I'm in the middle of trying to get settings right on various types of software so I can upload some clips of Time of the Robots, and frankly it's not going very smoothly. In the meantime, I think I'll start posting some brief reviews of silent films that I think people might like but that generally do not fall into the standard Silent canon. Here's the first.
1. The Student of Prague (1926 version). This is the one with Conrad Veidt (of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and many, many other films). It really is a masterpiece of mood, German Expressionism, and all around Mittle Europe weirdness. Standout shots include the Devil on a hill with a single craggy tree, and the gigantic shadows and double exposures that director Henrik Galeen uses to fine, menacing effect.
It takes a little while to get going, but the real fun begins once the Devil shows up, determined to strike a bargain with Veidt's student -- a master swordsman and all around Gentleman. However, the Student is also the poorest student of the group, and he pines after a rich woman, whom the Devil puts in his path and then offers a small bargain in exchange for riches. A crucial subplot includes a second woman, a very sympathetic character who is jealous of the Student's arrangement brought about by his new riches.
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