A Song of Two Humans

This silent film was different. In the other silent films we have watched I have thought that having dialogue would have helped them. However in this film Sunrise, it would have ruined it. There was no need at all for it. Everything that anybody would have said was conveyed with a single look or moment. There were hardly any title cards which makes me think that I am wright. This is the only silent film that I have seen so far that has moved me. The kid I thought was a bit silly and did not feel upset. In sunrise I could totally feel what the man and woman felt. I wanted them to get back together and was nervous and sad when I thought that she had drowned at the end. Nosferatu scared me a bit but Sunrise moved me on   more levels.

Also every point in the film was there for a reason. There was not one scene which was out of place and did not mean anything. Each moment was there to drive the story along and make you feel something. A lot of the time in a Chaplin film the moment will be there simple to get a laugh.

It is not totally fair to compare Sunrise to most other silent films as Sunrise was made in 1927 and had had thirty years to perfect the art of film making. Also it did not have a budget. Murnau was given anything he wanted and it shows. The sets are huge and absolutely stunning. This money was definitely given to the right man. He knew what he was doing and why he was doing it. He was able to use light in ways which other people had no idea how to. He first proved this in creating the shadow of Orlok. In sunrise he lit every scene with a purpose. He created a sort of film noir feel.

If you think that silent movies are not for you then watch this one and I promise you that you will change your mind. This is now one of my favorite films of all time and is the last nail in the coffin to convince me that I was totally wrong about silent movies. They can certainly move you, they can scare you, they can impress you with special effects, they can make you laugh and they most importantly they can tell a story well.