"Blood! Your Precious Blood!"

[bradygirl_12]

So last weekend I finally got the chance to see the 1922 silent film classic, Nosferatu. Thoughts when I first saw it was playing? That the Batman Elseworlds was based on this, a companion to Wonder Woman's Blue Angel and Superman's Metropolis. So I automatically think fannish connections? Wait, it gets better! :)



That was my second thought. My first thought was of siriusfanatic's Public Enemies Halloween story (written for my 2009 Guns_Fedoras Public Enemies Fic/Art Halloween Challenge), Silent Film, LOL! While I watched the film, I loved the thought of Mel and Johnny holding hands in the dark theater and making out! ;) When the dialogue she quoted came on-screen, I giggled! :) BTW, her story is awesome! :)

Pretty cool movie. When the film first came out in 1922, Bram Stoker's Dracula had been out for 25 years, a nice chunk of time, but by now it's 113 years! Whew! And silent films may stretch into the 1920s (some even into the early '30s), but they look so 19th century, don't they? The make-up is so theatrical, and the acting has to be broad without any dialogue. If we went back to view a 19th century play, we'd probably consider it ham acting, as the actors of the time had to project their voices and make grand gestures for theaters without microphones and other modern equipment. And the Victorians did love their melodrama. :)

And think of Nosferatu in 1922: pretty over-the-top to modern eyes, but back then, pretty scary, just like 1931's Frankenstein and Dracula were considered pretty horrific. Remember, people then didn't have slasher flicks (the bloody kind!) and weren't numbed by shocking scenes like modern audiences, so these horror flicks must have given them some chills.

Remember, everything comes back to fandom! ;)

Comments

[sara-lakali.livejournal.com]

We covered Nosferatu in my Humanities Theater Arts class because the special effects were revolutionary. IIRC, that was the first movie to use stop-motion animation.

What's cool is to watch Nosferatu back to back with Shadow of the Vampire.

[bradygirl_12]

We covered Nosferatu in my Humanities Theater Arts class because the special effects were revolutionary. IIRC, that was the first movie to use stop-motion animation.

Awesome! I didn't know that.

It certainly was a rich-looking film, and probably scared the pants off a few people in 1922. ;)

What's cool is to watch Nosferatu back to back with Shadow of the Vampire.

That sounds like a great double bill! :)

[aranel-took.livejournal.com]

I'd love to see Nosferatu. I have The Sheik with Rudolph Valentino on a VHS tape (somewhere in my basement) that I taped off American Movie Classics back in college. That was apparently very controversial in 1921! It would be interesting to see filmmakers -- besides Mel Brooks ;-) -- make more of them today. There's a lot of beauty in the silence, with only actions and music (and the occasional dialogue card) to tell the story.

[bradygirl_12]

I'd love to see Nosferatu. I have The Sheik with Rudolph Valentino on a VHS tape (somewhere in my basement) that I taped off American Movie Classics back in college. That was apparently very controversial in 1921!

I'd heard that! And I'd read the stories about all the hysteria over Valentino's death in 1927, too. Movies really captured the American imagination.

It would be interesting to see filmmakers -- besides Mel Brooks ;-) -- make more of them today. There's a lot of beauty in the silence, with only actions and music (and the occasional dialogue card) to tell the story.

I bet there are actors and directors out there who would love the challenge of doing a silent film. :)

[jen-rock.livejournal.com]

I remember hearing somewhere that moviegoers sometimes screamed out loud or even fainted at the scene from the silent "Phantom of the Opera" where his face is deformed. Now I just look at it and say, "That's it?"

Nosferatu was really creepy in it's day and I find the scene where he raises up from the coffin stiffly to be especially creepy.

I want to see the silent movie "The Man who Laughs" just because it was a huge inspiration for the Joker.

Oh, and I'm going to watch Public Enemies this weekend. I'm looking forward to it.

[bradygirl_12]

I remember hearing somewhere that moviegoers sometimes screamed out loud or even fainted at the scene from the silent "Phantom of the Opera" where his face is deformed. Now I just look at it and say, "That's it?"

*nods*

Even a movie as recent as Star Wars now looks terribly dated, but the special effects amazed back in the day. You have to immerse yourself in the time to get the full effect.

Nosferatu was really creepy in it's day and I find the scene where he raises up from the coffin stiffly to be especially creepy.

That was creepy!

I want to see the silent movie "The Man who Laughs" just because it was a huge inspiration for the Joker.

Oh, that's a good fannish connection! :)

Oh, and I'm going to watch Public Enemies this weekend. I'm looking forward to it.

Cool! I hope you like it! I know just because I love the movie doesn't mean everyone else will, but there's a lot there to absorb. If you like period pieces, I think you will enjoy the film.

[jen-rock.livejournal.com]

Well, I liked Public Enemies although I didn't love it. It was a little slow at times and sometimes all the shootouts felt a little repetative. I did like the camera work on that scene where the Feds are chasing Johnny and Red through the woods. That felt very well done.

But Johnny Depp and Christian Bale were both really good in it and I did appreciate seeing handsome men in fancy suits:) I always love the way films like this reproduce those times with the clothing, hair, and all the cars and the look of everything.

I really like the way Bale protrayed Purvis's inner struggle over whether he was doing the right thing often just through facial expressions. I liked the way they used the Clark Gable movie at the end to parallel Dillenger's life. So overall, it was an entertaining movie with great scenery.

[bradygirl_12]

Well, I liked Public Enemies although I didn't love it. It was a little slow at times and sometimes all the shootouts felt a little repetative. I did like the camera work on that scene where the Feds are chasing Johnny and Red through the woods. That felt very well done.

Wasn't that awesome? The actors said it really helped that they filmed at Little Bohemia where it all took place. Apparently the lodge and the surrounding area hasn't changed all that much since the 1930s.

But Johnny Depp and Christian Bale were both really good in it and I did appreciate seeing handsome men in fancy suits:) I always love the way films like this reproduce those times with the clothing, hair, and all the cars and the look of everything.

Oh, yes, our boys in sexy suits and fedoras! ;)

The look of the film was fantastic. I was really ticked off that they didn't get Oscar noms for costumes and set design. >:(

I really like the way Bale protrayed Purvis's inner struggle over whether he was doing the right thing often just through facial expressions.

I'm so glad you said that! A lot of people considered Christian's performance 'wooden' and 'mailed in', and I thought it was understated instead. He did a lot with subtle expressions to convey what was going on inside of Mel.

I liked the way they used the Clark Gable movie at the end to parallel Dillenger's life. So overall, it was an entertaining movie with great scenery.

That it one of the best scenes in the film! I wrote a meta on that scene awhile back but haven't posted it yet. Probably will when I finish my current multi-chapter PE story. :)

Glad you liked the film, Jen! It's really quite a little gem with many facets. :)