... like maybe for being one of the most beautiful and haunting films I've ever seen? Yeah, that one's a good reason. F. W. Murnau's 1927 picture's been on my list of Must-See's for years now but I only got around to it this weekend and I coud've watched it a dozen times in a row. A tale as old as time - that old chestnut of husband wanting to off wife in a bid to run off with mistress - that even now, 80 years later, felt fresh and heart-felt in Murnau's hands, as if the decades of incompetent copy-cats just slid right off the film without leaving a trace.But beyond the narrative surprises (in themselves a surprise) and the astonishing loveliness of the imagery - just, my god, the way the camera moved and swept through this world! The enveloping blackness cut through by lanterns shimmering on the surface of water... I could go on and on) - well beyond these wonderful things what I've got to give thanks to Sunrise for here is introducing me to its male lead, Mr. George O'Brien; here he is being ravished by his City Slut and in turn ravishing me with his profile:
So I fell for him, which sent me scurrying
to the internet, which led me right to this picture (via):
to the internet, which led me right to this picture (via):
I just love the internet. That's O'Brien on the right (IMDb lists his nickname as "The Chest", ha) and Tarzan star Johnny Weissmuller on the left. And that's a picture to cherish. For a long time. Here's some more O'Brien to appreciate:
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4 comments:
I saw Sunrise for the first time a few months ago and it totally blew me away. I totally love your screen shot with the mistress: Their pose is a complete reversal of roles. She's the dominant one and he's her willing slave, HOT!
Another great thing about that shot besides the sexual role reversal, Taffy, is the fact that the shot directly preceding it is of his wife and child in the exact same pose, only with the baby in the mother's lap laid back, and it fades directly into this shot, with the husband (this would be easier if any of the characters had names!) being cradled by his mistress. So terrifically simple but effective with just a simple fade. This film's perfect.
This is a film I wish I had seen outside my university course... I was so busy thinking about Murnau's innovative use of sound (or whatever the paper's title was) that I didn't let it sink in.
You're right though, a classic.
I've been struggling to find a way to describe it without using the 'timeless' cliche, but that's what it is.
It was beautiful. Besides looking at George, that the acting style and make-up were much more naturalistic that I am used to seeing in silent movies made it easier to sink into the story.
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