Image of the Day

[randy_byers]

The Docks of New York (1928)

I've written before about Criterion's upcoming release of Three Silent Classics by Josef von Sternberg. Now Gary Tooze at DVD Beaver has done a preview, and it looks just as good as I had anticipated. I took the still above from him.

Sternberg was one of the many directors of the late silent era who paved the way for the visual style of film noir, as well as developing the figure of the femme fatale in the masochistic romantic melodramas he made with Marlene Dietrich.

Comments

[kdotdammit.livejournal.com]

My god that's beautiful. I need to get that set.

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

I can't recommend these movies highly enough. Amongst other things (as I've probably said before) Howard Hawks has said that Underworld is the basis for Rio Bravo. It also had a big influence on his Scarface.

[(Anonymous)]

"masochistic romantic melodrama" is a phrase to conjure with...

-- Denys

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

I should show you The Scarlet Empress one of these days. Marlene as Catherine the Great, transforming from innocent girl with blonde ringlets to crop-cracking, horse-riding dominatrix. Hot stuff.