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The Silent Film Thread — Page 3

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A really creepy silent to watch around Halloween time is Haxan: Witchcraft Throughout the Ages (1922). Part documentary, part horror film, it’s surreal and disturbing imagery has been used elsewhere over the decades, even in music videos.

Criterion has a nice DVD release with the 1922 original, and an alternate version from 1968, with a jazz score and narration by William S. Burroughs.

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DominicCobb said:

DuracellEnergizer said:

My favourite silent film’s probably Lon Chaney’s Phantom of the Opera.

Ending’s a tad weak, but Chaney’s brilliantly unnerving. And I just love the two-colour Technicolor sequences.

If I were to watch this, which version should I seek out?

Flicker Alley is a great site that puts silent classics on DVDs. They might have one there.

When’s something gonna happen?

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I wonder if anyone has replaced an Silent Films music with Heavy metal/hard rock.

“Get over violence, madness and death? What else is there?”

Also known as Mr. Liquid Jungle.

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I think there’s a Nosferatu score out there done by a rock band.

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What’s the general consensus on where to get blu-rays of classic silent films? I have a couple from Amazon, including Nosferatu, that are from this Kino Classics label.

The Person in Question

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Kino is good, mostly. Criterion is obviously the gold standard. There usually aren’t that many editions of silent films on Blu, so you kind of just take what you can get. It really is on a case-by-case basis.

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paja said:

I wonder if anyone has replaced an Silent Films music with Heavy metal/hard rock.

Somehow, I just don’t think the two would go together.

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Warbler said:

paja said:

I wonder if anyone has replaced an Silent Films music with Heavy metal/hard rock.

Somehow, I just don’t think the two would go together.

I can see it working for a German Expressionist/horror film.

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It would depend on the film. It might work for a fantasy film or horror. Music videos have borrowed silent film imagery from the beginning.

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AFIK, the ones I’m aware of on DVD and Blu Ray have always been presented as an alternate audio track, not the default.

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I mean, you could just turn the volume all the way down, you know?

Ceci n’est pas une signature.

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I suppose. But why not just include multiple audio tracks and make everyone happy?

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NeverarGreat said:

Warbler said:

I suppose. But why not just include multiple audio tracks and make everyone happy?

You haven’t truly experienced a silent film unless you’ve experienced it in 7.1 Dolby surround.

7.1/10

JEDIT: just kidding, it’s a full 10/10. LOL

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Has anyone ever seen Birth of a Nation? I’ve read that it’s one of the first ever blockbuster epic films, but I know it’s also one of the most racist movies ever and it glorifies the KKK and the Confederacy so I don’t think I care to see it, but I’m curious if anyone else has.

The Person in Question

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Watched a small portion back in college as part of a mass communication class. The irony is that you can get BOAN on Blu_Ray, but not Song Of The South.

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Looks like Birth of a Nation is available from a company that sells a lot of classic silent films. I’ve seen a lot of parts of BOAN in documentaries over the years. That’s enough of it for me.

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I’ve seen Birth of a Nation. It is just about the most racist movie in film history. It does glorify the KKK. The KKK are the heroes of the story. Every black character is played by a white guy in blackface. Just about every stereotype of black people can be found in it. It is also probably true that it is the first blockbuster in film history. It makes Song of the South look progressive.

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It was the first film ever screened in the White House too. By the way, who are you talking to?

The Person in Question

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moviefreakedmind said:

Has anyone ever seen Birth of a Nation? I’ve read that it’s one of the first ever blockbuster epic films, but I know it’s also one of the most racist movies ever and it glorifies the KKK and the Confederacy so I don’t think I care to see it, but I’m curious if anyone else has.

It’s the worst.