| DVD Roundup September 2004
 Silence Can Be Golden
In a time of multichannel soundtracks
and booming subwoofers, it’s easy to forget that movies were initially made without
sound. When originally presented, there would often be live music to accompany the film,
but the film itself was silent. Title cards were inserted into the film when text or
dialogue was necessary. The lack of sound made for a different kind of movie experience
and aesthetic; in fact, some early film theorists argued that film was essentially a
visual medium, and that the introduction of sound would corrupt the artistic integrity of
the medium. I think there is clearly something wrong with such a puritanical outlook. But
just because we have access to movies with sound does not mean we should not enjoy early
films that set the standard and established the techniques that moviemakers continue to
use. In this essay we look at the comedic genius of Buster Keaton, the first movie sex
symbol Clara Bow, and the German expressionist F.W. Murnau.
Comedy
I first became interested in silent film when I saw a few
of Buster Keaton’s comedies. Keaton spent his whole life in show business, making 12
feature films and several shorts between 1920 and 1928. Nearly all of these films are
masterpieces. Perhaps more than others, Keaton seems to have realized the new comedic
possibilities that movies provided. His movies combine elements of slapstick comedy with
characters we can sympathize with that have been placed in predicaments that we want to
see resolved. This trademark approach can be seen in many of his films, but I’m
particularly fond of Sherlock, Jr. (*****), available on DVD from Kino Video paired
with his earlier film, Our Hospitality (***½). In Sherlock, Jr. Keaton
plays a theater projectionist who becomes an amateur detective. The film combines the
physical comedy that most people associate with silents with more cerebral moments, such
as the projectionist walking into the movie screen only to find himself in the middle of
the movie that was playing. The Kino disc includes a soundtrack by the Club Foot
Orchestra, which is one of my favorite organizations providing new soundtracks for silent
films. Keaton aficionados may want to splurge for the large The Art of Buster Keaton
boxed set (Kino Video *****), which includes these two films along with ten other discs,
including such well-known films as The General (*****) and The Navigator (***½).
Sex appeal
That Clara Bow was the first popular sex symbol of the
cinema can clearly be seen in It (***½). One of the first successful romantic
comedies, It tells the story of a young working girl who is falling in love with
her boss, who, of course, is falling in love with her. The film chronicles their romance
through a series of misunderstandings. In one scene, we see Clara getting ready for a date
by, among other things, making her dress shorter. This suggests a woman with confidence
getting ready to have a good time without feeling guilty -- a clear sign of the cultural
outlook of the 1920s. The "It" of the title may refer not only to her beauty and
charm, but also to the social strides that women were making during this time. Bow’s
influence was felt not only within the movie industry, but also in fashion. Her
high-profile career did not survive into the talkie era because she was identified with
the lifestyle of the ‘20s, and the ‘30s saw a turn toward conservatism (her
Brooklyn accent didn’t help, either). Two valuable editions of It are
available, from Image Entertainment and Kino Video. Kino pairs It with an hour-long
1999 documentary, Clara Bow: Discovering the "It" Girl, which explores
Bow’s career and contains clips from many films of the era. Image’s offering
contains a commentary track by Jeanine Basinger, a professor of film studies. Both sets of
extras offer a greater understanding of the film and its place in film and cultural
history.
German expressionism
One of the greatest filmmakers of the silent era is the
German director F.W. Murnau, best known as the director of Nosferatu (****), a
loose adaptation of Bram Stoker’s novel, Dracula. The story was close enough
to Stoker’s that a lawsuit was filed against Murnau. While Nosferatu is
Murnau’s best-known film, it is by no means his only one. Kino Video has collected
many of his films into a boxed set, The F.W. Murnau Collection (*****). It includes
the great vampire film, along with Faust (****), Tartuffe (***), The Last
Laugh (****), and Tabu (****). Tabu, a notable departure for
Murnau, was a collaboration with Robert Flaherty, who directed another great silent film, Nanook
of the North. Flaherty’s film is available from the Criterion Collection,
remastered to the right speed and with a new soundtrack (****). Tabu was filmed in
Tahiti; the expressionism of Murnau’s early films seems even stronger in his portrait
of the sun-drenched Tahitian landscape.
I recommend that novices begin with Nosferatu. Be
aware that several DVD versions of Nosferatu are available, and that they are not
all quality products. I recommend Kino’s version, which contains two different
musical scores for comparison as well as excerpts from other Murnau movies; and Image
Entertainment’s edition, which includes a commentary track by Lokke Heiss and a 5.0
soundtrack by the Silent Orchestra. Those in the New York City area should note that Film Forum, a great place to see
movies, is having a Murnau festival this September. It would be a great way to see some of
these films (some shows will include live piano accompaniment) and meet other film fans.
…Eric Hetherington
erich@hometheatersound.com |
