Dream of a Rarebit Fiend (1906) Review- By Michael J. Carlisle

Title: Dream of a Rarebit Fiend
Year: 1906
Director: Edwin S. Porter
Country: US
Language: N/A

When cinema was short and silent much of their inspiration, surprisingly, came from comic strips. The popularity of trick and effects heavy pictures meant that if your comic was oddball and ripe with imagination that it would likely be produced into cinema. Winsor McCay, a pioneering cartoonist and animator, launched his strip in 1904. Edwin S. Porter, of Great Train Robbery fame, would use this material to create a hit.

A trippy movie, Dream of a Rarebit Fiend it's about a man who has a bad dream after consuming a large meal.

Director Edwin S. Porter was not comfortable with the star system that began to emerge with the dawn of the 1910s. He preferred the more technical aspect of film-making and thus made pictures that would require a lot of hands-on special effects work. Double exposures, miniatures and other camera trickery show that the man knew his craft and was able to be simultaneously creative and innovative. Few cinema-goers would have seen a picture like this.

Porter does a great job at imitating the look, tone and atmosphere of the original comic strips. Using a distinct style totally unlike the trick films of France and Britain, I found the camera perfectly emulated a sense of whimsy and wonder.  Dream of a Rarebit Fiend for the Edison studios, although there is no evidence to suggest it was the studios' biggest hit of that year. 

I liked this picture, and I'll certainly agree that it's one of the best pictures of early silent cinema. A fun film, I particularly enjoyed the part where the bed flies over the city, dragging our main character behind.

Erotikon (1920) Review- By Michael J. Carlisle

Title: Erotikon
Year: 1920
Director: Mauritz Stiller
Country: Sweden
Language: N/A

Erotikon influenced Charlie Chaplin’s A Woman of Paris (1923), Jean Renoir’s The Rules of the Game 1939), and much of the later work of Ernst Lubitsch. An elegant cheeky comedy, its influence can still be felt in romantic comedies of 2016. Swedish director Mauritz Stiller's bemused look at the social institutions of marriage and monogamy humans have created hilariously suggests that the species may have a made a colossally dimwitted mistake.

Erotikon revolves around the romantic entanglements of six stock characters from drawing room comedy: Professor Leo Charpentier (the clueless husband), Irene (the restless wife), their niece Marte (the flirtatious ingenue), sculptor Preben (the Bohemian artist), aviator Baron Felix (the pretentious flyboy), and Sidonius (the absentminded professor)

 Some Swedish Studio history; a 1919 merger that resulted in Svensk Filmindustri meant that the company now distributed and exhibited films as well as produced them. The critical and financial success of Victor Sjöström’s Terje Vigen (1917) led to Studio head Charles Magnusson deciding to make fewer films, each with stronger production values and bigger budgets. He also wanted to appeal to more international markets. Erotikon, which sounds like a weird robot sex operation, was the result of that decision. It was the most expensive swedish film at that time. 

The film has quite lavish sequences, some involving over 800 extras onscreen at a time. Erotikon is quite ahead of its time in the amount of eroticism each frame exudes. Everything, from the situations the characters find themselves in to the dress is quite risque. Soaked in decadence, the picture does not come off as sleazy, it is rather tasteful when addressing the wicked.

Unfortunately a fire destroyed most of Stiller's previous work, so we may never know how this incredible director found his passion. Erotikon is, in no doubt, a memorable piece of film history that ought to be beloved by fans of silent film. 

Ben Hur (1907) Review- By Michael J. Carlisle

Title: Ben Hur
Year: 1907
Director: Harry T. Morey
Country: US
Language: N/A

Based on an 1880 novel by Lew Wallace, which was inspired by events in the bible, Ben Hur was first put to screen in 1907, then remade in 1925 (a masterful silent epic), 1959 (an award winning talkie epic) and 2016 (a forgettable piece of crap). This Ben Hur was an unauthorized silent short version that resulted in the producers being successfully sued for copyright infringement. 

In some short scenes, we see Jesus Christ as a Jew who is prepared to wage war on Rome after his family is betrayed. It ends in a chariot race.

By this time in film history, Cinema was just starting to be seen as serious business. Previously it had been viewed as a short-term novelty, a sideshow attraction if you will. Ben Hur's production was loosely defined however, unlike the epics that would come in the late 1910's this didn't have much of a narrative nor did it have great cinematography as the camera was fixed to one position throughout its run-time. 

With a $500 budget, which was a decent sum for its time, it's unfortunate that the producers didn't get much out of this film. Hopefully the Director went on to make decent profit, because the court ordered him to pay the original authors $25,000! We could make a claim that the story is poor because of the time, but George Melies was making marvelous works of art at the time. 

This version of Ben Hur is largely forgotten by silent fanatics and I can see why. This doesn't hold a candle to the 1925 horse-killing juggernaut by Demille. 

The Railway of Death (1912) Review- By Michael J. Carlisle

Title: The Railway of Death
Year: 1912
Director: Jean Durand 
Country: France
Language: N/A

Director Jean Durand is a fairly forgotten figure in mainstream culture, but to silent film enthusiasts he is best known as the author of wacky comedies in pre-war France, particularly the Onésime series starring Ernest Bourbon. His films were full of stunts, animals and surreal humor. He did not seem to be the ideal candidate to direct a Western, but he managed to do well creating one. He didn't have rough desert landscapes to film in, but he did use the darkness of the French marshlands.

When gold is discovered the first man there gets to stake his claim. Joe and another man race each other, which involves a thrilling episode on a train. 

Two years before William S. Hart made Westerns popular in the United States, Durand was creating his own potent blend of blood, guts and madness in the American west. We like to think that the genre belonged exclusively to the Italians and Americans, but pre WWI France was loaded to the gills with this type of entertainment. Railway of Death is rather riveting, perhaps moreso than any other silent Western I've seen. 

With a run-time of only 15 minutes, this film goes at furious pace, never wasting a moment of film. Railway of Death is beautiful to look at and makes good use of silhouettes. It's rather innovative by the fact that there is no hero. We side with the typical main character, until he shows his dark side. This is pretty remarkable for 1912.

Though the French shooting locations are not as convincing as the deserts of the Americas, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't enthralled by this unique picture that seems ahead of its time in terms of story and character development. Railway of Death is certainly a "must see" for those who are interested in film history. 

Under the Claw (1912) Review- By Michael J. Carlisle

Title: Under the Claw
Year: 1912
Director: Jean Durand
Country: France
Language: N/A

All but forgotten for decades, Jean Durand was a madcap director of whimsical and surreal pictures that seemed quite unique for the time. They were dangerous, violent, and yet often were injected with bits of humor. In the midst of the chaos of his filmography, there would be moments of surprising beauty in the natural landscapes or a trick of the light. He is most noted for his surreal Onesime series starring Ernest Bourbon, though I enjoy Under the Claw moreso

Set in Zimbabwe, the story opens with gold prospector Tim Warest (Lucien Bataille) receiving word that his claim has been overrun with problems. There’s drought, disease and hungry beasts eating the laborers. Warest sends word that he is coming personally and sets out at once. He dies, leaving the mine to his widow. The villains want the widow to sell the mine, but she isn't interested, so they plot to kill her.

The film’s biggest asset is the main actress. Berthe Dagmar is extremely impressive as the film’s heroine. Dancer, acrobat, and lion tamer among other qualities, she proves to have the onscreen charisma to rival Lilian Gish! Director Jean Durand would see something great within her, as they were married until her death in the 30's.

The scenery also proved to be impressive; natural scenery blends with gracefully painted backdrops to create an enchanting atmosphere. Durand used silhouettes to excellent effect, often heightening the mood of the picture. Other stunning visuals help enhance the many jokes and outlandish deaths.

At just 25 minutes Under the Claw is a fairly easy watch, in-fact you'll wish it was even longer! The  the freewheeling world of pre-feature cinema was quite interesting, I imagine it would have been a treat to see a Durand film at the time. A poetic melodrama-comedy, this movie is hard to forget.

You Can't Take it With You (1938) Review- By Michael J. Carlisle

Title: You Can't Take it With You
Year: 1938
Director: Frank Capra
Country: US
Language: English

By 1938, Frank Capra had won two Best Director Oscars, and was a household name despite being behind the camera. Unfortunately his career was in trouble. His relationship with his Columbia Pictures boss Harry Cohn was strained, due to the studio’s stinginess and Capra’s sudden interest in expensive prestige pictures. Just when both sides seemed bound for a legal court battle, Cohn renewed interest in Capra's contract and offered him one of Broadway's biggest comedies. Capra would accept. 

In this, a man from a family of rich snobs becomes engaged to a woman from a good-natured but decidedly eccentric family. 

You Can’t Take It With You won Capra his third academy award and, though it wasn't Capra's best film of the 30's, marked a maturity in his film career. It’s a picture that shows Capra moving beyond his screwball roots to a more expansive, both good and bad, view of America. Much like his 40's films, this picture is ultimately upbeat and uplifting, but the screenplay does have some darker moments. 

Capra's picture is full to the brim with colorful characters. Lionel Barrymore plays the familiar role of a ruthless industrialist. Jean Arthur and James Stewart play lovebirds who are not unlike the people in It's a Wonderful Life. Capra wants to give a lot of time to each character, but the result is long scenes and a lack of focus. You Can't Take it With You is a rather charming film however. Even though there are distractions along the way, you can still be moved by it. 

What can't you take with you? I believe it's money. Though this message that family is FAR more important than money is a bit cliche, it was necessary during the great depression when very few people had a lot of either. It's a dated and corny movie, but I can't hate the picture for giving people hope during a hopeless time. 

The Good, The Bad, The Weird (2008) Review- By Michael J. Carlisle

Title: The Good, The Bad, The Weird
Year: 2008
Director: Kim Ji-Woon
Country: South Korea
Language: Korean

Director Kim Ji-woon’s wily, actionized epic The Good, The Bad, The Weird is a fine balance between homage and invention. It's a mix between Sergio Leone's spaghetti Western and Quentin Tarantino's post modernist wet dream. Kim borrows from now-classic pictures and yet manages to avoid the audience feeling like they've seen it before. Trust me, I've followed the Clint Eastwood classic closely, and Kim's reinvention of it is quite fresh.

This is the story of two outlaws and a bounty hunter in 1940s Manchuria and their rivalry to possess a treasure map while being pursued by the Japanese army and Chinese bandits.

At the time of its release in South Korea in 2008, the film’s reported budget of $17 million was then the most expensive in the country’s history. After earning a profit and much praise at the Cannes Film Festival, the film slowly made its way around the globe on the festival circuit. The praise is much deserved as this drama/comedy/western is exceptionally well made. I found myself on the edge of my seat throughout its run-time. 

Set on the expansive plains of Manchuria in the 1930s, the film’s landscape is a dynamic one. Lee Mo-gae's award-winning cinematography perfectly captures the time period and the overall tone of the picture. The action scenes, which are weird in their own right, are expertly choreographed and brilliantly shot. It feels like no moments on-screen were wasted as we are treated to wild moments of gun-fire, explosions and daring horseback chases.

If future film-makers want to watch a proper "homage" to old films, they ought to skip the Tarantino and go straight to The Good, The Bad, The Weird. This was remarkable, perhaps even more enticing that the material it was paying tribute to. Extremely well made and thoroughly entertaining.

Legende du roi Gambrinus (1911) Review- By Michael J. Carlisle

Title: Legende du roi Gambrinus
Year: 1911
Country: France
Language: French

One of the great pioneers of technically and commercially successful synchronized sound was Leon Gaumont, an engineer who also ran the studio bearing his name. Gaumont built upon the work of earlier film-makers to create a more viable method of doing sound shorts in the early silent period. Thanks to microphone technology, the sound was recorded live with the action, no lip-syncing necessary

Legende du roi Gambrinus takes a traditional approach to its main character. Gambrinus is bearded, portly, jolly and drunk. He is both king and beer inventor. This short film is about him. 

Legende du roi Gambrinus was one of many short musicals released by Gaumont until 1917. The sound is clear, the actors are enthusiastic and the color, perhaps applied by stencil, is remarkable for its time. It's a very merry and drunken picture that would have presented quite a joyous occasion for 1917 audiences.

 While clearly an older recording, the cast of Legende du roi Gambrinus sounds excellent. Other sound of the same era was squeaky and disjointed. Watch some other "sound" shorts of the 1910's and you'll understand what I mean. Unfortunately due to World War One the French film industry was hit hard and would take a while to recover. The great global chaos meant this technology would be largely abandoned for another decade.

An enjoyable time, Grambinus works as both entertainment and as a venture into film history. It is a rather important film that should not be forgotten. Gaumont studios was rather exceptional, this is just one example of many of their accomplishments.