High Silent Cinema! By 1927, they had perfected telling stories visually, using the camera beautifully as brush in their filmmaking masterpiece paint kit. Sunrise may be the finest example of this high art.
- What camera moves stuck out to you from this film? Use some specific examples of moments that were made more powerful because of the camera work.
Also, cool thing - the filmmaker of this American film is German filmmaker F. W. Murnau, who five years before made the German Expressionist film Nosferatu.
- Did you notice any Expressionistic moments in this film? Which moments?
- To you, what was the message of this film? Did you like this movie? Why or why not?
And, now...
The Big Parade... wow... I love this war film. So much.
Yes, it just might be my favorite war film of all time. I love how we spend time idling with the characters as they, very realistic to history, spent their time after being shipped over, not seeing combat, not knowing what is in store, but bonding deeply with their comrades. Almost enjoying this "european vacation", still naive. We, too, spending this time with them, grow to care about them deeply. When everything is torn apart, and the mighty and awful battle begins, we hurt because of the turmoil these young men we care about are violently thrown into, and we mourn separation of James and Melisande (I tell you what, that scene when they are pulled away from each other and she is left alone in the street might be one of the most heartbreaking separation scenes I have ever experienced. We care about these two because we've seen them grow in love for each other, we've spent time with them as they spent time with each other).The battle is painful to watch, and yet it has moments of beautiful humanity. The scene where James chooses not to kill the wounded German soldier and shares a cigarette with him is human, complex, and beautiful.
- What was your experience watching this film knowing that the real World War I had only ended a handful of years before?
- You know my feelings about it, but I want to hear your own opinion, one I will totally respect no matter what. Did you like this movie, why or why not?
It is amazing to think that in the 40s when the idea of going to war was once again looking over our nation that theaters played this, a SILENT film shown well into the sound era, as a cautionary tale of how difficult war can be on people, and people went to see it. A silent film shown twenty years after sound had come out, and lots of people attended. This movie means a lot to us humans...
i thought this was a good movie for it being one of the best if not the best war movie .it also has the big drama you normal don't get in the movies back then and it has great story and effects and its worth watching again and again ~yamigaia
ReplyDeleteI liked it! It took a while to get to the action but thats obviously not what this movie is about its the story laced around it how the characters change and a love story brews that you would not expect. Its a great movie for what it is and the meaning behind it.
ReplyDeleteThe big parade- a very interesting war movie. Actually it's more interesting to know I never seen a war movie that took place in World War 1. I like this movie a lot I liked the atmosphere of the movie mostly the war scenes how it looks so gritty. I like the characters mostly the main character and the love interest they are very interesting characters when they're hanging out with each other. The only thing I don't like with the movie it goes on and on. This movie goes on for 2 and a half hours. Overall it's a really good war drama
ReplyDeleteB+
Sunrise- I can see why some people can see this as their favorite silent film. To me it's the best silent drama film ever made. I love the beginning when the husband tries to kill his wife but then he tries to apologizes to her and they started off being a couple again. It's a very sweet movie mainly because the actors gave such a good performance. I love how it ended since you knew these characters really well you start to feel sorry for the husband for almost losing his wife. I can't think of any problems of the movie it's really good I loved it.
A+
For Sunrise I enjoyed it a lot. It was a bit hard to follow but the climax is worth it. The way everything plays out is terrific and this movie almost made me cry and thats a first since Bridge To Terribithia (2007) The camerawork is absolutely fantastic in this wonderful piece of cinema I loved when they were walking through a field of flowers but it was actually a busy street. Because they were so lovestruck.
ReplyDeleteSunrise:
ReplyDeleteSome camera movements in Sunrise that I remember would be the moments in which the camera all-out follows the characters, like when the main man goes to the girl he's cheating with in the forest, and I remember these kinds of moments because they are almost like steadicam shots. I am a big steadicam fan and a lot of these shots reminded me of them because they smoothly moved forth, and this was amazing in the twenties, 50 years or so before real steadicams were making incredibly smooth moving shots.
Expressionist moments in this film would be those shadowy night-time moments, like the one I just mentioned where the man meets his girl in the dark, or the storm on the lake scene, or the search for the wife in the water scene. The way they used shadows in those scenes and others was very German Expressionistic.
To me, the message of Sunrise was against cheating. It showed that truthfully, no matter how much you think you hate your spouse, depending on the situation, you probably still love them at the back of your mind. I'm not sure about this message, but it's all I got. Maybe the message could also be against killing? Hurm...
The Big Parade:
Knowing that WWI just ended not too long before this film was made me feel like the film was probably more realistic to what the war was really like. There probably wasn't combat immediately and they just kind of sat there for a while, trying to find things to do.
I did like this film, The Big Parade. I liked it for many of the reasons you said: How the characters become more meaningful to you as the viewer because it spends lots of time getting you to know what the characters are actually like as people, the little human moments that are in the combat itself, and also I really liked the whole battle scene, all-together. It was great. It was exciting, and emotional, and funny, and I thought The Big Parade was a great film.
Sunrise:
ReplyDeleteWell to me none of the camera movements really stood out, but it's probably because of all the fine camera movements we have today.
I didn't really notice any expressionistic moments in this film.
I think the message of this film was about being against cheating on someone. The message also might be against murdering a spouse? maybe?
I liked this movie. It was very good.
The Big Parade:
Knowing that WWI just ended a handful of years ago after this movie was made made it feel like it was more realistic to how the war was.
I think this film was good, and I really liked it. It was emotional and funny.
- A kid who may or may not be related to the Manbear