tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post6935946344273573874..comments2024-01-11T05:02:32.321-05:00Comments on Goodfella's Movie Blog: 1930: Der blaue Engel (Josef von Sternberg)Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07134196370913749544noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-27799783560263810192012-02-25T01:53:20.285-05:002012-02-25T01:53:20.285-05:00Nice blog my friend.. This is so useful, Very appr...Nice blog my friend.. This is so useful, Very appreciative.AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGEhttp://www.austin-hotels-tx.com/hotels-travel/austin-community-college.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-48413331458850994732011-09-27T17:12:52.937-04:002011-09-27T17:12:52.937-04:00This movie is great for everything, because it had...This movie is great for everything, because it had a perfect Director the best cast, and also the movie itself got me inspired to watch it three more times.Buy cialishttp://www.learnsexualhealth.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-46818386570263498602009-10-09T13:35:34.210-04:002009-10-09T13:35:34.210-04:00My 1930 pick would probably be All Quiet on the We...My 1930 pick would probably be All Quiet on the Western Front, but I need to see Blood of a Poet again - I saw it once, recently, and was intrigued; repeat viewings may confirm it as my new favorite of the year. We'll see.<br /><br />The only von Sternbergs I've seen are this, Morocco, and The Scarlet Empress - of these, the third is my favorite and the one I would be most comfortable calling "great". As Sam said, great mixture of personal reaction, plot description (which can get boring but which you handled well in this case), and historical context. Looking forward to the rest.MovieMan0283http://thedancingimage.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-68446213253814706972009-06-06T06:57:37.899-04:002009-06-06T06:57:37.899-04:00Thanks for the response, Samuel... I have to admit...Thanks for the response, Samuel... I have to admit to not having seen The Bat Whispers. It sounds intriguing though, so I will keep a lookout to try and catch it.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07134196370913749544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-82782669861499174292009-06-06T02:15:08.979-04:002009-06-06T02:15:08.979-04:00I'm just discovering your blog and I find your...I'm just discovering your blog and I find your venture very provocative. You have a good choice here for 1930, and All Quiet is an obvious contender, but I want to say a word for Roland West's The Bat Whispers, just for its rare early widescreen format, its amazing camera movement and art direction. Whatever its limitations as an old-dark-house melodrama, it's a stunning visual achievement for the time.Samuel Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00934870299522899944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-67116062306290677792009-05-29T23:48:25.534-04:002009-05-29T23:48:25.534-04:00That's pretty funny about arguing over the languag...That's pretty funny about arguing over the language of the film, Judy! Thanks for the comments. I wasn't sure if others would rate this one as highly as I did.<br /><br />1931 up tomorrow... and I feel confident that there are two films that are most likely to be chose by everybody. My choice comes from one of these two obvious choices.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07134196370913749544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-59902568623063446962009-05-29T17:33:50.156-04:002009-05-29T17:33:50.156-04:00Dave, I love 'Der blaue Engel' - great choice, whi...Dave, I love 'Der blaue Engel' - great choice, which I'd support, though I'm also a big fan of 'All Quiet on the Western Front'. <br /><br />I've seen both the English and German versions of 'The Blue Angel' - many years ago as a student I went along to a special showing on the big screen (this was the first black and white film I ever saw on the big screen) and was most amazed to discover the film was in English. For years after that I thought it had only been made in English, until I had an argument with my mother who insisted she had seen it in German - we looked it up on the internet and discovered we were both right! <br /><br />I've since seen it in German and think you are right that the dialogue is more expressive in this version (I can speak German, after a fashion, so it's even better for me:), as the actors are hampered by their heavy accents in the English version. However, it's well worth seeing both, as Dietrich sings her songs in both languages too, so you hear her sing 'Falling In Love Again' in English in the English version! A lot of Jannings' performance is actually silent, so just as powerful in both. I'd really like to get the box set which has both versions, although I do agree this is such an emotionally wearing film that you wouldn't want to watch it too often. JudyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-75060761723341322142009-05-29T12:49:39.706-04:002009-05-29T12:49:39.706-04:00Great choices, John. "L'age d'or" is one that I'm...Great choices, John. "L'age d'or" is one that I'm still uncertain whether I really like it or not. Animal Crackers I don't like nearly as much as what the Marx Brothers would do later.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07134196370913749544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-69835223461594647452009-05-29T08:03:39.681-04:002009-05-29T08:03:39.681-04:00A great choice Dave though personally I would plac...A great choice Dave though personally I would place it in my #2 position. And I thoroughly agree about Jannings. He was excellent as was the young Marlene. Here are my choices...<br /><br />1- All's Quiet on the Western Front<br />2- The Blue Angel<br />3- L 'age d'or<br /><br />I am also going to mention "The Divorcee" as a runner up for the modernity of Norma Shearer's character who was way ahead of her time. Others worth mentioning are "The Big House" and "Animal Crackers" (Hooray for Captain Spalding!)Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01808503055317962289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-25881442308053538452009-05-28T20:36:49.616-04:002009-05-28T20:36:49.616-04:00Dave - That is a most fair clarification. And I c...Dave - That is a most fair clarification. And I completely agree there with what you say about Jennings.Sam Julianonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-12993911151009161252009-05-28T20:28:05.419-04:002009-05-28T20:28:05.419-04:00Sam -
I should have clarified somewhat on labelin...Sam -<br /><br />I should have clarified somewhat on labeling All Quiet on the Western Front as "preachy." I should have said "overly preachy," because I agree with you that it was essential to the film, but sometimes it felt like a character would just begin in on a preaching monologue from nowhere. I agree with you completely on some of the scenes being incredible. I love those extreme long shots, showing the troop movements or the shots of the boys training. Great photography that still looks great.<br /><br />I've never seen Jannings in anything else, but like I said in the review, I think that the fact that he was such an accomplished silent actor really benefited him in The Blue Angel. He could do a lot in this role without saying a word -- or at least only with that hair-raising scream at the end!Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07134196370913749544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-39989054178124536912009-05-28T18:13:40.456-04:002009-05-28T18:13:40.456-04:00Dave, this is an exciting venture!
Here are my ow...Dave, this is an exciting venture!<br /><br />Here are my own choices for the year:<br /><br />Best Film of 1930: "Earth" (Dovzhenko; Russia)<br />Runners Up for 1930: "L'Age d'Or" (Bunuel,Spain)<br />"All Quiet on the Western Front" (Milestone, USA)<br /><br /> So we agree that the Milestone, one of the most shattering of anti-war films (Renoir's 1939 "Grande Illusion" edges it) is close to th etop for this year. I understand what you say there about 'preachy' but this was central to its essence, methinks. It contains some of the most wrenching scenes in cinema history.<br /><br /> What a fantastic review on DER BLAU ENGEL, a film that I have always liked, even if it's badly dated and static. Still, the deterioration of Jannings's character is eternally fascinating (he went through a similar metamorphosis in the Murnau masterpiece THE LAST LAUGH) I agree that some scenes didn't work in a dramatic sence, and although I'm a great admirer of Von Sternberg, this isn't one of his better films, but it's nonetheless intoxicating, especially that famous song, which can never be forgotten. But the sexpot Dietrich and the incomparable Jannings (I was lucky to see THE LAST COMMAND back in October at the NY Film Festival screening at the Walter Theatre, and was again ravished by his skills, if not quite as much with the film) are electrifying, and I can't fault you for choosing this. <br /><br />Great discussion of the plot, characters and film's historical relevence (especially that speculation in the final paragraph of Von Sternberg's (unintentional?) chronicling here of the decline of Germany between the wars.Sam Julianonoreply@blogger.com