The Little Knight (aka "The Adventures of Prince Coraguous: The Litte Knight") (1923)
Starring: Bessie Love, Arthur Trimble, Monte Collins, and Charles Belcher
Directors: Fred Becker and Charles R. Seeling
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars
A wandering knight (Belcher) is cursed by an evil witch to appear to all who see him as a little boy (Trimble). He soon meets and falls in love with Princess Bernice (Love) who is being forced into an arranged marriage with the cowardly, villainous Duke Craven (Collins). Will our hero overcome his curse, rescue the damsel in distress, and win her heart?
"The Little Knight" is a fun fantasy short film that was intended to be the first in a 12-part series meant primarily as a vehicle for child actor Arthur Trimble (and produced by a film company bearing his name). Ultimately, only three were finished and released.
Sharing top billing with Trimble was Bessie Love who in 1923 was near the top of her all-too-brief stint as a Hollywood superstar. While everyone else in the picture can be described giving adequate performances, Love is as attention-commanding as ever when she's on screen. Only Monte Collins comes close to rivaling her in being remarkable as he hams it up as the film's main bad guy. But, Love's cuteness, if not her acting skills, are eclipsed by Little Arthur Trimble; it's easy to see why he was tapped for child-stardom.
A few plot threads are left dangling when "The End" flashes on the screen, but what we have is still basically a complete story. If you like classic fantasy and can get past the opening swordfight with the world's smallest giant, I think you'll find the 16-minutes you'll devote to watching "The Little Knight" time well spent.
And if you've made it this far, why don't you click below to check out "The Little Knight" and see if you agree with our take on the film. And please let us know with a comment, either here or on the video itself.
Grave Danger (1973) Starring: Dan Formento, Leslie Donahue, Janice Shaw, and Mary Perry
Director: Craig Highberger
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars
A vampire (Formento) on the hunt for young women to drain of blood encounters a mortal (Donahue) who reminds him of a love he thought lost long ago. But is the world ready for a human/vampire love romance?
Fifty years ago, Craig Highberger rounded up a bunch of high school friends and their siblings and made "Grave Danger". For a film made entirely by teenagers, it is surprisingly good. In fact, it puts any number of low-budget horror films that came both before and after it, and which were usually made by vastly more experienced people than Highberger and his pals. Heck, the sequence where the vampire and the leading lady meet for the first time rivals stuff you might see from top-of-the-line directors.
Half-assed research into what the various people involved with this film indicated that only Highberger went onto having any sort of career in media--and his appears to be a minor one at that. (This is too bad, because there was a lot of raw talent on display in this film.)
--
And now, a joke inspired by an event in "Grave Danger"...
Touch the Tits of Dracula!
(The chilling sequel to Taste the Blood of Dracula!)
Full Circle (2016) Starring: Michelle Shampton, Abby Main, David Schwering, Morgan Nash, and Cameron Gall
Director: Abby Main
Rating: Six of Ten Stars
Three bullies (Gall, Nash, and Schwering) are set upon by a mysterious, blood-thirsty avenger (Main) after they pick on the wrong girl (Shampton).
"Full Circle" is another of those obscure student films that I've uncovered in the dark and dusty abandoned corners of YouTube. The story is structured like the original "there's a killer on campus"-type films where teens and twenty-somethings are brutally murdered... but you, as the viewer, can't help but feel like cheering the killer on because the victims are so reprehensible. There are a couple twists, however, that lifts this film above so many others of this type.
There are some negatives here, though, and they mostly focus on lead actress Michelle Shampton. For about half of the film's running time, you'll think that she might be suffering from some mental disability because she seems abnormally cheerful. Eventually, we learn the real reason for her behavior and the issue is that Shampton was just going a bit over-the-top with her performance. In the scene where this becomes obvious, we actually get a look at proof that she actually is a pretty good actress. It's a shame that this appears to be the only film she was in. (This is true of all the cast members, actually.)
Another (nitpicky and personal) complaint is the artificial film "aging" artifacts that have been added to "Full Circle". Based on the overall look of the footage, I am guessing that it was originally shot with a digital camera and the desaturated to achieve the black-and-white look. It's done better here than in many other student efforts I've watched over the years, but adding streaks and other fake "old movie" flaws to the film is taking this a step too far. In my opinion, such effects should only be added to a film that its creators are trying to make look like it's from the "olden days" (which is not the case here), or the damage is so extreme that a claim can be made that it was "restored from footage recovered under desperate circumstances after it was nearly destroyed". The light "damage/wear-and-tear" touches to a film that's clearly set in the 1990s or 2000s are more distracting than anything else. Or at least it is to me.
Despite those two paragraphs of negativity, I feel this is a film that's well worth you time, if you like works of the "disgusting people get their due" variety. The fact that it has a couple plot twists that put it a little outside the norm makes it even better. So, take a few minutes out of your busy day and check out "Full Circle". (You might even be able to get away with watching it at work, since it's a silent movie and you just turn down the volume on the music!)
Garden of Souls (2022) Starring: Betty Roehm Widdoss, Karen Lynn Gorney, Eric Bower, and Jackie Capizzi Director: Christopher Milewski Rating: Six of Ten Stars
A grieving young widow (Widdoss) is approached by a strange old woman (Gorney) with a promise to reunite her with her dead love.
"Garden of Souls" is one of many attempts at emulating the style and content of silent movies from the 1910s and 1920s that you can find while prowling through the depths of YouTube. Although the pacing is a bit slow at times and the story logic is a bit murky, the creators here captured the style of early films with great effectiveness.
One thing that would have improved this film would have been a more effective use of the color tinting. I am not a fan of this, but when I've seen it used in actual vintage films, I could easily and quickly grasp what they were trying to convey, either scenery-wise or character-wise. Here, there didn't seem to be an immediate comprehensible reason for some of the color choices -- or maybe I was just particularly dense on the day I watched the film. Take a moment and watch the film (embedded below for your convenience) and tell me what YOU think the viewer should infer from the various tints.
Another thing that would have made this a much stronger film would have been a stronger attention to detail as far as the costumes go. In one scene, Widdoss character while dressed in an immaculate white gown picks up a shovel and starts digging in a grave. When she's done, her gown is still spotless. This REALLY pulled me out of the film, and I think that even filmmakers in the 1910s would have dirtied her up a bit.
Edgar Allen Poe (aka "Edgar Allan Poe") (1909) Starring: Herbert Yost, Linda Arvidson, Arthur V. Johnson, David Miles, and Anita Hendrie Director: D.W. Griffith Rating: Seven of Ten Stars
Writer Edgar Allan Poe (Yost) is struggling to make enough money to purchase the food and medicine needed by his ailing wife (Arvidson). Can he find a publisher for his latest peom before it is too late?
"Edgar Allen Poe" is a fictionalized version of the circumstances surrounding the creation and publication of Edgar Allan Poe's most famous work, "The Raven". It condenses several key events in Poe's life to make them occur simultaneously, but what it lacks in historical accuracy it makes up for with heightened drama and tragedy.
One mildly amusing fact about the film is that Poe's name is misspelled in the title--no, for once I did not make a typo in the heading, the film is actually titled "Edgar Allen Poe". This error is typically explained by the fact that the film was rushed to market in order to capitalize on the centennial anniversary of Poe's birth (he was born in Feburary 8, 1809, and the film began playing in theatres on Feburary 8, 1909), having been filmed over two days in January of 1909. By the time the error was noticed, copies of the film had already been made and were shipping out to movie theaters.
This film is far superior to what it's rushed production schedule might seem to infer. It is another innovative entry in Griffith's unfolding invention of much of what remains technical standards in filmmaking today--in this specific case, it was how Griffith lit the scenes.
Whether you have an interested in Edgar Allan Poe, silent movies, or just well-made dramas, I think you might find the few minutes it takes to watch this film. Click below and sit back.
The Vampire (2021) Starring: Lucy Rose and Jennifer Forristal Director: Brian Elliot Rating: Seven of Ten Stars
A woman (Rose) is bitten by a vampire (Forristal), and she transforms from prey to hunter.
"The Vampire" is a short film that was made with the intention of capturing the feel of classic horror films such as "Seven Footprints to Satan" (1929), "Dracula" (1931) and "White Zombie" (1932). With the exception of the acting being a little too subdued at times, writer/director Brian Elliot and his cast did an excellent job at this.
Elliott applied some commonly used digital tricks to "age" the film, but he did not do so to excess (thankfully), so it's not intrusive. More importantly, though, is that he actually manages to capture the essense of those classic horror films he was emulating... and THAT is what makes efforts like this succeed! If this had just been another one of those flat gray films made black-and-white through no other effort but digital color desaturation and the application of the aforementioned "aging" effects, such as artificial scratches. Even better, Elliott includes a couple of sly references to the movies from which he drew his inspiration, such as the vampire doing the same odd hand-twisting gesture that Bela Lugosi did as Murder Legendre in "White Zombie". (This is one of my favorite moments in the film.)
If like the old horror films we focus on around here, you're going to to enjoy "The Vampire" and it's straight-to-the-point, three-chapter tale of a woman who goes from victim to vampire. We're equally certain that you'll find the Halloween Spirit stirring within you as you watch it! Go ahead and click below... then leave your opinions in the comments section to tell us how right or wrong we were!
Lot in Sodom (1933) Starring: Friedrich Haak, Hildegarde Watson, Dorthea Haus, and Lewis Whitbeck Directors: Melville Webber and James Sibley Watson Rating: Five of Ten Stars
The sex-hungry homosexuals of Sodom cross the line when they hit on a buff angel who's visiting the home of the god-fearing Lot and his family. Will Lot and his wife and daughter escape the city alive or will they, too, be destroyed by the Wrath of God?
"Lot in Sodom" is based a tale that's found in the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Koran--in which two cities full of perverted sinners are wiped from the face of the Earth. I suspect everything able to read these words is familiar with, but I will still try to avoid spoilers as I write these comments.
The directors of this film were self-funding filmmakers who made a small handful of experimental films between 1928 and 1933. I've previously reviewed "The Fall of the House of Usher" by them, and this film has many of the same strengths and weaknesses as that one. It's also a silent movie like the previous one, despite being made after sound had become the standard in all films. The filmmakers here make clever use of the silent format on more than one occasion like having words heard by characters float across the screen instead of presenting them on intertitles with explanations.
On the plus side, the extreme Art Deco vibe (the sets and lighting of the scenes that consists of sharp angles and razor-straight lines) mashed together with an Art Nouveau sensibility (the rounded shapes of the writing bodies of scantily clad, cavorting homosexuals, the way Lot's wife and daughter are lit and the angles from which they are film) creates a visually engaging experience that feels unique and almost alien. Meanwhile, Lot seems to swing back and forth between looking angular and more rounded, depending on lighting or camera angles. Lot actually seems out of place when compared to the other characters in the film--he looks like he just stepped out of an Assyrian bas-relief where everyone else looks like they came from an Alphonse Mucha or W.H. Robinson drawing; the majority of the human figures in the film are beautiful and graceful, while Lot is homely and dumpy.
On the downside, this film will make very little sense to anyone who isn't familiar with the tale of Lot and the two cities the citizens of which God decides are beyond redemption. Even with the direct Bible quotes on the screen, viewers will need to be familiar with the story to know what's unfolding on screen. The same problem existed with their screen adaptation of "The Fall of the House of Usher", but even more so here. The filmmakers seem to be relying on viewers being familiar with the source material, so they can follow the basic story and so appreciate the spin they put on it so much more.
"Lot in Sodom" was not only the most successful film to result from the Webber & Watson collaboration--it ran for several weeks in New York City theaters the year it was released, and it played steadily in theaters around the U.S. and overseas well into the 1940s--but it's also one that holds up nicely. In fact, its presentation and outlook on homosexuality might even play better with many modern viewers than in the 1930s and 1940s.
If you're in the mood for something very artsy-fartsy and a little creepy, I think you'll find that watching "Lot in Sodom" is time well spent... and I've made it easy for you by embedding it below.
Nursery Scandal (1932) Starring: Anonymous Singers and Voice Actors Directors: John Foster and Harry Bailey
Rating: Five of Ten Stars
Magic gnomes cause characters from fairy tales and nursery rhymes to emerge from a discarded book, and they all proceed to have a Rave Party 1930s style. Meanwhile, Mother Goose gets romantic with a scarecrow.
"Nursery Scandal" is a innocuous bit of nonsense for all ages. Adults and children alike will find the most entertainment here from identifying all the fairy tales and nursery rhymes that emerge for the big party. The only thing scandalous here might be Mother Goose making time with a scarecrow... but as scandals go, it's a pretty minor one.
There is no plot to get in the way of the story here: Gnomes find the book of rhymes and fairy tales; gnomes cause various characters to come to life; gnomes host a dance party. If Modest Mussorgsky had based "Night on Bald Mountain" on a book of fairy tales instead of folklore about witches and demons, events similar to what we have in "Nursery Scandal" would have formed its storyline.
If you have a few minutes to spare and are in the mood for something strange, then you should click below. I suspect you won't come across anything weirder today.
Meet/Kiss/Kill (2012) Starring: Anonymous Director: "Temporal Jessica" Rating: Eight of Ten Stars
The title sums up what happens in this two-minute film.
"Meet/Kiss/Kill" is a fascinating little art film that plays with light and shadow and archetypical film noir costuming and camera angels. I like everything about it visually and pacing-wise, but could have done without the old-timey film projector sound that made up the entire soundtrack. I'm sure what I would have in its place--there are a couple of Mike Oldfield tracks I think would work nicely, but then I feel he has music that would work for almost anything--but complete silence might not have worked either. And sound effects would be right out, I think.
But how about you take a couple minutes to check it out? If you like creative filmmaking and the film noir genre, I think you'll find the time well spent.
Here's another neat student film that has been recovered from the distant, abandoned corners of YouTube! Made by Indonesian college students, but with English dialog. It has a 1970s slasher or proto-slasher film, and I might have given it an Eight-star rating if there'd been some well-executed gore or stabbings instead of a symbolic graphic. Still, the general atmosphere of the film--powered by great lighting and camera work, and the chilling, detached demeanor of the lead actress--coupled with the story twists make this a fine way to spend a few minutes if you like horror flicks. (The color tints also add to the mood and mystery of the picture.)
The Violin Player (aka "The Violent Player") (2006) Starring: Silena Cheung, Andra Fembriarto, Maggie Leung, and Tim Powers Director: Andra Fembriarto
White Lies Noir (2017) Starring: Ross Marquand and Alana O’Brien
Director: Jared Lapidus
Rating: Nine of Ten Stars
A dame (O'Brien) walks into the office of a private eye (Marquand) and a string of lies eventually leads to the truth...
"White Lies Noir" is one of those short film you need to come to completely unawares for it to have its greatest impact. Anything I can say about it--beyond the teaser summary above, and the fact that I loved almost everything about this film--will spoil the experience of watching it.
The filmmakers did a much better job of capturing the feel of a genuine film noir picture than many out there and the pace at which the film unfolds is almost perfect. I even loved the blooper reel at the end, with actress Alana O'Brien staying in character even as the scene went completely sideways.
If you like film noirs and enjoy the occasional film that doesn't end up where you thought it was going to, you'll get a kick out of "White Lies Noir". Check it out by clicking below.
... for a few more days, and we're closing out the month with a film that features June Palmer and will make it clear why she was so beloved by the readers of men's magazines. (This is the first film of the 'nudie cutie' soft-core porn short-film genre to be featured here at Shades of Gray. I don't know if that marks a is a high point or a low point in the blog's history.)
Nightmare at Elm Manor (aka "Flesh and Fantasy" and "Nude in Dracula's Castle") (1961)
Starring: June Palmer and Stuart Samuels
Director: George Harrison Marks
Rating: Six of Ten Stars
A young woman (Palmer) is terrorized by a strange man (Samuels) while spending the night at an isolated house.
"Nightmare at Elm Manor" is a brief, silent horror film that was the screen debut of nude model June Palmer. In it, all of her assets are on prominent display. Her beautiful face and statuesque figure, along with her perfect breasts, make it obvious why she was so beloved by the editors and readers of men's magazines during the late 1950s and early 1960s. She also seems to have decent acting abilities--or at least a talent for showing the sort of fear that is required for distressed damsels in gothic chillers and Old Dark House-type films.
Based on what I am seeing here, I think it's a shame that she never broke into the mainstream, except for a few bit parts. Aside from a pretty face and a gorgeous body, June Palmer had something a little something extra--that something that causes her to light up the screen, even when fully dressed. If not for that extra bit of charisma on the part of Palmer, the lackluster nature of the villain stalking her would have annoyed me to the point where I might have marked a Star or two off the rating I ultimately settled on. Palmer (and, yes, her boobs) carry this film, almost entirely by themselves.
Palmer's screen presence is probably also why my imagination immediately began filling in holes in what passes for the film's storyline and/or explaining stupid actions on the part of her character. Why she was walking to the manor at the beginning of the film, why she is sitting around naked and putting on make-up before going to bed, why she goes looking for a drink of water in the middle of the night... all these things, I have thought up explanations for. I even have an idea for what the true nature of the creepy butler/vampire is. And I don't even feel like I should knock the film for the blanks and incongruities, because it entertained me in other ways. Or maybe I was just mesmerized by Palmer's big, beautiful breasts.
But maybe you can tell me if it was the nudity or something else about the film that sparked my imagination. If you're in the mood for an Old Dark House-style quickie, and not offended by lots of nudity, check out "Nightmare at Elm Manor" by clicking below. This is very much a "not safe for work" film, so don't make a mistake and open it there! Also, you will have to open the film on YouTube (as well as be logged into an account there, because it's for mature audiences only.
(But, hey, since you're going to be on YouTube anyway, that's a perfect time to check out my channel. If you like what you see, please subscribe and perhaps even come back every now and then. Sometimes, we watch cartoons or short films during live streams that ultimately end up being reviewed here!)
We are proud to have gained a new sponsor here at Shades of Gray! We think this is a perfect partnership, and we hope you agree (especially considering our side business venture)!
Coffee (2002) Starring: Eric Bosse and Paul Vaughn Director: Robert Vaughn Rating: Six of Ten Stars
Two men (Bosse and Vaughn) have some coffee and conversation over breakfast.
"Coffee" is a short film that is more artsy than artsy. It is so coy (and yet so heavyhanded) in its references, double-entendres and symbolism that it's easy to mistake it for a sincerely "intellectual" and "deep" effort instead of a film poking fun at those sorts of efforts.
I don't know anything about the film or those who made it. My half-assed attempts at research have all failed to give me clear verification that this is the same One-Eyed Films that produced these films as this one, because it's not listed there... but neither are any of the people involved with said company. It's not the way I would design a website intended to promote my film, but then what do I know? Also, the YouTube channel upon which I found this short has'nt been updated in about a decade, links to a blog that's marked private, and contains no information about the who or why of the page. (Since Eric Bosse was involved in several of the shorts found there, I imagine that it might have been his channel, but I can't find any information that lets me know for certain. I similarly can't pin down either actor featured in "Coffee".
So, while I think this is a fun little satire on artsy dramas/slice-of-life films, I could be wrong. You can watch it and let me know what YOU think in the comments below!
Ker-Choo (1933) Starring: Bonnie Poe and Gus Wicke
Director: Dave Fleischer
Rating: Eight of Ten Stars
It's the Grand Prix, cartoon-style, with all the craziness you'd expect!
"Ker-Choo" is one of those cartoons where almost anything I might say about it will ruin the fun of watching it for the first time. While it remains funny if you watch it more than once, the biggest enjoyment will come from watching the race (as well as the cartoon animals watching it in the stands) for the first time; the wacky bizarreness of it all will bring joy to even the grumpiest soul!
This is one of the Betty Boop-headlined cartoons where the entire gang is here -- with Bimbo and KoKo the Clown being among the drivers competing against Betty -- and each gets their moment to shine. In fact, I think Bimbo and KoKo between them deliver two of the funniest gags in the film, with KoKo even turning what might have just been a simple transition scene into a moment of hilarity.
While there are many reasons I think you'll enjoy this cartoon if you're into Pre-Code Era animation, the most important one is the unique place it has cinematic history: It was the first tale (and perhaps the only tale so far) of a race being won through germ warfare! Further, this cartoon may also be the true origin of "twerking"!
One word of warning: The race music may get stuck in your head for a day or so after watching this!
Barnacle Bill (1930) Starring: Billy Murray and Margie Hines Director: Dave Fleischer Rating: Seven of Ten Stars
Barnacle Bill (voiced by Murray) has a girl in every port--and nothing's going to keep him from getting it on Nancy (voiced by Hines!
"Barnacle Bill" is an early appearance of the characters that would eventually evolve into Bimbo and Betty Boop--the second for Betty, actually. You can see hints in what both characters would eventually become, but Nancy Lee/Betty is equal parts grotesque and cute in this iteration. (She still is an anthropomorphic dog, like Bimbo, but it's downplayed more here than it is in her third appearance in "The Mysterious Mose".)
Historical trivia aside, "Barnacle Bill" is worth checking out for its non-stop stream of sight gags and nifty twists on cliches that were old even at the dawn of the 1930s. It also shines as a mini-operetta, with Barnacle Bill and Nancy hilariously singing their way through their romantic interactions. Other highlights include Bill escaping his ship for shore leave against his captain's orders, the surprising love game Bill and Nancy end up playing, the gossiping neighbors, and a very cute surprise finale.
This classic cartoon is only some 8 minutes long. Check it out for the fun, or check it out to see the origin of one of the most famous cartoon characters to ever be created... but check it out!
... the Department of Defense produced a series of animated shorts starring Private Snafu, a character who did everything wrong so the enlisted men would not as World War II raged. These were created by top-notch talent who were established writers and artists and filmmakers and animators who had been drafted and then assigned to positions where their talents could do the most good for training and/or propaganda purposes.
The main talents behind the "Private SNAFU" series were director Chuck Jones (with animators he'd worked with at Warner Bros.), voice artist Mel Blanc (another Warner Bros. animation regular), and writer Theodor Geisel, (an old hand at political cartoons and propaganda who is better known under his pen name Dr. Seuss), and it's another series of 1940s-era training films that makes me wish the things I've had to sit through over the years were half as entertaining.
This is the first of several "Private SNAFU" we'll be bringing you over the next many months. We're not leading with the best of them--today's featured cartoon is amusing, but there are far wilder entries in the series--but this one seemed perfect for our Mermay celebration (which the still above probably already clued you into).
Take a Chance (1918) Harold Lloyd, Bebe Daniels, Harry 'Snub' Pollard, William Blaisdell, Belle Mitchell, and Helen Gilmore Director: Alfred J. Goulding Rating: Six of Ten Stars
A dapper young man (Lloyd) sets out to woo a pretty cleaning lady (Daniels). Trouble, chaos, and police chases ensue.
This is a film that's full of funny bits that are so loosely connected that this film just ends. Literally. Nothing in what little plot we have gets resolved, and if it was a serial I'd be eager to see the next installment, because it ends on quite the cliffhanger. In fact, when the film ended, I thought maybe it was a fragment and that the last few minutes (or maybe an entire second reel) had not survived to the present day... but every description of the film (at IMDB, Wikipedia, and elsewhere) give its run-time as the roughly ten minutes that the version embedded below.
It wasn't a surprising conclusion to reach that I watched a complete version of "Take a Chance", because the version I saw is among one of best preserved and/or restoration jobs of any film from the 1910s I've come across. Nonetheless, it was a disappointing one, because it showed that very little thought was put into what passes for the story here.
Although there are better Harold Lloyd/Bebe Daniels vehicles, this one is still worth watching for a number of reasons. First, Daniels is a joy to watch as always; no one mugged at the camera better than her, nor seemed to be having so much fun or being so annoyed as her. Second, although nearly every one of the loosely connected slapstick and/or comedic chase sequences go on for a little too long, each and every one of them is initially very funny. As a collection of bits, this is an excellent film, but the fact the story presented has a beginning and a middle but no proper end to speak of.
"Take a Chance" is embedded below for your convenience. Take a chance and check it out. See if you agree or disagree with my take... and leave a comment below!
The Portrait of the Lady Anne (1912) Starring: Florence La Badie, Henry Benham, and William Russell Director: Lloyd Lonergan Rating: Five of Ten Stars
A restless spirit (La Badie) manifests from a portrait to stop her descendent (also La Badie) from making the same life-altering mistake that she did.
First off, let me say up front that if you're a fan of gothic romances, you're going to get a kick out of this film. Its strengths with definately amplify your enjoyment while what I view as the film's major drawback may not bother you at all.
From a technical aspect, "The Portrait of the Lady Anne" is impressive for the time in which it was made. The in-camera special effects that make Lady Anne manifest herself are very effective. There are also more involved scene set-ups and coordination of activities during those scenes that is typical for films of this vintage, with some scenes having noteworthy activity taking place in the foreground, middleground and background. The way locations are filmed from several angles is also something that wasn't common at the time. And then there's the cross-cutting to show things at different places happening at the same time.
Wardrobe-wise, the period costumes are fabulous to look at; fans of period dramas will greatly enjoy the elaborate dresses, as well as the ornate outfits worn by the men during the section that takes place during the 18th century. I wonder if one of the marching orders for the filmmakers from the production company was, "Use as many of these costumes as you can... we've paid for them, and we want to get as much milage out of as many of them, in as many productions, as possible!"
When it comes to the story, I remained enamored with the concept of the spirit getting involved in the romantic life of her descendant, but I almost didn't get to the good parts of the movie because the wind-up is so slow. Almost every scene until the final 1/4 or so of the movie goes on too long, usually starting too slow and then lingering for just a bit too long after everything that's worthwhile has happened in it. It isn't until we're treated to Florence La Badie playing the dual role of Lady Anne and her modern-day descendant that the filmmakers get the pacing right. Since this section is already the best part of the film--and where La Badie's talent as an actress and her great screen presence shine brightly; it's easy to see why her was known to audiences even though the studio at which she spent her entire career at never put actors' credits on their films.
Despite the film's slow wind-up, I think that you won't regret sticking with it to the end. I know I didn't. (Another plus -- the film provides the nicety of a denouement. This is another thing that wasn't common to film from this period.)
_as_Edgar_Allan_Poe_in_1909_Biograph_film.jpg "Herbert Yost, Anita Hendrie, and David Miles in \"Edgar Allen Poe\" (1909)")
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