#24. [PRE-BLOG] The last laugh / The letzte Mann (1924)

In detail: IMDB Wikipedia
Watched: 5
Remained: 996 to go
Days: 5
Watched on: 2006.
Place: at home.
 
Today we continue talking about Murnau with another of his masterpieces: The last laugh.

The story revolves around a man who is respected and admired in his community due to his work as a doorman in a luxury hotel. As he gets old, they transfer him to a post in the toilets. Moreover, they strip him off the uniform. This uniform represented, more than any other thing, his position in the community. Shamed by his new position, he steals the uniform every night to make believe to his neighbours that he is still a doorman.

The style is that of an expressionist film: the distorted scenario, the exaggerated gestures, etc.; but its social theme and the playing with the camera make it a somewhat unclassifiable film. Some author labels it as a Kammerspiel film, a short life movement.

I find very interesting the depiction of a German society fascinated by authority and social status; moreover when this same society was just about to be devoured by its fears.

It is claimed that American audiences didn't understand the film because a cleaner earned more money than a doorman.

#31. [PRE-BLOG] Sunrise (1927)

In detail: IMDB Wikipedia 
Watched: 4
Remained: 997 to go
Days: 4
Watched on: 2009
Place: You don't want to know.

At this point I have a confession to make: I had seen already around 80 movies from the list before starting with this blog. From now on, if I don't have anything new to blog, I will write about one of those films. The objective is 1001 movies in 1001 posts. These movies will have the label [PRE-BLOG] in the title. Yesterday I couldn't see anything; so today I write about one those pictures: Murnau's Sunrise.

I love this film. The plot may not be terribly original but the direction and interpretation are captivating. Murnau has the ability to transport the viewers from one state to another without losing us in the process. He plays with our feelings like a child plays with clay. During the viewing, the real world doesn't exist, only that subjective universe of huge cities, eerie moors and dark swamps exists. A universe transfigured by the characters’ emotions, because they are the only thing that matters during 90 minutes. These emotions are perfectly transpired by the characters; thanks to the brilliant interpretation from George O'Brian and Janet Gaynor (she received the Academy Award for this film together with Seventh Heaven, another very recommendable picture). The movie is a magic enchantment from the start to that end with the sunrise illuminating our newly refreshed lives.

It won the very first Best Feature Film Academy Award in 1929.

Films like these make this whole crazy project worth it.