Steamboat Bill, Jr.- 1928

U.S.

Length: 71 minutes

Director: Charles Reisner, Buster Keaton

Cast: Buster Keaton, Tom McGuire, Ernest Torrence, Tom Lewis, Marion Byron

www.imdb.com/title/tt0019421/

Eric's Impressions: Another enjoyable film from Keaton and sadly the last one in the book to review. It has all the usual Keaton film characteristics: intense stunts and action sequences, a forbidden love story and an unexpected hero. Like Chaplin, Keaton should not just be applauded for his acting and comedic talents, but for his ability to convey the message of the storyline through his directing skills.

Natalie's Impressions: This is the last Keaton film included in the book and one of the first of his that I saw. I honestly don't remember much of it now that I have seen his other films. Nothing stands out as being unique to this film that his other films didn't have. But that doesn't mean it is not a good film. I do remember being very entertained by it and impressed by some of the stunts, but then again, all Keaton films have this effect.

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The Passion of Joan of Arc- 1928

France

Length: 110 minutes

Director: Carl Theodore Dreyer

Cast: Renee Falconetti, Eugene Silvain, Andre Berley, Maurice Schutz, Sntonin Artaud, Michel Simon, Luis Ravet, Leon Larive, Jaques Arnna, Armand Lurville, Alexandre Mihalesco, Jean d'Yd

www.imdb.com/title/tt0019254/

Eric's Impressions: Meryl Streep has nothing on Renee Falconetti. As the title character, Falconetti gives one of the silver screen's all-time most memorable performances. I was shocked to find out that the actress never made another film. Maybe she thought she could never top this performance or maybe she just wanted her career to symbolically go up in flames like Joan of Arc. I especially found interesting Dreyer's use of the camera in the scenes with the court deciding Joan's fate as he slowly panned to each member for reactions to what the heroine was telling them as she desperately fought for her life.

Natalie's Impressions: Although I am not sure I would jump to the conclusion that Falconetti's performance in this film is the greatest of any female actress of all time, as many have done, I do believe it is an extraordinary performance. I really liked how most of the dialogue that was included as subtitles in the film was one sided. It was mostly her words as they were recorded so many years ago. It was authentic, realistic and it didn't add a lot of superfluous other dialogue from the other characters to take away from Joan as the central character. It is a shame she never made another film because she sure had a talent to convey a wide range of emotions just using her eyes, which is not something many contemporary actors can accomplish.

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An Andalusian Dog- 1928

France

Length: 16 minutes

Director: Luis Buñuel

Cast: Pierre Batcheff, Simone Marueil, Luis Buñuel, Salvador Dalí

www.imdb.com/title/tt0020530/

Eric's Impressions: Ever since hearing the Pixies song about this movie ("Debaser" off of Doolittle), I've wanted to see this one. The song is weird and the film is even weirder, but I like both. It's not a surprise the movie is strange considering Salvador Dali was involved. Of course the imagery of a razor slicing up an eyeball is probably the most memorable sequence in the entire movie. The film is just 16 minutes long which is more than enough time for the filmmaker to haunt, disturb and confuse you to the point where the only option is to watch it over again under the influence of marijuana, acid or any other mind-bending drugs on your person.

Natalie's Impressions: This is the first Buñuel film included in the book. This short film was Buñuel's directorial debut. He co-wrote the screenplay with Dalí, whose influence is very prevalent in this surrealist film that is famous for the image of a razor slicing open an eyeball. The dream-like montage of images that make up the film seem totally unrelated and disconnected, but like Dalí's paintings, they are supposed to represent the chaos of the dream world and the flow of the subconscious. It is interesting to see Dalí as an actor in the film. Such a prolific figure in the visual art world is rarely seen in other forms of art and media.

COUNTDOWN: Just 970 movies to go!

The Kid Brother- 1927

U.S.

Length: 84 minutes

Director: J.A. Howe, Ted Wilde

Cast: Harold Lloyd, Jobyna Ralston, Walter James, Leo Willis, Olin Francis, Eddie Boland, Frank Lanning, Constantine Romanoff, Ralph Yearsley

www.imdb.com/title/tt0018051/

Eric's Impressions: If Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton had a baby it would be Harold Lloyd. Like those two, Lloyd was a comedic genius and able to build story lines around action sequences that would give any of today's stars a run for their money. We've seen the tale before where the youngest brother fights for the affection of his hard-to-please father and older brothers before saving the day and the family in the end. Lloyd is that guy and he falls in love as well. It's a very predictable movie, but it's worth checking out for the dangerous stunts.

Natalie's Impressions: I had never heard of Harold Lloyd until recently. A friend of mine is a big fan and actually prefers him to Keaton and Chaplin. He lent me a DVD of several of his films and when I noticed that this movie was included in the book, I watched it. It is the only Lloyd film included as opposed to the several Chaplin and Keaton films included. Unlike these two, Lloyd didn't direct or write the films he stared in. His physical comedy is good and the choreography is similar to Keaton's frequent chase sequences in his films. The story line of this film is also very similar to those of the Chaplin and Keaton films.

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The Jazz Singer-1927

U.S.

Length: 88 minutes

Director: Alan Crosland

Cast: Al Jolson, May McAvoy, Warner Oland, Eugenie Besserer, Otto Lederer, Bobby Gordon, Richard Tucker

www.imdb.com/title/tt0018037/

Eric's Impressions: I might be the only film buff to ever admit this, but I much prefer the 1980 Neil Diamond version. Okay, so the original revolutionized the history of cinema as being the first feature-length sound movie, but did it have Diamond singing "America," "Love on the Rocks," and "Hello Again?" Also, though I enjoy blatant racism and blackface as much as the next guy (hint: sarcasm), I found the original boring despite a decent performance by star Al Jolson. Give me Diamond as the disappointing son and Laurence Olivier as the disappointed father any day. Note: Diamond and Olivier won Worst Actor and Worst Supporting Actor at the Golden Raspberry Awards for their performances.

Natalie's Impressions: I had a few issues with this film that are not necessarily the film's fault but rather the fact that it was made when it was. The fact that it was the first talkie accounts for the odd moments of dialogue that puncture the mostly silent picture. It seems to be trying to be something it is not in other ways as well. Like many silent films that came before it, I felt like it was a little preachy at times. I did like the acting though. Al Jolson was pretty good but I really liked the Cantor and his wife. I wasn't so crazy about the musical numbers- but then again I am not generally a fan of musicals. The movie is included in the book for an obvious reason- it even won an Oscar for being a talking picture. But I am not sure that the film has anything else really separating it from other films that makes it special.

COUNTDOWN: Just 972 movies to go!

October-1927

U.S.S.R.

Length: 95 minutes

Director: Grigori Aleksandrov, Sergei M. Eisenstein

Cast: Vladimir Popov, Vasili Nikandrov, Layaschenko Chibisov, Boris Livanov, Mikholyev, Smelsky, Eduard Tisse

www.imdb.com/title/tt0018217

Eric's Impressions: It would be foolish to pass this off as just another Eisenstein propaganda - which it is - because it's much more. The revolutionary filmmaker attempts to recreate the Bolshevik victory 10 years after the fact and he does such a good job of pulling it off that you swear at times he's using actual documentary footage. This movie has all the usual Eisenstein film tricks - quick scene cuts, haunting imagery and dark subject matter. It's a heart-pounding ride that you won't soon forget and it's disappointing to learn that it's the last of his films we'll review in this book.

Natalie's Impressions: The last of the Eisenstein movies included in this book is typical soviet propaganda fare like his other films but it is also equally striking in its imagery. This film is my least favorite of his that I have seen because it is not as cohesive. It feels as though he is trying so hard to outdo himself, spending tons of money, trying to recreate events just exactly how they happened at the expense of a good solid plot with character development. I didn't get really drawn into the story because it was hard to follow but as usual, there were some very memorable scenes that bear the Eisenstein signature.

COUNTDOWN: Just 973 movies to go!

The Unknown-1927

U.S.

Length: 65 minutes

Director: Tod Browning

Cast: Lon Chaney, Norman Kerry, Joan Crawford, Nick de Ruiz, John George, Frank Lanning, Polly Moran

www.imdb.com/title/tt0018528/

Eric's Impressions: For contemporary film goers, director Tod Browning was the Tim Burton of his time (same initials). They both love to show us the trials and tribulations of humans regarded as curiosities or monstrosities - in other words - freaks. Browning even made a film with the title "Freaks" and Burton is never afraid to make movies centered around them ("Edward Scissorhands"). Team up Browning with Lon Chaney and you've got cinematic gold. Chaney's "disabled" character eats and drinks with his feet, loves with his big heart and steals the entire movie both literally and figuratively. The twisted ending promises to disturb you, but you'll still want to watch this masterpiece again and again.

Natalie's Impressions: It was kind of weird seeing Joan Crawford in this early role. She is hardly recognizable at such a young age. But Lon Chaney steals the show. The physical ordeal he must have gone through having his arms bound is almost as impressive as the dexterity of his feet. The way he uses his feet looks so natural that sometimes I thought his feet were his hands. The way he moves, holds a cigarette, eats, throws knives is a skill I have yet to see in any other actor, including Daniel Day Lewis. I have not yet seen Browning's other films so I didn't really know what to expect. I had heard all sorts of weird things about Freaks and so I got squeamish during the scene where one of the characters has each arm attached to ropes being pulled by horses in opposite directions. In an ironic twist, this character isn't the unfortunate one, but rather the protagonist who gets trampled by the horse.

COUNTDOWN: Just 974 movies to go!

The General-1927

U.S.A.

Length: 75 minutes

Director: Buster Keaton, Clyde Bruckman

Cast: Buster Keaton, Marion Mack, Charles Smith, Richard Allen, Glen Cavender, Jim Farley, Tom Nawn, Frederick Vroom, Joe Keaton, Mike Donlin

www.imdb.com/title/tt0017925/

Eric's Impressions: Another Keaton classic. Watching him on screen never gets old. Considered by many his greatest work, "The General" truly is one of the funniest films of all-time. With the Civil War as the setting for the story, Keaton's hero shows us the humility of man while making us laugh at our own foibles. The reviewer in the book argues that this is the best Civil War movie ever made, but I'll need a little more time to digest that thought with my personal favorite still being "Glory."

Natalie's Impressions: This was the first Keaton film I ever saw. This was about three years ago. Now that I am more familiar with his work, I think it is still my favorite and most impressive in terms of physical comedy, although the waterfall scene in Our Hospitality is truly amazing. I can see why this was his most well known picture. The plot is strong, the character development is complex, the comedy is non-stop and even the historical references are precise.

COUNTDOWN: Just 975 movies to go!

Metropolis-1927

Germany

Length: 120 minutes

Director: Fritz Lang

Cast: Alfred Abel, Gustav Frohlich, Brigitte Helm, Rudolf Klein-Rogge, Fritz Rasp, Theodor Loos, Heinrich George

www.imdb.com/title/tt0017136/

Eric's Impressions: The first science fiction epic was definitely ahead of its time and continues to influence the genre to this day. The sets are elaborate and it's always interesting to see how people predict what the world will look like in the future. I've also been noticing a growing pattern in early cinema of casting an overly-dramatic actor in the male lead. I'm not sure if this occurs because of the direction of the director or because talent-less pretty boys are cast in the lead - that never happens today. The lead female actress (Helm) makes up for it with her dual roles as the saint/robot along with the fascinating mad scientist Rotwang (Klein-Rogge).

Natalie's Impressions: One the one hand, I feel overwhelmed by how much there is to say about this film. On the hand, it has all been said before precisely because this is such an influential film from a legendary director. There are many contradictions surrounding the film, but the strongest and most lasting impression I have of this film is the apparent dedication, passion and vision of Lang when he made the film. It is evident in every second of the film. Every scene is so carefully constructed and thought out, not to mention visually breathtaking. Although I do agree with Lang on one level that the film was "simplistic and naive," (a comment he made years after the film was made), I think he should almost be forgiven even if it was a little bit, simply because it was one of his earliest films and it seemed to be a true portrait of who Lang was at the time. It feels very authentic to me, even though the biblical allusions were annoying and could have been easily omitted without seriously compromising the film's message.

COUNTDOWN: Just 977 movies to go!