Friday, September 24, 2010

What Did You Do At Sorority Initiation

"From morning until midnight" (1920) By Karl Heinz Martin


What Better Way to Start Another thrilling Silent Fall-Winter season at the Schloss theatre than watching one of the weirdest and most unusual German silent oeuvres ever made?..

“Von Morgens Bis Mitternachts” ( From Morn To Midnight ), a film directed by Herr Karlheinz Martin in the silent year of 1920, was inspired by the eponymous oeuvre by Herr Georg Kaiser. The film depicts the story of a bank cashier who is bewitched by the visit of a rich Italian lady to his counter. He comes to realize how ordinary his life is but his decision to change things brings about his personal downfall.

“Von Morgens Bis Mitternachts” is quintessential German Expressionism; unfortunately, the film didn’t receive the praise and honours that it deserved because it was never shown in German cinemas ( the film had a cinema release only in Japan ). That wrong can now be rectified thanks to the superb restoration work done by the longhaired youngsters at the “Edition Filmmuseum” who cleaned and restored the blurry copy that was all that was available for years, rescuing from oblivion and Expressionist darkness this exceptional film.

Darkness, a nightmarish mood and even debauchery are key elements in both story and scenery as we watch our hero meet his doom in this strange city full of bizarre people. The art design of the film is absolutely outstanding; its calculated primitivism accentuates powerfully the oneiric theatrical atmosphere. An air of decadence can be seen also in the costumes, strange and otherworldly in unique Expressionist fashion. The acting is in the same vein and Frau Roma Bahn, performs four different roles.

Technically, “Von Morgens Bis Mitternachts” is outstanding and uses many special effects of that early silent time: double exposures, animated scenes, distorted images. Nonetheless, it is still highly theatrical but the mix of expressionism and avant-garde techniques makes for a near hallucinatory experience.

“Von Morgens Bis Mitternacht” is an absolute one of a kind work; unconventional, uniquely imaginative and experimental, avant-garde and very modern in conception for its time.

And now, if you'll allow me, I must temporarily take my leave because this German Count must enjoy the exclusive aristocratic pleasures from midnight to morn.

Herr Graf Ferdinand Von

Galicia - / -

What better way to start a new and exciting season at the theater silent Schloss, they do looking at one of the most bizarre and exceptional Germanic silent films ever made?.

The film in question is "Von Morgens Bis Mitternachts", a film directed by Herr Karlheinz Martin in the silent year in 1920 and inspired by the novel by Georges Herr Kaiser, which tells the story of a bank teller becomes fascinated with a visit to their place of work of a rich Italian lady, realizing the above of how ordinary his life has been until then, taking the drastic decision to start a new but this will entail their destruction.

"Von Morgens Bis Mitternachts" is the quintessential German Expressionist movement, but unfortunately the film failed at the time all the recognition and accolades that certainly deserves peculiar works because that film was never released commercially in Germany ( did have some commercial distribution in Japan), a serious fact which has thankfully been restored after many long years, thanks to the magnificent restoration work done by young hairy "Edition Filmmuseum, the which have been cleaned and restored and blurred the only copy available for many years that nitrate, rescuing from oblivion and its Expressionist shadows, so exceptional film.

Shadows and nightmarish atmosphere, and a certain air of corruption are the key elements that can be seen both in history and in the stage where it develops an oppressive environment in which our hero wander, a particular and strange town full of quirky characters.
The film's art direction is simply superb, its calculated primitivism so powerful accentuated the dreamlike atmosphere and theatrical work, a decadent air also can be seen in his costume, a whole strange unclassifiable Expressionist fashion, to match the performances of all actors, highlighting Frau Roma Bahn and four different characters.

Technically, "Von Morgens Bis Mitternachts turns out to be also an exceptional work to use most of the effects and camera tricks known as early silent era, telling the film with scenes, images distorted images or overlays, mixing and matching its most dramatic in conjunction with the Expressionist movement, plus the latest techniques, achieving a final result similar to an original experience every close it to hallucination.

"Von Morgens Bis Mitternachts" certainly is a unique work, a film at all conventional, single, wildly imaginative and experimental, a work conceptually avant-garde and modern for its time.

And now, if I may, I have to leave because this count Germanic must enjoy the exclusive aristocratic pleasures from this well into the midnight to dawn.

Herr Graf Ferdinand Von Galicia

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