Film 6: The Iron Horse (1924)

Netflix plot summary: In this epic silent Western from John Ford, railroad surveyor Davy Brandon (George O'Brien) must find a route through the Rocky Mountains and carry on the dream of his father, who died before he could see the country linked by a transcontinental train line. As the Union Pacific construction crew battles fierce weather and hostile Indians, Davy also tries to track down the mysterious two-fingered man who killed his father.

Filmsite.org review:  One of the great silent screen epics, John Ford's The Iron Horse, about the building of the transcontinental railroad, still packs a wallop today. In fact, there is almost too much of everything: Brave men fighting for the right of settlers to settle despite never-ending Indian attacks; nasty landowners attempting to misdirect the railroad for their own financial gain; more Indian attacks; quaint Irish characters singing quaint Irish songs when not battling the elements and each other; and still more Indian attacks. All of it filmed with John Ford's legendary feel for the land and its people. And in true Ford style, none of the grandeur is allowed to overshadow the human elements. Only in a Ford film will a fallen Indian be mourned by his faithful dog, as happens here. And only Ford would create an astonishing scene such as the one in which the laborers, without missing a beat, continue their arduous job of building the iron trail mere moments after having quelled a bloody raid by the evil Cheyennes. by Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

Film viewing date: 3/02/10

Next film released 3/03/10

Our Hospitality Reviews

girl by locker says:

"They" say that the three big actors of the 1920’s are Charlie Chaplin, Lillian Gish and Buster Keaton so it was with great anticipation that I awaited my first Keaton movie.  Our Hospitality is the story of a feud between two Southern families that has gone one so long no one quite remembers how it started. The entire movie was spent with the Canfield brothers trying to kill their dinner guest, the son of their sworn enemy. The movie was obviously well-made, good cinematography and overall I enjoyed the story. However, I didn’t love it and, to be quite honest, got bored at times with all the chase scenes.

We had a bit of a bonus movie this week since the DVD came with Our Hospitality and Sherlock Jr. This is the story of a young man who works in the movie theater but is studying to be a detective. I believe that he could be the first James Bond! The young man drifts off to sleep and fantasizes about being a debonair detective in a tux, solving crime and saving the ladies while also including a car chase with 007-like music playing in the background. To me, the music actually made the movie – very bluesy/jazzy.

I don’t think I am as impressed with Keaton as I have been with Chaplin and Gish, but he is still good. I give Our Hospitality 3 out of 5 stars and Sherlock Jr. 4 out of 5.   

Juror #3 says:

I have heard people say that Buster Keaton was a better entertainer than Charlie Chaplin.  After watching the double-feature Our Hospitality and Sherlock Jr., I would say that Buster Keaton was possibly a better director than Chaplin, or a better editor, or even a more daring entertainer, but not a better entertainer.  Overall I found Our Hospitality a technically sound movie (well choreographed edited and directed) but mostly boring.  The story was much simpler than any Chaplain movies I've seen.  It seemed like each joke was run over and over until it died on screen and a new joke rose from the ashes only to die a similar death.  The stunts and choreography in the final scene were exceptional but, in my opinion, wasn't enough to make up for the rest of the film.  AlthoughOur Hospitality is the widely recognized classic, I enjoyed Sherlock Jr. much better.  I don't know the history of surreal film but I'll assume that Sherlock Jr. was an inspiration for those to come after him (Fellini? Bergman?).  A majority of the film takes place in a dream with exceptional camera tricks, dream-like music and a wonderful grasp of the subconscious at work.  I really liked this film and don't think it could be created any better if done today.  I'd rate Sherlock Jr. 4/5 stars and Our Hospitality 2/5 but seeing as though this is a double-feature and I need to rate them together, I'll split the difference - 3/5 stars. 

FIlm 5: Our Hospitality (1923)

Netflix plot summary: Silent-film master Buster Keaton directs and acts.This classic film showcases Keaton's amazing physical comedy and captivating personality. In Our Hospitality, Keaton resurrects a long-standing Southern feud when he falls for a gal on the wrong side of the fence. 


Filmsite.org review:  Though it was not his first multi-reel movie, Buster Keaton hit his feature-length stride with this period comedy. Set in the carefully recreated 1831 South and shot on location near Lake Tahoe, the film turned the legendary feud between the Hatfields and the McCoys (re-named the Canfields and the McKays) into a send-up of Southern politeness. Two exterior sequences became vintage Keaton. Precisely duplicating one of the first-ever trains (the "Stephenson Rocket") and hiring his vaudevillian father to play the engineer, Keaton turned the crudeness of early train travel into a dreamlike and hilarious trip southward over rough yet beautiful forested terrain. And the final river rescue showcased Keaton's agility, as he snatches his beloved (played by then-wife Natalie Talmadge) from a waterfall; it also inadvertently revealed the risks of Keaton's drive for authenticity, as he almost drowned on camera. The potentially lethal work paid off, as Our Hospitality became a box office hit and confirmed Keaton's talent for integrating comedy into a larger narrative rather than simply stringing together gags. by Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide

Film viewing date: 2/20/10

Next film released 2/21/10

Nosferatu Reviews

juror #3 says:

Although I can certainly appreciate the time period in which Nosferatu was produced, it's the first movie in our film study that I didn't like.  Various reviews stated that it is "one of the scariest movies ever made" but I was never scared at all.  Horror movies have clearly evolved.  However there were moments of appreciation, for instance, the music.  The soundtrack facilitated the mood of each scene and it's easy to see its influence on modern horror films.  Additionally, the art direction (costumes, makeup, locations) were really well done.  There were a couple scenes with fantastic images that got me excited but I eventually felt disappointed.  One such scene is where a real estate salesman is getting edgy as the sun goes down while he rests in the guest bedroom at Count Orlok's castle.  The salesman opens the bedroom door to check the hall and there stands a creepy Nosferatu.  The music adds to the chilling scene.  But overall the movie bored me.  I gave it a 2/5 stars

girl by locker says:

Perhaps because the first three movies of our cinema course were so awesome, I had higher expectations than usual. Either way, the scariest Dracula adaptation ever? I don’t think so. While I can say Nosferatu was creepier looking than any other Dracula I have seen, it just wasn’t frightening. In fact, I think I even dozed off in what I later read was a climatic scene in the movie – Nosferatu’s journey on the ship toward the new village where he was going to live. What I actually did really like was the music. It went well with the various scenes and sounded, for lack of a better word, progressive to me. Overall, I gave this a 2 out of 5 on my Netflix ratings.