I'm In Love With Illusions

Summary:Dancer Sally O'Hara turns the head of Prince Danillo and the two become engaged. But the law says that the Prince cannot marry a commoner and he leaves her at the figurative alter. Sally turns to a wealthy old Baron. She marries him and collects a sizable fortune after his quick death. Sally is now "someone" and must deal with the renew affections of Danillo and his cousin Mirko.

Stars: Mae Murray, John Gilbert, Roy D'Arcy, Josephine Crowell, Tully Marshall, George Fawcett
Directed by: Erich von Stroheim

Viewed via: TCM/DRV (a long time ago)
Current Commercial Availability: Warner Archive DVR Program

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Summary: A tale of two families - one who wasted away their money and another who held on to it with an iron grip. Lives are shaken when the suddenly poor cousin moves in their home from the city. An unlikely romance blooms between the two young cousins as the father uses the young man's situation to his own benefit.

Starring: Alice Terry, Rudolph Valentino, Ralph Lewis, Edna Demaurey,
Directed by: Rex Ingram

Viewed Via: TCM/DVR (soon to be a tag of the past)
Current Commercial Availability: Unavailable

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Summary: Dumas' story is transposed to the Paris of the roaring 20s. Marguerite is still the tubercular belle of the party and Armand is still the lovelorn puppy who longs to save her. While they find happiness for a time, forces outside of their control threaten to tear their bond asunder.

Starring: Alla Nazimova, Rudolph Valentino, Rex Cherryman, Arthur Hoyt, Zeffie Tilbury, Patsy Ruth Miller, Elinor Oliver, William Orlamond, Consuelo Flowerton
Directed by: Ray C. Smallwood

Viewed Via: TCM/DVR
Current Commercial Availability: Camille (1937) (as an extra feature)(Warner Home Video R1)

( OMG OMG OMG )

Don't go into this movie looking for romance. Don't go into this movie looking for classic performances. Check it out for the excellent design sensibility and the out-there end.

First Impressions Master List

Trying to make a dent in my list o' stuff to write about. And I still have a ton of stuff waiting for me on the DVR. I originally saw this in November. Prompt, aren't I?

Summary: The government oppresses the people. Only one man will stand up for them. He just does so from the shadows and while wearing a fetching little mask.

Stars: Douglas Fairbanks, Noah Beery, Marguerite De La Motte, Charles Hill Mailes, Claire McDowell, Robert McKim, George Periolat, Sydney De Gray, Tote Du Crow
Directed by: Fred Niblo

Viewed Via: TCM/DVR
Current Commercial Availability: Douglas Fairbanks: A Modern Musketeer (Flicker Alley - R1)

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You'll watch this for Fairbanks and you'll most likely enjoy him. The film, a pioneer in this genre, is fun.

* * *

Silent Film Viewing Master List

Here, in all their "glory", are most of my posts on silent films. I've stuck to posts that center on the films instead of any posts that more vaguely talk about silent films. I tend not to make those.

Anyway, what should one expect before going in to these?

1) These are less structured reviews and more my first impressions/scattered thoughts on the movie at hand. Some posts are more coherent than others. I will also be struck by the strangest things.

2) These also suffer more from my general writing tics than other pieces. These are often written on the fly and it shows. That said, I am trying to be more careful with these pieces.

3) Since my viewing is tied to that which I can access, you will note that most of these are MGM/Warner pictures. In regards to national origin, these films are mostly American with the occasional German, British, French, Japanese, or Chinese films thrown in. Again, this is tied to my sources and I would love to branch out and experience greater varieties of cinema.

Without further ado, here's the list. It is broken down by decade. My decade spans are 01-10. Therefore, the 10s are 1911-1920.

( The 1910s )

( The 1920s )

( The 1930s )

You would find my Silent Films Rec Post here if it were ready. Most of the films discussed in the post are not referenced in any of the previously listed links.

Summary:Cock Robin, barker and performer for the travelling show, holds his menacing sway over crowds and women alike. Salome, one time love and current co-worker, still carries the torch. The Greek is hot for Salome in all the wrong ways and wants Cock Robin out of the picture. So when a murder goes down, the cops suspect Robin and he turns to Salome for help.

Stars: John Gilbert, Renée Adorée, Lionel Barrymore, Edward Connelly, Gertrude Short, Andy MacLennan
Directed by: Tod Browning

Viewed Via: TCM/DVR (it was the only film I had been able to watch from John Gilbert day (in August) before my DVR reset - I'm not bitter)
Current Commercial Availability: Unavailable

( Today's write up was brought to you by the word asshole )

Overall: performances are ok, particularly Gilbert, but the film starts to fall apart after it loses track of the original story.

Summary: A spoiled rich girl chooses to side with her father over her grandfather on a whim and must learn to survive in the less gilded world her father chooses to live in.

Stars: Mary Pickford, Ralph Lewis, Kenneth Harlan, Melvin Messenger, T.D. Crittenden, Aggie Herring,
Directed by: Sidney Franklin

Viewed Via: TCM/DVR
Current Commercial Availability: Unavailable

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The film has a few funny moments, particularly with Pickford, but it pinged too many of my sore points. The restoration is lovely but I was a bit disappointed.

This Moment >>>>> Almost Everything Else




Oh Flesh and the Devil: it's frustrating on multiple levels.

Summary: Arden Stuart wants to live an honest life. But that honesty couldn't save a lover from death by his own hand. Her next strike at love ends when the man in question insists they break up to preserve their moment of pure bliss. So Arden settles for the dependable Tommy. But can Arden resist when her previous love comes back into the picture?

Stars: Greta Garbo, Nils Asther, Johnny Mack Brown, Dorothy Sebastian, Lane Chandler, Mahlon Hamilton, Kathlyn Williams, Zeffie Tilbury
Directed by:John S. Robertson

Viewed Via: TCM/DVR
Current Commercial Availability: Warner Archive DVD-R Program

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Skip it...just skip it.

It looks as if the "complete" Metropolis will be heading to DVD and Blu-Ray in November. I'm going to admit to being a horrible movie fan and say that I've never seen Metropolis. I know that it's blasphemy but I just haven't had the chance. But it's absolutely amazing that this icon of silent and sci-fi cinema will finally be seen closer to the way in which Lang envisioned it.

Also coming to DVD/Blu-Ray: The ultimate edition of Steamboat Bill Jr.. This is all well and good, but Kino had mentioned a better release for Sherlock Jr at the beginning of the year and have dropped no hints since then. Come on guys! I was able to convince myself that the PS3 was a good idea because I would at least get to enjoy the Blu-Ray capabilities. It did turn out that it was great for streaming stuff from Netflix but the gaming aspect is for the bf and his superior vision/lack of motion sickness. Anyway, I just want them to announce the movie so I can prepare myself to buy it.

I am, as you can probably tell, woefully behind on my silent film watching. I just haven't been in the mood as of late. But I'm going to try and break that mood and plow through a few things tomorrow. At the very least, my DVR is running out of room and I need to make space.