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Author Topic: Top 10 Silent Movies  (Read 5837 times)
RCMerchant
Bela
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« on: November 18, 2016, 07:31:59 AM »

Hallow's mention of  the BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN (1925) in the b+w thread made me think of which silent films I enjoy most.
Silent films are not many folks cup of tea, (I know some folks who won't watch black and white films! Barbarians!) but I enjoy them very much.Not only are the just as good as sound films,the good ones are in some respects better-simply for the fact that they had to rely mostly on the visual aspects,and thus the well made ones can be simply beautiful-almost like paintings come to life.

Anyway-here are 10 that come to mind that I love-
1.PANDORA'S BOX(1929) with Louise Brooks.
2.BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN (1925)
3.NOSFERATU (1922) I'm guessing this may be the most popular one among folks who don't really watch silent films.
4.SAFETY LAST (1923) This is the famous Harold Llyod comedy where he climbs up the side of a building-and of course a large clock gets in his way.
5.DR.MABUSE THE  GAMBLER (1922) Though I liked Lang's the TESTAMENT OF DR.MABUSE (1933) more-this is a great movie.
6. WITCHCRAFT THROUGH THE AGES (1922)
7.METROPOLIS (1927)
8.LES VAMPIRES (1915) No monsters with fangs,but a gang of theives with the fantastic Musidora.
9.DIARY OF A LOST GIRL (1929) Again-Louise Brooks.
10.TWO TARS (1928) I had to look up the title-though I had seen it many times-I couldn't recall the name! This is the Laurel and Hardy short where the boys get held up in traffic,and all hell breaks loose.

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Rev. Powell
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« Reply #1 on: November 18, 2016, 08:48:31 AM »

If you can't think of 10 silent movies you love, you haven't earned your "movie lovers" badge yet. (I like silent comedy in small doses, but none made my list because horror is so perfect when it's silent).

A TRIP TO THE MOON
METROPOLIS
NOSFERATU
THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
HAXAN: WITCHCRAFT THROUGH THE AGES
UN CHIEN ANDALOU
MESHES OF THE AFTERNOON

and they still make silent movies today:

COWARDS BEND THE KNEE (2003)
BLANCANIEVES (2012)
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Skull
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« Reply #2 on: November 18, 2016, 11:04:08 AM »

I love METROPOLIS (1927) especially with the cheesy 1980's sound track :)
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Allhallowsday
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« Reply #3 on: November 18, 2016, 03:08:09 PM »

THE GENERAL (1926)
BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN (1925) 
BROKEN BLOSSOMS (1919)
THE KID (1921)
THE GOLD RUSH (1925)
CITY LIGHTS (1931)
THE WIND (1928)
WAY DOWN EAST (1920) 
THE UNKNOWN (1927)
PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1925)
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« Reply #4 on: November 18, 2016, 04:17:18 PM »

In no particular order:

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA(1925)
NOSFERATU(1922)
CABINET OF DR.CALIGARI(1920)
METROPOLIS(1927)
THE MONSTER(1925)
DR.JEKYLL & MR.HYDE(1920) John Barrymore version
THE LOST WORLD(1925)
SEVEN FOOTPRINTS TO SATAN(1929)
HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME(1923)
THE CAT & THE CANARY(1927)
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« Reply #5 on: November 18, 2016, 04:32:48 PM »

in no real order

Nosferatu
The Gold Rush
City Lights
Modern Times
The General
The Kid
The Cabinent  of Dr. Caligari
Sherlock Jr.
Sunrise
Pandora's Box
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« Reply #6 on: November 18, 2016, 09:47:45 PM »

RC - I saw Safety Last that was awesome

I liked the Buster Keaton shorts. I watched them with my niece and nephew. They were funny and clearly an influence on cartoons like Bugs Bunny. There was one where his house he just bought was built on railroad tracks it was hilarious

The Crowd - it's been a long time but I remember liking this one

and let's not forget the Mystery of the Leaping Fish possibly the first bad movie
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RCMerchant
Bela
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« Reply #7 on: November 18, 2016, 10:36:27 PM »

RC - I saw Safety Last that was awesome

I liked the Buster Keaton shorts. I watched them with my niece and nephew. They were funny and clearly an influence on cartoons like Bugs Bunny. There was one where his house he just bought was built on railroad tracks it was hilarious

The Crowd - it's been a long time but I remember liking this one

and let's not forget the Mystery of the Leaping Fish possibly the first bad movie
Lester-If I could-and I just might-list my next top 10 silent films-Keaton will be there.
Your Right-Keaton films were cartoon surrelistic.And great.
And Barrymore's Leaping Fish Sherlock film was insane.
There are soooo many BAD silent films-good gravy! Try watching anything pre 1915-good gravy. Bunch of morons. Thats why I like LES VAMPIRES (1915)so much. The majority is garbage.

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Interviewer-"Does Dracula ever end for you?
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Bela
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« Reply #8 on: November 18, 2016, 10:43:45 PM »

I love METROPOLIS (1927) especially with the cheesy 1980's sound track :)

I don't like to be the turd in the swimming pool-but that ruined it. That was-I dunno. Like drawing eyebrows on the Mona Lisa.

Skull-my freind-have you ever watched a silent film on it's own terms as art?
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"Supernatural?...perhaps. Baloney?...Perhaps not!" Bela Lugosi-the BLACK CAT (1934)
Interviewer-"Does Dracula ever end for you?
Lugosi-"No. Dracula-never ends."

Slobber, Drool, Drip!
https://www.tumblr.com/ronmerchant
Skull
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« Reply #9 on: November 19, 2016, 12:14:09 AM »

I love METROPOLIS (1927) especially with the cheesy 1980's sound track :)

I don't like to be the turd in the swimming pool-but that ruined it. That was-I dunno. Like drawing eyebrows on the Mona Lisa.


Awesome point - an argument I made years ago when they added CGI material in the 1977 Star Wars.

But on the other hand, 99% of all the silent films are remastered. I never cared about the 1980's sudden urge of adding color in black and white films... but it seemed to work for Metropolis (especially that silly soundtrack)... I'd used to have Metropolis on VHS and I think I saw the movie almost 50 times.


Quote
Skull-my freind-have you ever watched a silent film on it's own terms as art?


It's own terms like watching a silent film and listening to a live band playing the music or a record. No - but I have doubts that any of us had.


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RCMerchant
Bela
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« Reply #10 on: November 19, 2016, 12:52:54 AM »

I love METROPOLIS (1927) especially with the cheesy 1980's sound track :)

I don't like to be the turd in the swimming pool-but that ruined it. That was-I dunno. Like drawing eyebrows on the Mona Lisa.


Awesome point - an argument I made years ago when they added CGI material in the 1977 Star Wars.

But on the other hand, 99% of all the silent films are remastered. I never cared about the 1980's sudden urge of adding color in black and white films... but it seemed to work for Metropolis (especially that silly soundtrack)... I'd used to have Metropolis on VHS and I think I saw the movie almost 50 times.


Quote
Skull-my freind-have you ever watched a silent film on it's own terms as art?


It's own terms like watching a silent film and listening to a live band playing the music or a record. No - but I have doubts that any of us had.



What I was trying to say is-I just like to see the work as close to the way the artist made it. METROPOLIS has been,since then-almost totally restored.
I dunno.
I am also not a fan of MSTK3000-because those stupid f**kin robots are in the way of me trying to check out the movie!
Good,bad,or ugly-I wanna see it!
But it was a popular show-so whatta I know?  Wink
« Last Edit: November 19, 2016, 01:03:12 AM by RCMerchant » Logged

"Supernatural?...perhaps. Baloney?...Perhaps not!" Bela Lugosi-the BLACK CAT (1934)
Interviewer-"Does Dracula ever end for you?
Lugosi-"No. Dracula-never ends."

Slobber, Drool, Drip!
https://www.tumblr.com/ronmerchant
Skull
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« Reply #11 on: November 19, 2016, 10:23:39 AM »

from my understand (and I could be wrong) but Metropolis was 4 hour long and the movie was cut to 90 minutes or shorter. I believe the movie was 90% restored to it's full length in the late 2000 and no I had not seen the full movie at this time.


I'm not a fan of MSTK3000 because the jokes are never funny and the images on the screen are annoying.
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« Reply #12 on: November 19, 2016, 10:43:58 AM »

from my understand (and I could be wrong) but Metropolis was 4 hour long and the movie was cut to 90 minutes or shorter. I believe the movie was 90% restored to it's full length in the late 2000 and no I had not seen the full movie at this time.


The original was only 2.5 hours long, but basically yes. The extra footage was found in 2008.

The Moroder version (which not only added the cheesy 80s movie but also tinted some scenes) was the best print of the film available for a long time. I don't hate it, but its almost a whole different movie.
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Allhallowsday
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« Reply #13 on: November 19, 2016, 11:34:37 AM »

...

It's own terms like watching a silent film and listening to a live band playing the music or a record. No - but I have doubts that any of us had.
What does this mean?   Question Question Question
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Bela
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« Reply #14 on: November 19, 2016, 03:05:49 PM »

...

It's own terms like watching a silent film and listening to a live band playing the music or a record. No - but I have doubts that any of us had.

What does this mean?   Question Question Question


I couldn't quite figure that one out either. I've seen live bands and they're recorded work-and I like both. A movie is a whole differnt story. Remember that old 60's TV show Fractured Flickers?

Small | Large


Lon Chaney Jr. sued them for f**king with his father's HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (1923). I don't know the result of the lawsuit. But my point is,I like to watch the film without it being tampered with. I HATED the addition of music to DRACULA (1931). I love the eerie silence of the original.
I like silent films. Alot,I was thrilled the first time I got to see these old films on PBS channel 34 in the 70's after reading about NOSFERATU (1922) the CABINET OF DR.CALIGARI (1919) and the PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1925) in Famous Monsters. Those films didn't pop up on Creature Feature.



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"Supernatural?...perhaps. Baloney?...Perhaps not!" Bela Lugosi-the BLACK CAT (1934)
Interviewer-"Does Dracula ever end for you?
Lugosi-"No. Dracula-never ends."

Slobber, Drool, Drip!
https://www.tumblr.com/ronmerchant
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