Tribute to Classic Horror

[kungfuwaynewho]

This weekend I watched the original Vampyr.  This is an incredible film.  1932, which puts it a little late, and it's a bit more grounded in reality, but I would still classify it as German Expressionism.  And I flove German Expressionism.

This is just such an amazing film as far as visuals go.  It's hard to believe it's from 1932, actually.  The compositions are just stunning.  The cinematography isn't always the best - part of it is that the best print now existing was cobbled together from a couple different prints, plus quite a bit of the film was shot day-for-night - but I can't really blame it.  But the compositions, oh, the compositions.  The use of negative space is divine.  It's also a surprisingly creepy film.  I think a lot of people feel like it's not possible for modern audiences to be scared of something so old, that we're too jaded and desensitized - but there were a couple shots and moments that legit freaked me out, and I've seen this movie twice before.

I took a lot of notes as I watched, and I also capped. 

 

Comments

[naushika.livejournal.com]

Oh wow, that movie looks beautiful. I must see that, obviously. (IT'S ON NETFLIX INSTANT WATCH! *queues*)

Have you seen Night of the Hunter? It's another older b&w creepy film that just has gorgeous shots. I keep meaning to do a picspam of it.

[kungfuwaynewho.livejournal.com]

I haven't! It's on my list of movies I'm embarrassed I haven't seen yet, but I'll bump it up. Besides, you can't go wrong with Robert Mitchum and Shelley Winters.

[rivendellrose.livejournal.com]

Oh, how pretty! I'll have to take a look at this, I love old movies. ♥

Random hop-skip-and-jump association - you have seen "Shadow of the Vampire," haven't you? With Willem Dafoe? Based on Nosferatu, not this one, but it's kind of a nice homage to all the old vampire films, and quite a fun movie on its own, too.

[kungfuwaynewho.livejournal.com]

YES. I actually will sit down and do a Nosferatu/Shadow of the Vampire double feature. Although this time around I'm just going to watch Nosferatu, since SotV won't really be applicable as far as my genre study goes.

[dref22.livejournal.com]

It really looks good! I'll see if I'll be able to find it.

[kungfuwaynewho.livejournal.com]

I guess it's on Netflix? I also would be surprised if it weren't up on Youtube.

[dref22.livejournal.com]

Hehe we don't have Netflix here, but I found it on torrents. :P

[kungfuwaynewho.livejournal.com]

LOL, I knew that about Netflix. It's too early in the morning! But yay for torrents. :D

[dref22.livejournal.com]

Hahaha yes. XD This is nothing. Wait until I make no sense. It happens frequently. :P

[hollywobbles.livejournal.com]

Those are some legit creepy images -- that last one is the stuff dreams are made of. Nice capping, btw.

This makes me want to get back into my old movie phase like woah. I wish I had more time -- I've got so much I want to do, and no where near enough time to do it in. :/

[kungfuwaynewho.livejournal.com]

Honestly, the only reason I finally sat down to watch this is because one of my co-workers lent me his Criterion Collection copy. (CC = SO PRETTY. WANT ALL.) I've had it for...three weeks? And I was finally like, ugh, watch it, IT'S SEVENTY MINUTES LONG, so you can get it back to him!

I was seriously creeped out when the girl bares her teeth at her own sister. I was like, well done, movie. Well done.