Feuillade’s next installment in Les Vampires series is not nearly as good as the last, partially because Irma Vep isn’t nearly as sexy. But also the plot is kinda dull. However, I will note one piece of interest: a flashback. It’s never occurred to me before now that media dependent on time, similar to ourContinue reading “film: Feuillade: Les Vampires [e4] : Le spectre (1915)”
Tag Archives: Feuillade
film: Walsh: Regeneration (1915)
I’m beginning to really enjoy these silent films. I was doubtful of American technical abilities after comparing the stillness of Birth of a Nation with Feuillade’s capacity to make a traditional stage setup seem to come alive, to grow deep and epic in space. Perhaps Feuillade has a more positively raw sense of illustration, sexyContinue reading “film: Walsh: Regeneration (1915)”
film: Feuillade: Juve contre Fantômas (1913)
I was wrong about the Fantômas series–this film is fantastic. What shines through, above all else, Feuillade’s level of confidence. The first in the series, which bored the hell out of me, had very little movement, scenes were drawn out, stereotypical mime pageants, and it felt like silent theatre. Juve is a bumbling detective whoContinue reading “film: Feuillade: Juve contre Fantômas (1913)”
film: Feuillade: Les Vampires, Le Cryptogramme rouge (e3, 1915)
Finally, the first evidence of burning sexuality in film. 1915. The gang sits backstage, and one of the men walks across the room, looking like Marlon Brando, very self-assured, he turns around and whistles, and a woman follows his path and right as she reaches him he roughly grabs her the hair atop head andContinue reading “film: Feuillade: Les Vampires, Le Cryptogramme rouge (e3, 1915)”
film: Feuillade: Les Vampires [e2] : La Bague qui tue (1915)
Midway through a scene, a shot, that looked almost identical to one from Fantomas. The film was carried heavily by letters and newspapers, as in Fantomas, and…surprise, the same director, Feuillade. I could not get my hands on episode 1, so I began with 2, and it was short enough to maintain some of myContinue reading “film: Feuillade: Les Vampires [e2] : La Bague qui tue (1915)”
film: Mankiewicz: Guys and Dolls (1955)
2 may 07 I’ve began to wonder if the Good old films are as witty as they are because the people who made them built themselves up from roles in the production of silent films, from writing the stories to the intertitles, perhaps even the unheard dialogue, these are people who understand an element ofContinue reading “film: Mankiewicz: Guys and Dolls (1955)”
film: (Chaplin) – Tillie’s Punctured Romance
I don’t care if it is the first feature-length comedy ever, because it still sucks–which, I mean to say, is that it contains everything I never liked about American comedies. The majority of its humor is from slapstick violence, some of it’s from alcohol, and a lot is because Tillie’s a real beast. I supposeContinue reading “film: (Chaplin) – Tillie’s Punctured Romance”
film: Feuillade: Fantômas – À l’ombre de la guillotine (1913)
Reminds me of sitting in that fucking theater, twice a week, through the lengthy art films, trying not to sleep, sometimes sleeping, eating candy, eating candy, eating candy…this one was “murder” to sit through. Hahahahah. No, the last fifteen minutes got me to perk up slightly, and say “ah hah! brilliant, Fantomas!” and then worryContinue reading “film: Feuillade: Fantômas – À l’ombre de la guillotine (1913)”
film: Neilan: Stella Maris (1918)
1918. I fall in love with Mary Pickford every time I see one of her films, and it’s difficult to remember that her hands were smooth and delicate, her body serenely curvaceous ten years before my grandfather was born. I cannot imagine her slacks torn, her belt broken, and yet watching her, how she loves,Continue reading “film: Neilan: Stella Maris (1918)”
film: MacPherson: Borderline (1930)
I was always judged very harshly by my appearance, which was something I never took much time to consider. It was around the time that my sister told me I’d taught her a valuable lesson, “that it doesn’t matter what other people think of you,” when I found myself with a host of new values,Continue reading “film: MacPherson: Borderline (1930)”
arts & fetters 