Directed by: Carl Theodor Dreyer
Released: 1928
Country: France
Genre: Historical drama
Rating: 5 out of 5
Review
At the very beginning of the film, one of the judges ask Joan how old she is. Her face reflecting a childlike innocent, she counts and replies that she is nineteen. That was the scene that instantly made me attached to the film, and throughout the film I kept observing each and every movement, each and every facial expression of Renee Jeanne Falconetti. This has to be one of the most profoundly breathtaking performances I have personally ever come across. Her facial expressions and reactions express her sorrows, her fears, her shock, her discovery when she comes across the form of cruelty she had never known existed. This is definitely a heart wrenching film to sit through, and add Falconetti's strong performance (read: one of the strongest performances ever), ''The Passion of Joan of Arc'' is a unforgettable gem.
The story is simple: the trial of Joan of Arc and her subsequent execution. But each and every minute of the film is utilized well as we come to learn of the horrors that were inflicted on the brave Joan of Arc. A brave young woman who had wanted to save her country, she was burnt at stake, accused of heresy. Over the passage of time the film gets more and and more intense, and we keep looking at Falconetti's face, her pained face reflecting her woes.
''The Passion of Joan of Arc'' symbolizes how humanity has been over the course of history deteriorated and crumbled, how cruelty has been inflicted on people as innocent and brave as Joan of Arc. And I am sure without Falconetti's performance, the film would not have been as iconic and great as it is. She graces the scenes of the film with her presence, her astonishingly perfect performance, her face and expressions showing her woes and pain, her tears sometimes even managing to bring tears to our eyes.
5 out of 5
Directed by: Robert Wiene
Released: 1920
Country: Germany
Genres: Horror, Mystery
Rating: 5 out of 5
Review
I can't praise ''The Cabinet of Dr Caligari'' enough--- it was such a wonderful, haunting, memorable film, that kept me thinking about it for a long time. ''The Cabinet of Dr Caligari'' has a haunting and engrossing presentation, AMAZING set decorations, and cinematography. I loved the film.
The film starts with two people talking, one of them is our protagonist, Francis, and the other is an elderly man. A woman in a white dresses walks by, and Francis tells the old man that she is his fiance. Francis tells the elderly man about the strange and scary incidences that he and his fiance had experienced...
Francis and his friend, Alan, had gone to visit the town fair. A strange man, Dr Caligari was exhibiting something in the fair. He was exhibiting a somnambulist, named Cesare, who sleeps all day long. Only Dr Caligari can wake him, and Cesare can predict the future. The curious Alan asks Cesare a question: how long he (Alan) will live. Cesare replies that he will live till dawn the next day. Startled, Alan and Francis leave the fair, but soon forget Cesare's prediction.
That night, however, Alan is mysteriously killed...
Francis guesses that Alan's death, along with another crime that recently occurred, is connected with Dr Caligari and Cesare... He searches for the truth behind these events... what is actually happening?
''The Cabinet of Caligari'' has an extremely memorable set decoration. The presentation is wonderful and haunting. As Dr Caligari, Warner Krauss is excellent. The character is presented in a very creepy way. Conrad Veidt, as Cesare, was creepy as well.
''The Cabinet of Dr Caligari'' is full of shocks, twists, and scares. It was so atmospheric, so haunting. The images are unforgettable, it's such a film that is extremely engrossing and haunting. Another remarkable thing about the film is the blue that indicates the night scenes.
The ending is certainly one of the most surprising endings that I have ever come across. I absolutely loved it.
With an extremely engrossing, scary, suspenseful and twisted story, wonderful presentation, set decoration and cinematography, it's a very memorable film and I would highly recommend it, it's a must watch.
5 out of 5
