Do you like silent movies?

Sir,
Will you agree that "City Girl" takes the viewer from the heights of joy and happiness down to the depths of despair and sadness?

I agree with you it is quite a remarkable film.

 

I'm not sure about DVDs, but I know Kino's Blu-ray of Nosferatu had some frame-rate issues (possibly due to encoding settings) that resulted in "choppy" playback (I haven't seen it, just read about it on various film forums). So some folks prefer the UK Masters of Cinema Blu-ray because of that. Other than that, though, Kino's DVDs and Blu-rays of silent films are well regarded, usually the best versions of those films you'll find in the U.S.

Flicker Alley has also released some good silent-era stuff on DVD and Blu.

And you can't beat Criterion. Just wish they'd hurry and upgrade Pandora's Box to Blu-ray!

That's definitely his most well-known film, especially to the general public, but most film geeks might point to Sunrise as his masterpiece (I'd agree). I've honestly never been too enamored by Nosferatu, but I love Murnau's The Last Laugh, which has no intertitles (well, OK, one), tells its story through Murnau's beautifully crafted visuals alone, and features a heartbreaking performance by Emil Jannings as an aging hotel doorman. Wonderful film.

 

agreed- Kino, Flicker Alley, and Criterion are my go-to sources for great silent films.

i also have never been too thrilled with Murnau's Nosferatu, though it does have great images! i was more taken with Sunrise.

i tend to enjoy european and japanese silent films over american productions (as illustrated in my list above), but Chaplin's excellent Mutual comedies were just remastered by Flicker Alley. anyone have a chance to check out the new box set?

 

More than just a remastering - this was a full-blown, multi-year restoration project that involved tracking down the best available elements from many different sources. I don't think anyone familiar with the Mutuals will be disappointed with it. I have these films on laserdisc, DVD, and now the new Blu-ray/DVD dual-format set, and they look better on the new set than I've ever seen them look before.

Flicker Alley has also released the restored versions of Chaplin's Keystone films in a DVD-only box set, and it's a real eye-opener as well to those who've gotten accustomed to truly wretched source material for these films over the years (although they will obviously never look anything close to as good as the Mutuals do). And I believe there's a project to restore and release the Essanay films on the horizon as well.

Between all of these efforts focused on Chaplin's short films, and the Criterion Blu-rays of several of his key features, it's a good time to be a Chaplin fan.

 

Ozu's Floating Weeds is terrific I watched the 1934 silent and shortly after watched his remake from 1959 to very similar effect, recommended!

 

Without sound, The Three Stooges would have remained just another vaudeville act, and we would never have heard of them. I love silent movies, but I HATE that 90% of them are digitized at the wrong frame rate. Luckily, I have a Toshiba player that will play at 0.8 times normal speed. That helps tremendously.

I have pipe organ music that I play for silents if the sound track sucks (The Alloy Orchestra). And The Adventures of Prince Achmed is available on You Tube.

 

Metropolis is a incredible movie and what Fritz Lang conveyed without words is incredible.

 

Silent cinema is pure cinema, as far as I'm concerned. But, it took me a while to reach that conclusion.

I've always loved the brilliant kings of silent comedy - Chsplin, Keaton, Lloyd - you're just not going to go wrong with them.

But, the joys found in the astounding work of Murnau, Griffith, Von Sternbergs, Walsh escaped me until late in the game.

Now, I'm constantly discovering great films, and forgotten stars who were giants in their day.

The sheer exuberance and flowing narrative of, say, The Iron Mask is something that cannot be denied,

Douglas Fairbanks knew when he made it that it would be one of the last silent films, and an age would dawn with the restrictions imposed by sound forcing filmmakers to confine and box in the horizons that, until then, were limitless.

I would argue that the cinema of 1926-29 is the apex of this particular art form. The lessons of that age were not forgotten by the great directors of the next age - Ford, Hawks, Capra, Lang, etc.

 

KINO is fine, but Masters of Cinema (UK) does a better job. And Criterion is the benchmark (check out the Harold Lloyd films, Safety Last and The Freshman). Of course, this is just one man's opinion; other's mileage may vary.

Murnau's three best films in my estimation are (in no particular order) Sunrise, Faust and The Last Laugh. My favorite is Faust. Nosferatu is important, but an earlier effort and doesn't demonstrate the Director's best work so much as it does his ability to work within the limitations of his UFA budget. Sadly, Sunrise is in the weakest shape condition wise, the original 35mm negative apparently having been lost in a studio fire long ago.

Undoubtably it does this, but it's important to see how they overcome the descent into despair and prevail over it; that's what stands out for me in City Girl.


Cat

 

I would give anything to have heard Cajun fiddler Dennis McGee play for silent movies in Eunice Louisiana the way he did in the 20s! That must have been something.

 

Silent films are not my preference, but I own quite a few, and like to watch one now and then, sure.

 

Will you guy's agree that the leading lady in "Sunrise" bears a striking resemblance to Drew Barrymore??

 

I got for free Edison The Invention Of Movies
I love it . And The Movies Begin both from Kino.
The Edison one had real hard hitting dramas.
My favorite is Annabelle Serpentine Dance it's
rather hypnotizing .
I always had nostalgia for that era. I am listening to Millionaire Waltz
by Queen now fits right with this topic

 

Keaton. Chaplin. William Wellman. Early Hitchcock and John Ford. German Expressionism...no contest. I didn't see a "**** Yeah!" option, so I didn't vote.

 

Every time Fatty Arbuckle wonders on screen I laugh so yes I like the silent films.

 

Love silent films.
Have the BDs Masters Of Cinema releases of Metropolis, M and a couple others.
Also have DVDs(Kino?) of Dr. Faustus and a couple of others as well.
TCM showed the silent of Oliver Twist last Sunday with Jackie Coogan.
Coogan was really good but I prefer the David Lean version

 

I just discovered The Beloved Rogue starring John Barrymore, and it is utterly amazing to watch! Just superb, top entertainment!

I'm convinced that the mid to late twenties were a peak moment in cinema history, and it's a real shame so much great work is either lost, neglected, and/or unappreciated.

 

Huh? No but seriously yes I can enjoy a silent movie

 

Love Chaplin. Have all his shorts and most of his features on DVD and have watched everything he did at least twice, and many in the double digit range. Particularly fond of his solo tour de force One AM. Fell in love with his work in first or second grade, when Modern Times was rereleased in cinemas.

 

Dunno about that, but a landmark silent.

 

I love silent movies. The best of them have stood the test of time as examples of "pure cinema". Without the distraction of dialog, I feel like these films can speak to the viewer on a special emotional level. Moving pictures, indeed.

 

Caught some of 'Pandora's Box' last year, liked what I saw.

 

I do enjoy them occasionally. In addition to the great classics, I really love the Keystone Cops- very funny stuff.

 

Another excellent one is Criterion's release of The Phantom Carriage.