Got out of the political doldrums and went to the Wexner Center to see Murnau's 'Sunrise.'
It's only the second film of his I've seen, the other being The Last Laugh. I know, have not seen Nosferatu or Faust. I have gaps.
The plot is straightforward drama: Infidelity, attempted murder, forgiveness, a nasty thunderstorm, and this nifty scene at an amusement park.
It stars the lovely Mary Gaynor as the wife and a few other people whose faces I recognize, including that guy at the :20 part of the clip.
The special effects and cinematography are outstanding, and not just for a film of 1927. They still work and work well. It's a very good film that is not as dated as I thought it would be. To me though, it did not possess the power that The Last Laugh has.
Emil Jennings has been fired from his job at a hotel for being too old and is forced to become a bathroom attendant. Come on now! This film is devastating. Plus, it only has one title card. That takes a good script and some amazing acting. I know The Last Laugh is a German film and Sunrise was Murnau's for an American studio, and there are differences in studio styles as well. We're lucky to have them both survive.
1 comment:
I've not seen Faust either. Nosferatu is really good as you might expect.
Post a Comment