Can't breathe! Too excited!
This is nothing but a fanboy squee, but I'm completely, utterly, and, like, totally, massively stoked that Criterion has finally announced the upcoming release of Three Silent Classics by Josef von Sternberg: "Vienna-born, New York-raised Josef von Sternberg (Shanghai Express, Morocco) directed some of the most influential, extraordinarily stylish dramas ever to come out of Hollywood. Though best known for his star-making collaborations with Marlene Dietrich, Sternberg began his movie career during the final years of the silent era, dazzling audiences and critics with his films’ dark visions and innovative cinematography. The titles in this collection, made on the cusp of the sound age, are three of Sternberg’s greatest works, gritty evocations of gangster life (Underworld), the Russian Revolution (The Last Command), and working-class desperation (The Docks of New York) made into shadowy movie spectacle. Criterion is proud to present these long unavailable classics of American cinema, each with two musical scores."
I've seen all three of these on videotape, although Underworld was a crappy dub of what looks like a TV telecine. And still it is ravishingly beautiful! I worship Sternberg, and these three silent films are every bit as beautiful and amazing as the films he made with Dietrich. Everybody should watch them. Here's one tidbit about Underworld: Howard Hawks worked on the scenario (although it was Ben Hecht who won the Oscar for the story), and he based Rio Bravo on aspects of the story. One of the clues is that they both feature characters named Feathers. (One of the great shots in Underworld is when Feathers walks into a nightclub -- her first appearance in the film -- and a feather from her boa floats slowly, gently down, followed by the camera, into the sights of "Rolls Royce" Wensel, who looks up to the source, standing on an ornate spiral staircase, and immediately falls in love with her.) There are also huge similarities, not least visually, between Underworld and Hawks' gangster film, Scarface (also based on a story by Ben Hecht).
Okay, gotta start breathing. I have to make it to August 24th, which is the release date of this set.
I've seen all three of these on videotape, although Underworld was a crappy dub of what looks like a TV telecine. And still it is ravishingly beautiful! I worship Sternberg, and these three silent films are every bit as beautiful and amazing as the films he made with Dietrich. Everybody should watch them. Here's one tidbit about Underworld: Howard Hawks worked on the scenario (although it was Ben Hecht who won the Oscar for the story), and he based Rio Bravo on aspects of the story. One of the clues is that they both feature characters named Feathers. (One of the great shots in Underworld is when Feathers walks into a nightclub -- her first appearance in the film -- and a feather from her boa floats slowly, gently down, followed by the camera, into the sights of "Rolls Royce" Wensel, who looks up to the source, standing on an ornate spiral staircase, and immediately falls in love with her.) There are also huge similarities, not least visually, between Underworld and Hawks' gangster film, Scarface (also based on a story by Ben Hecht).
Okay, gotta start breathing. I have to make it to August 24th, which is the release date of this set.