basis of these German masterworks, he brought their creator, F.W. Murnau, to Hollywood. What he got was a truly distinct cinematic vision, which was what he had in mind: something to set a few Fox features apart from the other studios’ output. What he probably didn’t expect was just how much of that “artsy” European touch he was going to get with Murnau on contract. Were American audiences going to go for this type of movie, with its symbolism, melodious structure, and overtly self-conscious style? At any rate, Murnau’s first picture at Fox was one to remember. Sunrise, from 1927, is one of the greatest of all films. It is a touching, beautiful, and artistically accomplished movie, one of the best ever made,...
- 1/17/2014
- by Jeremy Carr
- SoundOnSight
Gregory Peck movies: Memorable miscasting in David O. Selznick’s Western Gregory Peck is Turner Classic Movies’ "Summer Under the Stars" star today, August 15, 2013. TCM is currently showing Raoul Walsh’s good-looking but not too exciting Captain Horatio Hornblower (1951), with Peck in the title role and Virginia Mayo as his leading lady. (See “Gregory Peck in ‘Duel in the Sun’: TCM movie schedule.”) (Photo: Gregory Peck ca. 1950.) Next in line is Zoltan Korda’s crime melodrama The Macomber Affair (1947), based on a story by Ernest Hemingway about a troubled married couple and their safari guide. This is another good-looking film — black-and-white cinematography by veteran Karl Struss, whose credits ranged from the 1920 Gloria Swanson melo Something to Think About to Charles Chaplin’s The Great Dictator. Unfortunately, the psychology, the romance, and some of the acting found in The Macomber Affair is — at best — superficial. Joan Bennett and Gregory Peck look great,...
- 8/16/2013
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
One of the Most Amazing Silent Movies (or Movies of Any Era, Period) Ever Made Tops the List of Best of Movies Released in 1921 Rex Ingram’s The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Metro Pictures' film version of Vicente Blasco Ibáñez’s epic novel -- from a scenario by the immensely powerful writer-producer June Mathis -- catapulted Mathis’ protégé, the until then little known Rudolph Valentino (photo, left), to worldwide superstardom, as The Four Horsemen became one of the biggest box-office hits of the silent era. Ingram’s wife, the invariably excellent Alice Terry (right, dark-haired in real life; a light-haired in her many movies), played Valentino's love interest. Ninety-two years after its initial launch, the Four Horsemen remains a monumental achievement. Released by MGM, Vincente Minnelli's 1962 remake of this Metro Pictures production featured an all-star cast: Glenn Ford, Ingrid Thulin (dubbed by Angela Lansbury), Charles Boyer, Lee J. Cobb,...
- 4/3/2013
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
In Robert Wiene’s 1920 dreamlike horror classic, veteran German actor Werner Krauss plays the mysterious Dr. Caligari, the apparent force behind a creepy somnambulist named Cesare and played by Conrad Veidt, who abducts beautiful Lil Dagover. The finale in The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari has inspired tons of movies and television shows, from Fritz Lang's 1944 film noir The Woman in the Window to the last episode of the TV series St. Elsewhere. In addition, the film shares some key elements in common (suppposedly as a result of a mere coincidence) with Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio's 2011 thriller Shutter Island. The 1920 crime melodrama Outside the Law is not in any way related to Rachid Bouchareb's 2010 political drama. Instead, the Tod Browning-directed movie is a well-made entry in the gangster genre (long before the explosion a decade later). Browning, best known for his early '30s efforts Dracula and Freaks,...
- 4/1/2013
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Turner Classic Movies (TCM) has unveiled its list of 10 Most Influential Silent Films in celebration of Michel Hazanavicius’ ode to the silent era, The Artist, which won three Golden Globes® Sunday night, including Best Picture . Musical or Comedy, Best Actor . Musical or Comedy for Jean Dujardin and Best Original Score. The Artist also picked up 12 British Academy Film Award nominations. The Weinstein Company will expand its release of The Artist nationwide on Friday.
TCM’s list of 10 Most Influential Silent Films spans from the years 1915 to 1928 and features such remarkable films as D.W. Griffith’s groundbreaking (and controversial) The Birth of a Nation (1915), which revolutionized filmmaking techniques; Nanook of the North (1922), a film frequently cited as the first feature-length documentary; Cecil B. DeMille’s epic silent version of The Ten Commandments (1923); Sergei Eisenstein’s oft-imitated Battleship Potemkin (1925), which took montage techniques to an entirely new level; and Fritz Lang’s...
TCM’s list of 10 Most Influential Silent Films spans from the years 1915 to 1928 and features such remarkable films as D.W. Griffith’s groundbreaking (and controversial) The Birth of a Nation (1915), which revolutionized filmmaking techniques; Nanook of the North (1922), a film frequently cited as the first feature-length documentary; Cecil B. DeMille’s epic silent version of The Ten Commandments (1923); Sergei Eisenstein’s oft-imitated Battleship Potemkin (1925), which took montage techniques to an entirely new level; and Fritz Lang’s...
- 1/18/2012
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
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By Raymond Benson
What is the Law?
Not to run on all fours.
That is the Law!
Are we not men?
What is the Law?
Not to eat meat!
That is the Law!
Are we not men?
What is the Law?
Not to spill blood!
That is the Law!
Are we not men?
Well, we are not Devo, although that famed New Wave band was inspired by this wonderfully twisted 1933 science fiction-horror film in their song, “Are We Not Men?—We Are Devo!” Similarly, Danny Elfman and Oingo Boingo used parts of the “Law” in their song, “No Spill Blood.” The above mantra is used in the picture by a group of, well, unusual beings.
Made by Paramount to compete with Universal’s string of successful horror movies, and directed by Erle C. Kenton, Island of Lost Souls is nothing short of a masterpiece.
By Raymond Benson
What is the Law?
Not to run on all fours.
That is the Law!
Are we not men?
What is the Law?
Not to eat meat!
That is the Law!
Are we not men?
What is the Law?
Not to spill blood!
That is the Law!
Are we not men?
Well, we are not Devo, although that famed New Wave band was inspired by this wonderfully twisted 1933 science fiction-horror film in their song, “Are We Not Men?—We Are Devo!” Similarly, Danny Elfman and Oingo Boingo used parts of the “Law” in their song, “No Spill Blood.” The above mantra is used in the picture by a group of, well, unusual beings.
Made by Paramount to compete with Universal’s string of successful horror movies, and directed by Erle C. Kenton, Island of Lost Souls is nothing short of a masterpiece.
- 10/30/2011
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
The Tuesday before Halloween is bound to have a lot of genre titles. There are some good ones too like Attack the Block, Blue Underground releases Fulci in High-Definition with Zombie and The House by the Cemetery, also Criterion releases The Island of Lost Souls on DVD & Blu-Ray and the most talked about film of last year, A Serbian Film finally hits the shelves. Read below, if you dare, for all your DVD and Blu-Ray releases for this week and if you plan on purchasing any films through Amazon, click on the buttons provided as they help us out with paying the bills around here.
Animal Attack Two Pack (Maneaters Are Loose/ Shark Kill)
Two savage and rare TV movies in the 1970s “Animal Attack” genre that have rarely been seen since their initial release, now back in print and together at last on DVD.
Buy the DVD @ Amazon.
Animal Attack Two Pack (Maneaters Are Loose/ Shark Kill)
Two savage and rare TV movies in the 1970s “Animal Attack” genre that have rarely been seen since their initial release, now back in print and together at last on DVD.
Buy the DVD @ Amazon.
- 10/25/2011
- by Andy Triefenbach
- Destroy the Brain
While watching the new Criterion DVD release of the exquisitely creepy Island of Lost Souls (1932), some of the black & white images photographed by Karl Struss took my breath away. There are scenes with Charles Laughton in almost complete darkness, where all we see is a tiny glint in his eye, or his face is illuminated by a cigarette match. The film is full of incredible moments like this. Talk about chiaroscuro…
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[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]...
- 10/24/2011
- Leonard Maltin's Movie Crazy
While watching the new Criterion DVD release of the exquisitely creepy Island of Lost Souls (1932), some of the black & white images photographed by Karl Struss took my breath away. There are scenes with Charles Laughton in almost complete darkness, where all we see is a tiny glint in his eye, or his face is illuminated by a cigarette match. The film is full of incredible moments like this. Talk about chiaroscuro… Today, digital artists can paint any picture imaginable, as Robert Rodriguez did in his visualization of Frank Miller’s graphic novel Sin City, or Zach Snyder did in…...
- 10/24/2011
- Leonard Maltin's Movie Crazy
Release Date: Oct. 25, 2011
Price: DVD $29.95, Blu-ray $39.95
Studio: Criterion
Charles Laughton takes science into his own hands in Island of Lost Souls.
A twisted treasure from Hollywood’s pre-Code horror heyday, the 1932 film Island of Lost Souls is a cautionary tale of science run amok, adapted from H. G. Wells’s novel The Island of Doctor Moreau.
In one of his first major movie roles, Charles Laughton plays a mad doctor conducting ghastly genetic experiments on a remote island in the South Seas, much to the fear and disgust of the shipwrecked sailor (Richard Arlen) who finds himself trapped there.
Directed by Erle C. Kenton (House of Frankenstein) and elegantly shot by Karl Struss (a two-time cinematography Oscar winner for 1927’s Sunrise and 1941’s Aloma of the South Seas), the movie also features groundbreaking makeup effects and a gruesome co-starring turn by Bela Lugosi.
The Blu-ray and DVD feature a high-definition...
Price: DVD $29.95, Blu-ray $39.95
Studio: Criterion
Charles Laughton takes science into his own hands in Island of Lost Souls.
A twisted treasure from Hollywood’s pre-Code horror heyday, the 1932 film Island of Lost Souls is a cautionary tale of science run amok, adapted from H. G. Wells’s novel The Island of Doctor Moreau.
In one of his first major movie roles, Charles Laughton plays a mad doctor conducting ghastly genetic experiments on a remote island in the South Seas, much to the fear and disgust of the shipwrecked sailor (Richard Arlen) who finds himself trapped there.
Directed by Erle C. Kenton (House of Frankenstein) and elegantly shot by Karl Struss (a two-time cinematography Oscar winner for 1927’s Sunrise and 1941’s Aloma of the South Seas), the movie also features groundbreaking makeup effects and a gruesome co-starring turn by Bela Lugosi.
The Blu-ray and DVD feature a high-definition...
- 8/5/2011
- by Laurence
- Disc Dish
Oh, how we love when a new Criterion Collection Blu-ray release comes our way. Simply put, these discs are the gold standard in home video releases, and two true classics are set to make their debut this October.
First on October 18th we'll see Kaneto Shindo's Kuroneko.
Synopsis
In this poetic and atmospheric horror fable, set in a village in war-torn medieval Japan, a malevolent spirit has been ripping out the throats of itinerant samurai. When a military hero is sent to dispatch the unseen force, he finds that he must struggle with his own personal demons as well. From Kaneto Shindo, director of the terror classic Onibaba, Kuroneko (Black Cat) is a spectacularly eerie twilight tale with a shocking feminist angle, evoked through ghostly special effects and exquisite cinematography.
Special Features
New high-definition digital restoration (with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition) Video interview with director Kaneto Shindo...
First on October 18th we'll see Kaneto Shindo's Kuroneko.
Synopsis
In this poetic and atmospheric horror fable, set in a village in war-torn medieval Japan, a malevolent spirit has been ripping out the throats of itinerant samurai. When a military hero is sent to dispatch the unseen force, he finds that he must struggle with his own personal demons as well. From Kaneto Shindo, director of the terror classic Onibaba, Kuroneko (Black Cat) is a spectacularly eerie twilight tale with a shocking feminist angle, evoked through ghostly special effects and exquisite cinematography.
Special Features
New high-definition digital restoration (with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition) Video interview with director Kaneto Shindo...
- 7/19/2011
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Criterion unleashes a pre-code horror classic!
So this announcement just happened:
Pre-Code horror gem, Island Of Lost Souls, comes to DVD and Blu-ray for the first time ever 10/26! http://ow.ly/5FGnnJuly 15, 2011 12:30 pm via HootSuiteReplyRetweetFavorite@CriterionCriterion Collection
Which is superb news.
The Island of Lost Souls is a legendary pre-code horror film, which means that there’s some racy and lurid stuff in the movie. (Pre-code films were not at all afraid of pushing moral boundaries.) It’s never been released on DVD or Blu Ray before and it features an early performance from the great Charles Laughton, who we’re big fans of around here.
You don’t need me telling you this, though. You need Joe:
One of the greatest yet most neglected thirties’ horror films is Paramount’s The Island Of Lost Souls, based on H.G. Wells’ The Island of Dr. Moreau. Except for a vhs...
So this announcement just happened:
Pre-Code horror gem, Island Of Lost Souls, comes to DVD and Blu-ray for the first time ever 10/26! http://ow.ly/5FGnnJuly 15, 2011 12:30 pm via HootSuiteReplyRetweetFavorite@CriterionCriterion Collection
Which is superb news.
The Island of Lost Souls is a legendary pre-code horror film, which means that there’s some racy and lurid stuff in the movie. (Pre-code films were not at all afraid of pushing moral boundaries.) It’s never been released on DVD or Blu Ray before and it features an early performance from the great Charles Laughton, who we’re big fans of around here.
You don’t need me telling you this, though. You need Joe:
One of the greatest yet most neglected thirties’ horror films is Paramount’s The Island Of Lost Souls, based on H.G. Wells’ The Island of Dr. Moreau. Except for a vhs...
- 7/15/2011
- by Danny
- Trailers from Hell
The Alamo Guide
for April 22nd, 2010
First thing’s first: Best Worst Movie opens this weekend! A few of our opening night showtimes are already sold out, but you should snatch the remaining tickets up quick style. This is the fantastic Troll 2 documentary that’s been entertaining people everywhere since it hit festivals last year. We’ll have cast and crew in attendance and a Troll themed after party at The Highball! Do It!
Also, We Added A Second “Weird Al” Yankovic Show! We have pulled off a great feat hear, and we are Stoked! It’s the same day of the original show (May 22nd) but an earlier show time. Did we mention that the first one sold out in Three Minutes?! I am not even kidding. That shit was serious. This will be too. Be prepared! Tickets go on sale Friday, April 30th.
There’s some other...
for April 22nd, 2010
First thing’s first: Best Worst Movie opens this weekend! A few of our opening night showtimes are already sold out, but you should snatch the remaining tickets up quick style. This is the fantastic Troll 2 documentary that’s been entertaining people everywhere since it hit festivals last year. We’ll have cast and crew in attendance and a Troll themed after party at The Highball! Do It!
Also, We Added A Second “Weird Al” Yankovic Show! We have pulled off a great feat hear, and we are Stoked! It’s the same day of the original show (May 22nd) but an earlier show time. Did we mention that the first one sold out in Three Minutes?! I am not even kidding. That shit was serious. This will be too. Be prepared! Tickets go on sale Friday, April 30th.
There’s some other...
- 4/22/2010
- by caitlin
- OriginalAlamo.com
Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau, to give him his full name, died in an automobile accident in California in 1931. The German-born émigré director was 42 years old. His death was luridly speculated upon by Kenneth Anger in his book Hollywood Babylon. Whatever the cause of his untimely end, there are few cinema artists who left behind such an iconic body of work, at such a relatively early age.
Working in Germany in the 1920s, Murnau helmed some of the greatest silent features ever made. His roll of honour includes: Nosferatu (1922), The Last Laugh (1924) and Faust (1926). Taking up an offer of work with American producer William Fox, he left behind Germany for good. It would provide a legacy entitled Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927), and his death.
Murnau will forever be associated with a landmark aesthetic known as German Expressionism. His experimental, highly-stylised, poetic outlook proved highly influential. There is general debate as...
Working in Germany in the 1920s, Murnau helmed some of the greatest silent features ever made. His roll of honour includes: Nosferatu (1922), The Last Laugh (1924) and Faust (1926). Taking up an offer of work with American producer William Fox, he left behind Germany for good. It would provide a legacy entitled Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927), and his death.
Murnau will forever be associated with a landmark aesthetic known as German Expressionism. His experimental, highly-stylised, poetic outlook proved highly influential. There is general debate as...
- 11/17/2009
- by Martyn Conterio
- FilmShaft.com
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