directed by: robert wiene
genres: horror, surreal, mindfuck
lists: ebert's great movies, imbd top 250, total film most influential
traces: nosferatu, the testament of dr. mabuse, les diaboliques, orphee, peeping tom, shock corridor, repulsion, brazil, edward scissorhands, suckerpunch, shutter island
staggeringly inventive. this film was the beginning of a lot of things - beautiful, surrealistic tim burtonesque visuals, exploration of sanity/insanity in films, unreliable narration, genuine horror shock moments, and it's credited with having the first twist ending in the history of cinema. it's seriously creepy, and while watching it, you can see how this film rippled outward and inspired so many directors to break free of the verisimilitude of film and branch into purely visual expressionistic storytelling that we see now in directors like tim burton, terry gilliam, guy maddin, and even zack snyder.
it is also the visual inspiration for the red hot chili peppers music video 'otherside:'
Showing posts with label ebert great movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ebert great movies. Show all posts
Monday, June 20, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
The Birth of a Nation (1915)
directed by: d.w. griffith
genre: history, epic, silent
lists: ebert's great movies, maltin top 100, afi top 100, total film most influential
traces to: gone with the wind, avatar
self-righteous, ego-driven, racist spectacle. it's a shame that the first major exploit in cinematic storytelling had to be this utterly distasteful narrative of the country's history - it is however an amazing look into our country's racist past, and the attitudes that persisted among many people for generations beyond the close of the war. the entire film can be viewed on hulu:
griffith would spend the rest of his career atoning for the sins committed here. it's hard to conceive that he could not foresee the outrage that would come from adapting a novel entitled 'the clansmen,' which credits the formation of the ku klux klan with restoring peace to the union after the fall of the south. the klan promoted screenings of the film (which at $2 a ticket was the equivalent of $40) by riding their horses in front of the theaters in full costume. the film is credited with inspiring the 'second era' of the klan.
i was most riveted by the scene at the climax of the first half of the film - depicting the assassination of abraham lincoln.
genre: history, epic, silent
lists: ebert's great movies, maltin top 100, afi top 100, total film most influential
traces to: gone with the wind, avatar
self-righteous, ego-driven, racist spectacle. it's a shame that the first major exploit in cinematic storytelling had to be this utterly distasteful narrative of the country's history - it is however an amazing look into our country's racist past, and the attitudes that persisted among many people for generations beyond the close of the war. the entire film can be viewed on hulu:
griffith would spend the rest of his career atoning for the sins committed here. it's hard to conceive that he could not foresee the outrage that would come from adapting a novel entitled 'the clansmen,' which credits the formation of the ku klux klan with restoring peace to the union after the fall of the south. the klan promoted screenings of the film (which at $2 a ticket was the equivalent of $40) by riding their horses in front of the theaters in full costume. the film is credited with inspiring the 'second era' of the klan.
i was most riveted by the scene at the climax of the first half of the film - depicting the assassination of abraham lincoln.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Cabiria (1914)
directed by: giovanni pastrone
genres: silent, epic, adventure
lists: ebert's great movies, total film most influential
traces to: intolerance, indiana jones and the temple of doom
recommended for: die hard silent film buffs only.
the days of the 15 minute film are over - at more than three hours, 'cabiria' is a tough one to get through, but contains some really great stuff. this film is credited with inventing the dolly shot in 1914. it's surprising that dolly shots are not more prominent in subsequent silent films, though the apparatus required to achieve the movement must have been massive. the story is tedious and difficult to follow, beginning with the burning of carthage, and following the lead character through a series of episodes that parade her through lavish set pieces and place her in harm's way. the dolly shots are used almost exactly as they are today: pushing in at the start of the scene, and pulling out at the end. a couple dollys also follow the action across the space as the characters move through it. ebert says that griffith's camera is more fluid in 'birth of a nation,' but i disagree. 'nation' has some high speed camera movement, but none of the smooth, slow grace displayed here. 'cabiria' inspired griffith to expand 'intolerance' and add multiple storylines and epic sets, but i'm fairly certain that this film is also the inspiration for the heart-ripping scene in 'indiana jones and the temple of doom.' the sacrifical chambers and ceremonies in each film are almost exact duplicates. check it out:
genres: silent, epic, adventure
lists: ebert's great movies, total film most influential
traces to: intolerance, indiana jones and the temple of doom
recommended for: die hard silent film buffs only.
the days of the 15 minute film are over - at more than three hours, 'cabiria' is a tough one to get through, but contains some really great stuff. this film is credited with inventing the dolly shot in 1914. it's surprising that dolly shots are not more prominent in subsequent silent films, though the apparatus required to achieve the movement must have been massive. the story is tedious and difficult to follow, beginning with the burning of carthage, and following the lead character through a series of episodes that parade her through lavish set pieces and place her in harm's way. the dolly shots are used almost exactly as they are today: pushing in at the start of the scene, and pulling out at the end. a couple dollys also follow the action across the space as the characters move through it. ebert says that griffith's camera is more fluid in 'birth of a nation,' but i disagree. 'nation' has some high speed camera movement, but none of the smooth, slow grace displayed here. 'cabiria' inspired griffith to expand 'intolerance' and add multiple storylines and epic sets, but i'm fairly certain that this film is also the inspiration for the heart-ripping scene in 'indiana jones and the temple of doom.' the sacrifical chambers and ceremonies in each film are almost exact duplicates. check it out:
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