Famous for nude shots of young Hedy Lamarr, and its condemnation by the Pope and the U.S. Treasury Dept., "Ecstasy" is a mostly silent film that does contain some spoken lines in German.
The story starts with starry-eyed newlyweds who quickly settle into the quotidian routines of life. Eva finds herself married to a man who expresses no interest in her. Eventually, she has to make a decision to stay or leave.
The film is heavy with symbolism and injects countless images of nature and the elements, especially insects, to convey the concept of good (as opposed to evil or bad). Man's connection with nature, especially in terms of doing manual labor outdoors, is also portrayed as good or sacred.
The pace of the film might be considered slow, but a better term would be patient. The director painstakingly develops his tableaux and allows the camera to linger on small details.
The film is also filled with thoughtful framing and perspectives. Clearly the director was willing to take chances in order to elevate the film's artistic expression.
Though there are few words, the acting is solid. Not being long after the silent era, the film's presentation is based upon the silent approach without being overly expressive.
Now that this film is available for viewing, we can all see what the Hayes Code was designed to protect us from.
The story starts with starry-eyed newlyweds who quickly settle into the quotidian routines of life. Eva finds herself married to a man who expresses no interest in her. Eventually, she has to make a decision to stay or leave.
The film is heavy with symbolism and injects countless images of nature and the elements, especially insects, to convey the concept of good (as opposed to evil or bad). Man's connection with nature, especially in terms of doing manual labor outdoors, is also portrayed as good or sacred.
The pace of the film might be considered slow, but a better term would be patient. The director painstakingly develops his tableaux and allows the camera to linger on small details.
The film is also filled with thoughtful framing and perspectives. Clearly the director was willing to take chances in order to elevate the film's artistic expression.
Though there are few words, the acting is solid. Not being long after the silent era, the film's presentation is based upon the silent approach without being overly expressive.
Now that this film is available for viewing, we can all see what the Hayes Code was designed to protect us from.