Fri Oct 19, 2012 3:55 pm
The big city was a very important inspiration for many silent directors who were infatuated with the thrill of its streets, the skyline and the daily life of its inhabitants. This subject resulted in peculiar and fascinating city symphonies in many important European and Amerikan avant-garde oeuvres.
“Lonesome” (1928) can be considered too as a kind of city symphony, a beautiful film wherein a young couple will experience their special epiphany; a splendid oeuvre directed by Herr Paul Fejos, a European film director with an erratic and not very fortunate career. Undoubtedly “Lonesome” is his masterpiece.
In “Lonesome”, as in other big city films, the course of daily life is depicted in detail. This is especially true of the early scenes of the picture with its shots of industry at work and the continuous camera movement that mirrors the busy, on the go existence of the people and the movie’s characters. The young couple in the film led ordinary lives and work in mundane jobs, always looking forward to the afternoon off that will ease their stress.
Herr Fejos uses the camera in an astonishing way especially in the fairground sequence ( Coney Island’s old Luna Park ). Double exposures, imaginative camera angles, moving close-ups, camera constantly on the go, color scenes and alas!... even some fragments with sound!... The latter scenes make up the worst part of the picture throwing off its pace and emotional build-up ( this Herr Graf watched “Lonesome” many years ago without such sound fragments and enjoyed the film very much more). These weak sound scenes are an ominous portent of the end of the Silent Era and its magic.
Anyway, at this point is necessary to say that the longhaired youngsters at “Criterion” did a superb work of restoration with “Lonesome.” This Herr Graf hopes that such exemplary and laudable labor continues through the next years.
But such sound interludes don’t excessively harm the achievements and extraordinary strength of the images of “Lonesome.” There are many emotionally moving scenes wherein the main actors, Frau Barbara Kent as Mary und Herr Glenn Tyron as Jim do splendid work full of sentiment and expressing the joy of living, a young couple alone in a big city desperately needing to find each other and share their lives and hopes forever. In this excellent picture Herr Fejos lyrically expresses their feelings and the need for hope in a soulless environment.
And now, if you'll allow me, I must temporarily take my leave because this German Count needs the companionship ( and the personal fortune ) of one of his rich Teutonic heiresses.
Herr Graf Ferdinand Von Galitzien
http://ferdinandvongalitzien.blogspot.com
“Lonesome” (1928) can be considered too as a kind of city symphony, a beautiful film wherein a young couple will experience their special epiphany; a splendid oeuvre directed by Herr Paul Fejos, a European film director with an erratic and not very fortunate career. Undoubtedly “Lonesome” is his masterpiece.
In “Lonesome”, as in other big city films, the course of daily life is depicted in detail. This is especially true of the early scenes of the picture with its shots of industry at work and the continuous camera movement that mirrors the busy, on the go existence of the people and the movie’s characters. The young couple in the film led ordinary lives and work in mundane jobs, always looking forward to the afternoon off that will ease their stress.
Herr Fejos uses the camera in an astonishing way especially in the fairground sequence ( Coney Island’s old Luna Park ). Double exposures, imaginative camera angles, moving close-ups, camera constantly on the go, color scenes and alas!... even some fragments with sound!... The latter scenes make up the worst part of the picture throwing off its pace and emotional build-up ( this Herr Graf watched “Lonesome” many years ago without such sound fragments and enjoyed the film very much more). These weak sound scenes are an ominous portent of the end of the Silent Era and its magic.
Anyway, at this point is necessary to say that the longhaired youngsters at “Criterion” did a superb work of restoration with “Lonesome.” This Herr Graf hopes that such exemplary and laudable labor continues through the next years.
But such sound interludes don’t excessively harm the achievements and extraordinary strength of the images of “Lonesome.” There are many emotionally moving scenes wherein the main actors, Frau Barbara Kent as Mary und Herr Glenn Tyron as Jim do splendid work full of sentiment and expressing the joy of living, a young couple alone in a big city desperately needing to find each other and share their lives and hopes forever. In this excellent picture Herr Fejos lyrically expresses their feelings and the need for hope in a soulless environment.
And now, if you'll allow me, I must temporarily take my leave because this German Count needs the companionship ( and the personal fortune ) of one of his rich Teutonic heiresses.
Herr Graf Ferdinand Von Galitzien
http://ferdinandvongalitzien.blogspot.com
