Watched "Sunrise", by Murnau (released September 23, 1927). This is a silent film with sound
effects. It took about ten years for sound to become standard in film. During the transition
period, films used sound only as an extra effect. In Sunrise, you see the church bells and
you also hear them tolling. In a city traffic scene, there are horns and a fellow shouts
"Get out of the road!"
The movie is very powerful. It reminded me of Carl Theodor Dreyer's "Passion of Jean of
Arc", a very intense film, with complex acting. Sunrise has extraordinary camera work. This
isn't at Netflix. I'd been looking for this for some time, and I spotted it at the Palo Alto
City Library.
The Jazz Singer came out in October 6, 1927, only two weeks later, so Sunrise was actually
the first talkie. It's not Al Jolson who first spoke on screen. It's an unidentified truck
driver.
I also watched Howard Hughes' Hells Angels (1929). This has remarkable scenes about war,
incl. probably the best footage of air combat. It has sound throughout the film, tho' it's
obvious that often, the actors don't know how to stand still and not move their heads while
they speak. It's black and white, except for the ball dance, which is in pale color. By
1939, the Wizard of Oz had full, saturated color.
yrs, andreas www.andreas.com
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