What is your favorite silent film, and why? (page 2)

Narkissos

All of Buster Keaton and Chaplin... my daughter saw them when she was very little, and she is enjoying them again now she can read the subtitles and better get the story; I could see them a thousand times. On a different register, Murnau (Sunrise), Pabst (Lulu), Fritz Lang, René Clair... there are just too many and I'm afraid I couldn't name one favorite.

avishai

Leolaia, maybe we could do some copies for one another? They are after all public domain and no longer under copyright. I have a bunch i recently aquired, I'll send ya a list?

avishai

Here's some scenes from metropolis. This movie influenced movie's from star wars to blade runner to the matrix

Preston

I saw two versions of Metroplolis, the one with a standard score, and another one with music by Queen and a few other bands. Karl Freund, the photographer for Metropolis later became the photographer for almost every single episode of....I Love Lucy!

GentlyFeral

Will you settle for *nearly* silent? Check out the work of Jacques Tati. Very little dialogue, none of it essential to the plot, and sound effects firmly and deftly manipulated to add piquancy to the story. Long, leisurely setup of sight gags which take about 15 minutes to pay off; meanwhile another six or seven are in the pipeline. Playtime is my favorite, I think, followed by his most famous film, Mon Oncle. I have a copy of Traffic reserved at a local library and am eagerly awaiting its arrival. GentlyFeral

czarofmischief

Eraserhead isn't a silent film - but it's pretty cool nonetheless.

CZAR

Narkissos

GentlyFeral,

I'm so glad Tati is known and enjoyed outside France! You'll love Traffic. Playtime is a masterpiece, and perhaps the closest to a silent movie. In France the most popular are Jour de fête (very silent-like too) and Les vacances de Monsieur Hulot, I guess you know them. I am particularly fond of Mon Oncle, as the family he describes is so similar to the one I grew in (even the dog was the same, but unfortunately the uncle was lacking).

fleaman uk

Im going with the French theme too.My favourite ever Film of the Silent era was called "J,accuse" an extremely moving anti-war Film made in 1919 and very caustic towards French authority.

The scene where the Dead come to life is shockingly sad.

Great question btw.

City Fan

Some of the early Laurel And Hardy silents are great - 'Two Tars' and 'Big Business' to name my faves.

I saw Abel Gance's 'Napoleon' and Sergei Eisenstein's 'Battleship Potemkin' years ago in a film season on Channel 4 in the UK. I quite enjoyed them. I don't mind reading subtitles when watching a fim. That's probably why I enjoy Japanese horror films much more than Hollywood remakes!

Jaques Tati is hilarious. There may not be any speach but he uses sound to great effect.

Eraserhead was just weird!

CF.

William Penwell

Lon Chaney in the Phantom of the Opera.

alt

What is your favorite silent film, and why?

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