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Who Equates love with Horror Movies?
Duh, I do. And sometimes H does. Today he did.
Instead of going out to some crwoded, noisy-ass restaurant, H and I decided to stay home and order King Shing for their amazing chinese delivery. Those guys are so nice and their food is so good. We don't even mind waiting over an hour to get it, it's that good. H actually did want to go out but didn't tell me that until I said I didn't want to. Then I said of course I would go and it would be fun; but he didn't want to go because he knew I didn't want to. Sometimes I just wish he'd let me do something for him instead of always being so goddamn nice.
Anyway...
We treated ourselves to a viewing of![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
lickingtoad's copy of The Golem, which is, as it turns out, a fucking masterpeice. Touted as the precusor to Frankenstein, which came out 11 years later if I'm not mistaken, it's tagline calls it a Cabbalist Thriller. Who knew they could even have such a thing? I will probably watch it several more times before I give to to P to make me a copy.
It's a German silent film from the 1920's about a Cabbalist Rabbi trying to save a town from an Emperor who is just a total dick. He creates a Golem despite the obvious dangers involved. Predictably, things go horribly wrong and it reaches a startling climax that doesn't follow any of the expected american movie cookie cutter crap most of us are used to by now.
The films execution was imaginative and inventive. Modern filmakers can and should learn much from these old films. The use of color, filters and old, old, old-school editing techniques made this film not just charming in it's archaic demeanor, but a damn impressive thing to watch. And at only 89 minutes, you're fullfilled without having time to get bored.
There is one scene where the Golem is supposed to be busting int to this chicks bedroom, and he knocks loudly on the door. I must say, that was fairly amusing. But most of the movie is intense and visually stunning. The costumes are unlike anything you'll see today, and almost make me think of Corman's period stuff. Great violence and some really gripping death scenes. Fine performaces--for the silent film era and lots and lots of cool editing. I reccomend it to classic film buffs and horror fans alike.
And now...I'm off to watch Battlestar Gallactica.
Instead of going out to some crwoded, noisy-ass restaurant, H and I decided to stay home and order King Shing for their amazing chinese delivery. Those guys are so nice and their food is so good. We don't even mind waiting over an hour to get it, it's that good. H actually did want to go out but didn't tell me that until I said I didn't want to. Then I said of course I would go and it would be fun; but he didn't want to go because he knew I didn't want to. Sometimes I just wish he'd let me do something for him instead of always being so goddamn nice.
Anyway...
We treated ourselves to a viewing of
lickingtoad's copy of The Golem, which is, as it turns out, a fucking masterpeice. Touted as the precusor to Frankenstein, which came out 11 years later if I'm not mistaken, it's tagline calls it a Cabbalist Thriller. Who knew they could even have such a thing? I will probably watch it several more times before I give to to P to make me a copy.It's a German silent film from the 1920's about a Cabbalist Rabbi trying to save a town from an Emperor who is just a total dick. He creates a Golem despite the obvious dangers involved. Predictably, things go horribly wrong and it reaches a startling climax that doesn't follow any of the expected american movie cookie cutter crap most of us are used to by now.
The films execution was imaginative and inventive. Modern filmakers can and should learn much from these old films. The use of color, filters and old, old, old-school editing techniques made this film not just charming in it's archaic demeanor, but a damn impressive thing to watch. And at only 89 minutes, you're fullfilled without having time to get bored.
There is one scene where the Golem is supposed to be busting int to this chicks bedroom, and he knocks loudly on the door. I must say, that was fairly amusing. But most of the movie is intense and visually stunning. The costumes are unlike anything you'll see today, and almost make me think of Corman's period stuff. Great violence and some really gripping death scenes. Fine performaces--for the silent film era and lots and lots of cool editing. I reccomend it to classic film buffs and horror fans alike.
And now...I'm off to watch Battlestar Gallactica.
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Edison Manufacturing Company produced the 1910 Frankenstein featuring Charles Ogle as the monster. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0001223/combined
Try whipping that out on a classic rock DJ after you've successfully identified Fritz as Dr Frankenstein's assistant in the 1931 version though and see what you get. Aside from the dinner for two you won for answering the trivia question that is. An awkward silence, that's what.
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Although, the Golem version I watched was the 1920 version, and not the earlier one. Both are by the same director and have the same actor playing the Golem, but the supporting cast is different. I don't know the whole deal with that, but they do have separate imdb listings. Go figure.
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"Dissatisfied with the compromises he had to make on his previous attempt to film the story (Der Golem, 1914) Wegener decided to recount the legend exactly as he had heard it told in Prague in 1913 when he was on location there shooting the first version of Der Student von Prag (1913), before Gustav Meyrink's famous novel about the golem had been published."
Of the 1914/1915 (depending on source) version:
"Two years before Gustav Meyrink's famous novel introduced the golem to the world, Wegener had heard the legend while on location in Prague in 1913. He became so fascinated with the story of the clay statue manufactured by Rabbi Loew in the 1580s to save the Jews of Prague from a pogrom threatened by Rudolf II of Habsburg, that he played the creature three times on the screen and directed two of the films himself.
This version is set in the 20th century. The monumental hulk (golem means shapeless mass) is uncovered by workmen in the ruins of a synagogue and sold to an antiquarian who brings it to life.
The appearance of the creature, designed by the sculptor Belling, remained largely unchanged throughout Wegener's subsequent essays in the role including the comedy Der Golem und die Taenzerin (1917), where he pretends to be the golem in order to frighten a beautiful dancer he wishes to seduce. In 1920 he directed himself in the classic version of the legend, set in the appropriate period."
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For some reason, it's really put me in the mood to watch The Wicker Man.
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Are you familiar with It! with Roddy McDowall? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061826/combined Take equal parts The Golem, Psycho and Horrors of the Black Museum, throw in a dash of a studio that must've wanted to be Hammer and a director that must've wanted to be Terrence Fisher and you've got It!. Cheesy as all get out but I've always liked it. Hell, I like most anything with Roddy McDowall.
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Roddy McDowell has done a lot of amazing stuff. Apes aside, he's in one of my fave Twilight Zone eps (people are alike all over) and he is utterly amazing in the first segment of the Night Gallery movie. That first segment is still damn terrifying and holds up well despite some rather Brady-esque costumes.
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I'm a big fan of Lang's work. Though I seem to be more preoccupied with his later work like The Big Heat and Rancho Notorious. I don't suppose you've got a copy of Man Hunt laying around, do you? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033873/
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http://www.thesuperficial.com/archives/2006/02/10/calista_flockhart_looks_really.html
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However, it may behoove you to note the difference between Golem and Gollum, as I learned the hard way.
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a co worker mentioned that he thought saw 2 came out tuesday, and i was like 'wow, such a horror movie to be out on video on a valentines day, i bet wednes will enjoy that'.
lame, i know, but hey! :)
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I like Metropolis, but mostly for how it looks. It's not the most interesting story.
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By the way, I'm loving your latest kitty icon. : )
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