Silent Film Lovers

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30 December 2011

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allisoncm
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Current discussion

1. 

   Local Hero -- aka MestnyiGeroi

   I finally saw Borzage's Lucky Star (1929).
   
   I cannot believe this is not on SilentEra's top 300! What an oversight!!
   
   A beautiful, moving film. But after setting up a polarity between the immoral man of material promises and the moral man of the life of the spirit, the ending

   -- in which Farrell rises and walks to rescue Gaynor out of sheer determination-- certainly seems to undermine the film's courage of its own convictions. It is an insult to handicapped people everywhere, at least it is very dangerously flippant in this regard. However, if the ending is seen as being akin to the ending of Ordet, i.e., as a moment of faith that transcends the boundaries of realism and leaps into the realm of allegory, it remains moving.

   11 years 10 months ago
2. 

   Local Hero -- aka MestnyiGeroi

   Just saw 1929's The Pagan, with a frequently shirtless Ramon Novarro and Rene Adoree (not shirtless). Filmed on location in Tahiti, it is fairly conventional material in terms of plot, but I found intriguing the subversive treatment of Christianity, which is shown to represent a culture that is uptight, hypocritical, and, ultimately-- despite the pretext of pious compassion-- predatory. The titular paganism comes off as relatively healthier and kinder. The director is W.S. Van Dyke, whose White Shadows in the South Seas is also rather bold in its condemnation of Western imperialism. 11 years 11 months ago
3. 

   red.hexapus

   For anyone willing to come to Krakow (Poland) on 6-9 XII 2012, the 13th Silent Movie Festival will be held here. Each movie will be accompanied by live music (with various types of genres and subgenres). 12 years 2 months ago