Possibly the best documentary I have seen on this period of horror.
But I still do not understand the approach that was taken by the director.
It seems the director of KotS has tried to analyze a genre that already
analyzes the human condition. Basically the documentary went on to re-state
the themes of each of the films that it explored.
I bought a ticket to the film expecting it to not go beyond the bounds
of the SILENT genre of horror film, but unfortunately it did. It even went
as far as color horror. But you don't always get what the synopsis says
I guess. The problem with the documentary was that it started in a narrow
and very defined time and space than it blew out to what is known as the
GOLDEN AGE, it even extended out as far as HAMMER HORROR. It is a pity
as I'd have loved to have seen more of the silent stuff than the talkies..
But the reason for seeing this film is contained completely in the celluloid
rarities that it SHOWS OFF, Meilies trick films and German expressionists.
The problem was there was not all that much focus on the directors of the
films.
If you want to see a documentary that recognizes early horror for show
casing the desires of priests, the horror's of the mind brought on by late
19th century folk like Freud, and our somnambulist state of mind. Than
this documentary will help you with that MEDIA essay you are doing. But
if you are looking for a film that gives insight into the manufacture of
the classic black and white silent films of the period than this film will
not give you anything. You'll see a picture of F.W. Murnau but you won't
hear about how he made the film. You'll hear D.W. Griffith's name pronounced
over and over again, but you will never understand the filmic triumphs
that he might have under his belt.
When looking at a documentary, there is one very important factor you
should take into account. That is the narration. In this case the film
is narrated by Rod Steiger. It sounds like it was all done in one take
with Steiger not being able to see what he was in fact talking about. The
vocal expression hence stayed quite monotonal and left me bored. However
this could be because of the BIFF approved cinema I saw it in. BIFF decided
to shove this film on the postage stamp sized screen in the QLD State Library.
The smallness of the picture was not the only problem. What really blew
was the fact that sound was only coming from the left hand side and left
my RIGHT ear longing for sound, and left me no choice but to leave before
the 2nd docko came on (Operator Kauffmann). Bummer. The thing cost me 10
dollars. If I was not a Horror fan and KEEN as mustard to see the extra
footage from Melies than I would have felt ripped off. But I feel circumstances
will only allow me to grant this film a B.
If youu are a keen horror film watcher. On the Tuesday the 10th of August
1999 at Bogga Road Jail, "NOSFERATU" will be screening in OPEN
AIR CINEMA. With Music performed by ATMOSPHERIC DISTURBANCES as heard on
4zzz.
B
, 1998-1999.