'Phantom' was directed by F.W. Murnau in 1922 during the German Expressionism.
The cinematography is beautiful in this - the way Murnau plays with light and shadows is pleasing to the eye. The set design makes you feel everything so deeply. The clothes makes you like as if you're there with the characters.
An Art Film, without a doubt, about a young man, Lorenz (Alfred Abel) who strives to be a poet but one day notices a woman, Veronika (Lay De Putti) eventually becoming obsessed with her and yearns to find her again, slowly becoming insane.
It's based on the Novel by Gerhart Hauptmann - Thea Von Harbou adapted it for the screen.
The story is insanely entertaining - because it is a non-linear story with different plot lines. We follow Lorenz: the man who changes into a lovestruck maniac from day 1, we follow his sister Melanie (Aud Egede-Nissen) who leaves her house because of the poor household, and we follow Marie Starke (Lil Dagover) who is in love with Lorenz and helps him regain his sanity.
The whole plot begins with Lorenz writing this story down and ends as he finishes writing it - the whole film is a Flashback, similar to 'Dr. Caligari'. We see Lorenz and Marie at the beginning together, so the viewer knows Lorenz won't have a happy ending with Veronika. The fantasy element of this is that we never truly know whether Veronika is real or not.
Lorenz is a wreck by the end of the movie - the actor did a good job. You want to shake his shoulders to wake him up but luckily Marie does this instead of you.
Marie is lovable and very refreshing to see whenever she appears on screen, however, the best character for me was Melanie, Lorenz's sister.
Melanie is enjoyable to watch - the way she wants to live a life with joy but also support her brother is a delight. The schemes they do are downright a delight.
The movie doesn't get a 5 star from me because the money storyline didn't really make me feel much towards Lorenz. The ending shot however, with him walking to prison, is stunning. As stunning as the ending-ending shot with the tree, Marie and Lorenz.
Murnau uses incredibly famous actors and actresses in this one. Lya De Putti (Der brennende Acker/Gerda), Alfred Abel (Metropolis/Johann), Hans Heinrich von Twardowksi and Lil Dagover (Dr. Caligari/Alan and Jane) - all of them are diamonds when it comes to acting.
Overall a good film, not as popular as the others, but I recommend watching it because it's enjoyable :3
The cinematography is beautiful in this - the way Murnau plays with light and shadows is pleasing to the eye. The set design makes you feel everything so deeply. The clothes makes you like as if you're there with the characters.
An Art Film, without a doubt, about a young man, Lorenz (Alfred Abel) who strives to be a poet but one day notices a woman, Veronika (Lay De Putti) eventually becoming obsessed with her and yearns to find her again, slowly becoming insane.
It's based on the Novel by Gerhart Hauptmann - Thea Von Harbou adapted it for the screen.
The story is insanely entertaining - because it is a non-linear story with different plot lines. We follow Lorenz: the man who changes into a lovestruck maniac from day 1, we follow his sister Melanie (Aud Egede-Nissen) who leaves her house because of the poor household, and we follow Marie Starke (Lil Dagover) who is in love with Lorenz and helps him regain his sanity.
The whole plot begins with Lorenz writing this story down and ends as he finishes writing it - the whole film is a Flashback, similar to 'Dr. Caligari'. We see Lorenz and Marie at the beginning together, so the viewer knows Lorenz won't have a happy ending with Veronika. The fantasy element of this is that we never truly know whether Veronika is real or not.
Lorenz is a wreck by the end of the movie - the actor did a good job. You want to shake his shoulders to wake him up but luckily Marie does this instead of you.
Marie is lovable and very refreshing to see whenever she appears on screen, however, the best character for me was Melanie, Lorenz's sister.
Melanie is enjoyable to watch - the way she wants to live a life with joy but also support her brother is a delight. The schemes they do are downright a delight.
The movie doesn't get a 5 star from me because the money storyline didn't really make me feel much towards Lorenz. The ending shot however, with him walking to prison, is stunning. As stunning as the ending-ending shot with the tree, Marie and Lorenz.
Murnau uses incredibly famous actors and actresses in this one. Lya De Putti (Der brennende Acker/Gerda), Alfred Abel (Metropolis/Johann), Hans Heinrich von Twardowksi and Lil Dagover (Dr. Caligari/Alan and Jane) - all of them are diamonds when it comes to acting.
Overall a good film, not as popular as the others, but I recommend watching it because it's enjoyable :3