It's Danse Macabre Monday

Danse Macabre (1922)

Starring: Adolph Bolm, Ruth Page, and Olin Howland

Director: Dudley Murphy

Rating: Nine of Ten Stars

Young lovers (Bolm and Page) try to escape Death in what is essentially a music video made in the days when film had no sound.

"Danse Macabre" is a spectacular short film, with excellent special effects and starring professional ballet dancers that was made to be precisely timed to the Camille Saint-Saens composition of the same name. The film was meant to be marketed to high-end theaters with full orchestras, where it did indeed play to critical acclaim. It was also popular in less elaborate venues where pianists or smaller ensembles provided the score.

 
Director/producer Dudley Murphy announced plans for an entire series of these sorts of pictures--he called them Visual Symphonies--but at the time it was impractical. They would only be successful if the music they were made for was performed precisely timed to what was happening on screen, by talented, well-rehearsed musicians. Although some movie theaters would have that capacity, many (most even) would not. 

Big hair of 1982 was nothing compared to big hair of 1922

"Danse Macabre" was, as far as I can determine, the only one completed. By the time synchronized sound arrived (bringing audiences things like the Sing-Along series from the Max Fleischer Studio), Murphy had moved onto other ventures, so one can only imagine what he might have come up with if he hadn't been too far ahead of the technological curve.

This, being Halloween, seemed like a perfect time to share this film with you, synced to a roughly contemporaneous recording of "Danse Macabre". Maybe enjoying this great, mostly forgotten masterpiece of early cinematic horror will awaken the Halloween Spirit within you! (There are going to be more "Danse Macabre"-centric posts here at Shades of Gray today. So please check back again later!)

--

Ruth Page (1899 - 1991) was a top ballerina and trailblazing choreographer whose career in American dance spanned almost 40 years, and whose impact on the art is still felt to this day. You'll probably see more of her here, during a future observation of International Dance Day!

Can Betty Soothe the Savage Beast?

Betty Boop's Penthouse (1933)
Starring: Mae Questel, Jack Mercer, and Billy Murray
Directors: Dave Fleischer and Willard Bowsky

Rating: Six of Ten Stars

Betty Boop is enjoying a quiet day of gardening and frolicking and singing in her penthouse garden when she attracts the lecherous attention of the proprietors of a mad science lab, Bimbo and Koko, in a neighboring building. Unfortunately, while the pair admire Betty, an experiment goes awry and a monster gets loose!

"Betty Boop's Penthouse" isn't the strongest of the Boop cartoons, but it's noteworthy for being one of a handful of times where Fleischer stars Bimbo, Koko, and Betty all appeared in the same short film. It has its moments, but the music is so-so and there's only one gag that is truly hilarious. Nothing here falls flat or is particularly bad--this just isn't as strong an effort as the best Boops.

I think Bimbo and Koko make a good pair of mad scientists, and I like the way they get their come-uppance... but the film seems to run out of steam in its final minutes, as the unleashed product of mad science goes after Betty. The ending is bad, but it lacks punch. In that way, I suppose it's matches everything else in this short--it's not bad but it's not particularly good either--but I still wanted more.

But you can take a few minutes to see whether I'm judging this cartoon too harshly by clicking below and watching it from this very post. (And if you have even more time, you can let me and everyone else know what YOU think of it, in the comments section!)

Halloween is coming...

... and we're here to get you in the mood with another spooky short film!

Misery (2019)

Starring: Vanit Pela Sung

Director: Daniel De Silva

Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

Take a look inside a mind that's melting down...

 "Misery" is another student film that we discovered in a distant corner of YouTube that we found interesting and that we think you will, too. It's a moody, non-narrative piece with a moody dreamlike quality that is either an abstract view within a breaking mind, or it's a man walking through the ground floor of a building as his psychic powers run out of control.

Both of those interpretations are based on filmmaker's Daniel De Silva's comment about it -- "a depressed guy discovers something within him" -- and no matter which one is correct, this film is a minute of visual creepy fun.

Check out "Misery" by clicking below. We're sure you agree that there's an abundance of Halloween Spirit contained within it. And if you feel so inclined, leave a comment letting everyone know what YOU think is being represented in the film. 

An artsy take on a classic horror story

The Fall of the House of Usher (1928)
Starring: Hildegarde Watson, Herbert Stern, and Melville Webber
Directors: Melville Webber and James Sibley Watson

Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

A traveler (Webber) is drawn into the existential nightmare-made-real shared by a brother and sister (Stern and Watson).

This 13-minute short film was the first screen adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Fall of the House of Usher". Its creators were more concerned with capturing what they saw as the essence and mood of the story than they were with retelling its plot. As such, this film will make little sense if you're not familiar with the story it's adapted from.

That said, while the film's creators assumed viewers would know the story even if you're not familiar with it watching this film will be an interesting and worthwhile experience. This goes double if you have an interest in film history and cinematic techniques.

What's even better? This creeptacular classic is bound to awaken and/or strengthen the Halloween Spirit within you . The version embedded in this post is one of the visually sharpest ones we could find, and it's got a modern, highly effective score that was composed specifically for it.

Musical Monday with Rachmaninoff

In 1927, actor and filmmaker Castleton Knight created a short horror film that drew its inspiration in equal parts from Edgar Allan Poe's "The Premature Burial" and Sergei Rachmaninoff's "Prelude in C-Sharp Minor", which the composer stated was inspired by a nightmare about a premature burial.

       

 

Knight's film, "Prelude", was created to run as Rachmaninoff's "Prelude" was being played, either on a recording or live. As such, Knight ended up creating the first music video in history!

And now, to help you build up the proper Halloween spirit, we present this historic milestone, as it was meant to be seen by its creator! Click below, turn up the volume, and sit back and watch this well-crafted film unfold!

Prelude (1927)

Starring: Castleton Knight

Director: Castleton Knight

Rating: Nine of Ten Stars

'Tale of the Deaf' is full of classic horror vibes

We struck a gothic tone with Anne Hathaway yesterday... and we continue it with today's spooky short film!

Tale of the Deaf (2021)
Starring: Husky and Anton Adasinsky

Director: Philip Yuryev

Rating: Nine of Ten Stars

A mysterious illusionist and organ grinder (Adasinsky) enters a shabby tavern where he takes to the stage to entertain a crowd who just abused the previous performer (Husky).

"Tale of the Deaf" is a fabulous Russian short film that was originally produced as part of an effort to spotlight popular musicians (in this case, a rapper named Husky) in mini-fright films for the Russian counterpart to YouTube. I can't speak to any other entries in the series, but this one soars far and above its gimmicky origins and rises to the level of horror movie greats. If you enjoy those classic, gothic-horror flavored films from the 1920s and early 1930s (and even some of the Hammer Film flicks from the late 1950s), you're going to get a big kick out of this one.

Almost everything about this film is perfect. From the expert use of light and shadow to make maximum use of the black-and-white format (and resulting in visuals that bring to mind the best work of filmmakers like James Whale, Tod Browning, and Benjamin Christensen), the elaborate tavern set, and a collection of background characters that are deftly given depth with some very brief, but well thought-out, touches.

The only reason that this is not a Ten-star film is that there's a bit of the ending that doesn't seem like it fits with what happened earlier in the film. It fits in over all, it's perfect in a twisted poetic justice sense, but I found myself wondering how it was happening. 

(By the way, if you happen to be a DM who runs games using the Ravenloft setting, you REALLY need to watch "Tale of the Deaf". There's a wealth of inspiration to be had from it!)

'The Guest' presents a night of dark mystery

The Guest (2013)
Starring: Ben Tiramani and Eliza Skelton

Director: Eric Woods

Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

A man (Tiramani) checks into an isolated hotel, carrying with him a closely guarded secret. Little does he know that the night clerk (Skelton) has plans for him...

 "The Guest" is a film that starts in mystery, adds more questions and mysteries as it unfolds, and ends with no questions answered, and even adds one final question as the end credits. I watched it twice, paying very close attention each time. I'm fairly certain I did not miss anything, and I am certain that everything obscure about this film remains obscure.

More often than not, this sort of approach bothers me; I am of the mindset that there should at least be enough hints dropped during a film for viewers to recognize a certain kind of stock character, or get some hint as to what might be going on, or why characters are behaving in this or that way. We get none of that in "The Guest"... and I hardly mind at all. What this film lacks in exposition, it makes up for in style and atmosphere to the point where we WANT to know the hows, whats, and whys of what's unfolding in this mysterious hotel, but still feel satisfied when we get no answers.

This is like the cinematic version of "Hotel California"--something weird and supernatural seems like it might be going on, we never get to know exactly what, but we don't care because the mysteries are presented to us in such a cool fashion.

I came upon "The Guest" in a remote, rarely visited corner of YouTube where I find many of the short films I spotlight here at Shades of Gray, and my first impression was that it was the only thing the lead actress and director had ever done. I thought that was a terrible shame, because this is a fantastic piece of atmospheric filmmaking. Although it's positioned as an effort in capturing a film noir vibe, it put me more in mind of late silent/early sound horror films. Why don't you take a few minutes to check it out, and then let me know what you think of it!

As it turns out, "The Guest" was NOT the only thing that writer/director Eric Woods and lead actress Eliza Skelton had done. In fact, you can watch more of Woods' works on his YouTube Channel, and you can visit Eliza Skelton's channel for the same.

Further, there's a second version of "The Guest", also available on YouTube, and Eric Woods appears to have revisited it several years later. He re-edited it, added a different music soundtrack, improved the sound mixing, added a few visual flourishes, and changed the opening titles and end credits. Most significantly, he added a classic B-movie style informational-newspaper-headline shot to provide a bit of an explanation to what's going on in "The Guest". Well, he attempted to, but doesn't quite succeed. 

If you enjoyed the original cut of "The Guest", perhaps you will like the 2017 version as well. It seems to be the one that the director prefers, as it's what you'll find if you visit his YouTube Channel. Personally, I prefer the original, even if I understand why Woods made the changes he did, and I can appreciate that the "what" and the "why" are both much clearer.

Check out "The Guest" 2.0--let me know which version you prefer!

The Guest (2017)

Starring: Ben Tiramani and Eliza Skelton

Director: Eric Woods

Rating: Six of Ten Stars

Here's a film to step up the Halloween spirit!

Steps (2022)
Starring: Mori Christian and Kris Cummins
Director: Russell Miller
Rating: Eight of Ten Stars

A woman (Christian) movies into her just-purchased house, only to discover that the previous owner has left something behind...

"Steps" is a expertly paced and well-filmed haunted house tale. It mostly avoids the jump scares that so many creators of short films (and long-form horror films, too, for that matter) rely so heavily on. What we get here is good old-fashioned tension building through escalating weirdness

The only non-nitpicky complaint I can voice about this film is also a compliment: As the film ended, I wanted to know more. More about the main character, more about the house she purchased, more about the person who sold it to her, more about the previous owner/inhabitants... just more. Generally, stories like this that don't have the slightest hint as to why the supernatural events of the film are happening bother me. I generally feel like there should be some slight hint as to why this curse is upon a particular place or is happening to a particular person. There are some exceptions, though, like what we have here--a film so engaging that it sparks my imagination and causes me to make up the greater story surrounding it. That, in turn, makes me wish that I could know the REAL story beyond the edges of the story we are told.

But why don't you take a few minutes to check out "Steps"? Even if you aren't as impressed with it as I was, I think you'll agree that it's an excellent short film, as well as a great way to boost the Halloween Spirit!

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

As always, we're spending October gearing up for the spooktacular day that is Halloween, both here and over at our sister blog, Terror Titans. But before we get too deep into the celebration of the creepy and fantastic, we want to pause for a moment to call attention to the fact that October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Being trapped in an abusive relationship is an all-too-real horror that faces too many men, women, and helpless children. We hope that none of our readers and visitors find themselves in such situations, but if you do--or if you suspect you know someone who is--there are resources and information here. Don't suffer in silence.

 

Meanwhile, here's an extremely well-made short film that addresses the subject of domestic abuse with great creativity and effectiveness.

The Mime (aka "El Mimo") (2010)

Starring: Joja Heglez, Teresita Saad, and Ruben Ovideo

Director: Kive Guttman

Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

A titanic struggle for them... fun for us!

The Bench (2014)
Starring: Daniel Rock and Josh Tichauer
Director: Melody Rock
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

A man's (Rock) relaxing moment on a lake-side bench is interrupted when a stranger (Tichauer) sits down next to him.

"The Bench" is a short silent movie pastiche that is far more effective at capturing the spirit of silent comedies than the vast majority of other efforts out there. The filmmakers didn't so much try to mimic the cliches of silent movie acting as they went for pacing and the physicality of the comedy. As such, they delivered a fun two minutes that should appeal equally to lovers of silent movies and all who appreciate well-crafted comedy.

Even more impressive: "The Bench" delivers a very timely message, and it does so in a gentle way that few filmmakers have the ability to do, or are unwilling to do. The core issue that causes conflict between the two characters in the film--and the simple way it's ultimately resolved--is a reflection of what's causing many social conflicts these days. The fact this film is almost ten years old, and still feels fresh in its message, is either a strong indictment of the state of American culture, or a strong indication of the film's high quality and timelessness. (However you choose to look at it, though, there is no doubt that "The Bench" is a superior piece of filmmaking.)

I invite you to take a couple minutes to check out this fine little film... and please let me know if you think I've steered you wrong with my praise for it. 

A silent movie that Stan Lee would approve of!

Excelsior (aka "The Magician and the Human Pump" and "The Prince of Magicians") (1901)
Starring: Georges Méliès

Director: Georges Méliès

Rating: Nine of Ten Stars

A noble wizard (Méliès) turns his manservant into the main prop in a magic act.

"Excelsior" is one of stage magician-turned-filmmaker many pioneering special effects films that are basically a magic show on film. This is one of the better ones, not only because of the impressive effects, but also because of the impish sense of humor of display throughout. 

Click below and enjoy. It's will only take you a couple of minutes to watch this little film, and I think you'll find that the sense of fun and joy that permeates this film will brighten your spirits for the rest of your day.

From the "Whatzzat?" Department...

... we have a student film that we found in the deep recesses of YouTube. It's interesting visually, if a little underlit/underexposed in many of the shots. But it being too dark for its own good is not why we're scratching our heads by the time it's over.

We THINK we know what's being represented in this short, artsy film, but we're not sure. How about you take a few minutes and let us know what YOU think the film is about/is representing. (Maybe we'll add our thoughts in the comments, but we want to hear what others have to say first. If you have ideas, please share! We know you're out there...)

Antonym (2021)

Starring: Mia and Lillian
Director: Lucas Manuel-Scheibe
Rating: Six of Ten Stars

Felix knows how to spend the weekend!

If your weekend is half as wild as the one Felix the Cat has in "Woos Whoopee", you're doing it right. (Well, you probably want to avoid the hallucinations... but maybe not! The hallucinations are what makes this cartoon so much fun to watch!)

Felix Woos Whoopee (1928)

Starring: A voice actor who doesn't speak any actual lines

Director: Otto Messmer

Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

An excellent drama with confused intertitles?

The Country Doctor (1909)
Starring: Frank Powell, Florence Lawrence, Kate Bruce, Gladys Egan, Rose King, Mary Pickford, and Adele DeGarde
Director: D.W. Griffith
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

A country doctor (Powell) makes a fateful choice when his daughter (Egan) and another girl (DeGarde) are both struck with the same deadly illness at the same time.

"The Country Doctor" is another early and excellent short film from D.W. Griffith. Once again, he delivers a swiftly moving flick with not a second wasted and where we are treated to all actors giving their best performances. With many dramatic films of this vintage, the difference in film acting styles from what was common in 1909 (which were stagey and overly emotive) and the more natural-seeming approaches today can make them difficult to watch at times. Not so with films from Griffith... yes, there's big gestures and a certain degree of posing and posturing, but it doesn't seem quite as over-the-top as it does elsewhere, and it's almost always balanced with genuine-seeming facial expressions and more subtle body language. I might even go so far to say that if you're among those who avoid silent films because of the acting, you might still want to check this one out. Because it's clear from this film why Florence Lawrence, Frank Powell, and Mary Pickford were big stars in their day.

 

As is often the case, I am giving everyone the opportunity to watch the film I'm reviewing, but I'm dropping it here, in the middle of the review rather than at the end. This is because, while I liked almost everything about this film--from it's bright, airy opening scenes, to the cross-cutting between two locations as the story unfolds, to the excellent performances by the actors--the issues I do have relate to elements that can be considered spoilers.

So... please watch "The Country Doctor". Then, you can continue to read my comments below. (By the way, the version I've embedded has no soundtrack music. I found that the 2010 remaster of Mike Oldfield's "Hergest Ridge Pt. 1" works amazingly well for most of this film, except at the very end where the music becomes a little too upbeat. (Well, maybe. See below. And you can click here to open "Hergest Ridge Pt. 1" in a different window to play while watching the film.)

 

As much as I enjoyed this film, there was one thing I found it to be a head-scratcher that the film announces itself to carry a spiritual message--do the moral thing and you'll be rewarded in the afterlife--but then doesn't quite ever deliver on that promise. While the titular Country Doctor is very much self-sacrificing and obviously the sort of man who puts community above himself and even his family (given he prioritizes treating another patient over own sick daughter), there's no sense that he will be rewarded in the end. In fact, the final intertitle of the film seems to imply the opposite, both for the doctor, his family, and perhaps the entire community. (This strange disconnect between the film's opening and closing moments made a difference between me giving it a rating of Seven instead of Eight.)

With said that... what do you think? Am I putting too much weight on an element that isn't even really part of the film itself? Did I steer you wrong when I praised the pacing and acting of this great little drama? Leave a comment below!

The Mime's Big Day

Attention Plzzz (2015)
Starring: Swetha, Ashul, Maheswar, and Roshan
Director: Arunachalam

Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

A street-performer mime gives up in the face of competition but ends up changing the life of a homeless drug addict.

Reportedly inspired by the films of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, I think "Attention Plzzz" is far cuter than anything on the very impressive resumes of either of those two gentleman. Another very strong element of this modern silent movie is that doesn't try to replicate the style of films made a century or more ago, nor is it just a film without sound, but the use of mimes gives a perfect in-story explanation for why not a single word is spoken.

I liked everything about this film--the actors all perform well, the pacing is spot-on, and the mime duels are very funny--and I probably would have given it Eight Stars if not for a couple flaws.

First, I think this film could have benefitted from being a little more focused. It almost feel like two films combined into one, with the first one being our Hero squaring off against a competing mime, and the second one where he distracts a homeless drug addict from shooting up. If the competition with the other mime had not been included in the film, I don't think it would have been missed, and we would have gotten to the really excellent part of the film sooner. All we needed in the initial part is the disinterested/confused onlookers to establish the mime's state of mind.
 

Second, a decision was made to include sound effects in the film's best moments, and I think it was a bad decision. They feel entirely out of place and they take away more from the action and mood of the scenes than they add. 

I could also criticize the film for not using enough medium two-shots during the mime's interactions with the homeless woman, but given that it claims to be inspired by old-time silent greats, I don't know that would be a fair criticism.

But why don't you take a few minutes and give your attention to "Attention Plzzz"? I promise it will brighten your day! (And if I steer you wrong, be sure to tell me off in the Comments section.)

The Shadows Know...

Chasing Shadows (2012)
Starring: Jose Rosete
Director: Armin Siljkovic
Rating: Eight of Ten Stars

A game of cat-and-mouse reaches its deadly conclusion in the shadow-filled back alleys of the Big City.

For a film that doesn't even run seven minutes, "Chasing Shadows" delivers a lot. Hell, it delivers more than many films that run seventy minutes!

First, if you are just looking for a taut mini-thriller where every second of run-time is put to good use, this is a film for you. Second, if you're a lover of the film noir esthetic and need a quite fix to satisfy a hunger, this is a film for you. Third, if are looking for a film that brilliantly presents all the fundamental elements of  film noir in a compact, high-quality package, then this is definitely a film for you.

Writer/director Armin Siljkovic has written that "Chasing Shadows" was made as an exercise in exploring all the elements of the film noir genre. As such, it is an unqualified success. It would have earned a Nine-star rating if not for a couple minor stumbles at the end (which, I have no doubt, were the result of both time and budgetary constraints)... and I might not even have noticed them if everything else here hadn't been so perfect.

Take some time out of your busy day to watch this excellent short film. Be sure to let me know in the comments section if you think there isn't an element of the film noir genre that isn't represented here.

It's About the Eye of the Beholder

Today's post features something which is more of a vignette rather than an actual film. I found it fascinating, but it's one those works that I feel need to be watched cold lest its impact be ruined.

With the that said, I encourage you to take 90 seconds out of your day to check out "Camera Obscura". I think you'll find it as interesting an effort as I did.

Camera Obscura (2008)
Starring: Tania Paleologou and Cristos Leriadis
Director: Eirini Steirou

Rating: Eight of Ten Stars

'Run' is a nifty mini-thriller

Run (2000)
Starring: Sarah Kruger
Director: James Ivey Carter
Rating: Six of Ten Stars

A captive (Kruger) makes a run for freedom.

"Run" is another student film that we retrieved from the depths of YouTube. It's a suspenseful little effort, but what REALLY impressed us was the artificial aging the film was subjected to. So many of the films we come across that try to mimic worn-out films that are copies of copies are done with lazy digital templates that are obvious a few seconds in. Real effort was put into "aging" this picture, and it shows.

Also, no matter what some might say, this is NOT a documentary. While it stars Sarah Kruger, a one-time ballerina and current dance instructor, we DID NOT prevent any dancers from escaping into the wild on International Dance Day!

It's another disappointing trip to Cartoonland...

Alice Gets Stung (1925)
Starring: Virginia Davis

Director: Walt Disney

Rating: Four of Ten Stars

A cat chases a rabbit while bears make music and dance. It just another day in Cartoonland until Alice (Davis) decides to help that cat and then go bear hunting.

The "Alice in Cartoonland" series was an early effort from Walt Disney and a studio of animators. It's similar in concept to Max Fleischer's "Out of the Inkwell" series in that it merges live action footage with animation, but where Fleischer had animated characters invading the Real World, Disney had a young girl have adventures in the animated universe. Sadly, the Disney effort appears to be inferior to the Fleischer films it was modeled after. In fact, the ones I've seen so far are so weak that I am astonished more than fifty were produced and distributed. 

"Alice Gets Stung" is both one of the best entries I've seen in the series so far, as well as one of the worst.

On the plus side, the animation in this installment is very playful and there's some fun and creative use of cartoon physics during the action scenes. Alice also interacts with her environment more than in most of the others in the series I've previously seen, such as picking up and moving a fire hydrant and even getting in on the cartoon physics action (although in a minor, but still quite creative and visually exciting, way). The level of looping and dragging out gags until they stop being funny is also minimal when compared to previous efforts.

On the negative side, the film is little more than a jumble of disconnected visual gags and set pieces. While they are more innovative and wild than in other outings, there needed to  be a little more of a narrative thread tying them together. Then there's the fact that once a story-thread begins to emerge, Alice ends up as the villain in her own series, attacking bears that are doing nothing more malicious than playing music and dancing in the woods. At least, after Alice tries to murder them, one of the bers is able to turn the tables on her... which leads to the event of the film's title. (I can only assume that Walt Disney was traumatized by a dancing bear as a child, because he seems to have a serious hatred for them.)

I know that I am not the audience for the "Alice in Cartoonlands", as I am not a six-year-old in the 1920s, but I am fairly confident that six-year-old me in the 1970s would have strongly disliked Alice. I keep hoping to find timeless, commercial savvy that Disney displayed later on in these early efforts, but so far I'm not seeing it. Life is too short to spend on things I know I'm not going to enjoy, so Alice will get one or two more views before I decide they are best left in the compost heap of cinematic history.

In the meantime, though, you can watch "Alice Gets Stung" by clicking below. You can also tell me if you think I'm being too harsh or have completely missed the point with my review in the comments section. (You can also agree if you like!)

D.W. Griffith brings us a fine drama starring two great actresses

The Mender of Nets (1912)
Starring: Mary Pickford, Charles West, Mabel Normand, Dell Henderson, and W. Chrystie Miller
Director: D.W. Griffith
Rating: Eight of Ten Stars

When a fisherman (West) cheats on his girlfriend (Normand) with the village net-mender (Pickford), the betrayed girl's brother (Henderson) swears vengeance. Will the mender of nets be able to rise to the challenge and become the mender of hearts before blood is spilled? 

 I generally don't enjoy silent dramas, because they are for the most part too,,, well, dramatic. The mostly thin plots, static camera shots, and the over-the-top gesticulating and emoting by the actors combine in waya that just doesn't hold my interest. There's been one director who's works have always captured and held my attention, though: D.W. Griffith.

Griffith's dramas always clip along at a fast pace and there's never a dull moment on screen. Even establishing shots and transition scenes are full of energy and creatively framed. Even a shot of Mary Pickford staring wistfully into the distance and the beginning to smile is more fascinating than the entirety of some other silent dramas I've come across.

"The Mender of Nets" is impressive visually, even holding up nicely when compared to modern films. The outdoor shots and sequences are particularly nice. The story is simple, but Griffith adds suspense and drama through editing techniques and perfectly timed scene changes that were groundbreaking at the time--and which go a long way to making this film watchable today.

This film also remains watchable because of the natural performances by most of featured actors. While there's plenty of silent movie drama emoting, it is tempered and balanced here by a feeling of genuine warmth in Pickford's performance and emotional pain and panic in Normand's performance. Similarly, Dell Henderson seems like a genuinely bloodthirsty lunatic. West gives probably the most "standard" silent movie drama performance, but even he is a little more subdued than what is typical, coming across more in a Shakespearean tragedy way than over-emoting and hyper animated. Griffith once again brought the best out of his cast.

Finally, the film remains impressive because its relatively simple plot occupied by straight-forward characters ends up emerging as multi-layered as it reaches its conclusion. It could have come across as overly sentimental and maudlin, but because Pickford and Normand have such screen presence, and they gave such good performances, it comes across as bitter-sweet and even a little thought-provoking.

The version I watched (and have embedded below) features a modern score that was commissioned specifically for this film. Some viewers dislike it when modern music is applied to silent movies, but when it's well-done--as it is here--I think it helps bring new life to old art.

Take a few minutes to enjoy this classic film, with its new elements (or without... you can simply turn down the volume if you don't want modernity creep into the 100+ year-old short film that you're watching in a digitized format.)