Comments on: Ebertfest 2009: The Last Command (1928)

By: Marilyn

Marilyn — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 23:29:14 +0000

Thanks, Sam, even though you disagree a bit about Jannings. He just didn’t knock it out of the park for me. We have a genius silent film accompanist here in Chicago, Dave Drazin. He extemporizes on electric piano as the movie plays, and I’ve NEVER been less than impressed.

By: Sam Juliano

Sam Juliano — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 13:48:52 +0000

OK Marilyn, I must say I am with you here. Although I had seen this film a few years back on a fair-enough bootie, and on the Paramount VHS, I ventured to October’s New York Film Festival, where it played at the Walter Reade Theatre, with live musical accompaniment. Yes, it is a silly affair indeed, and I know of the friction between Von Sternberg and Jannings. (But nonetheless, by any barometer of measurement Jannings did give a great performance) I can’t say anything one way or the other here about the Alloy, but I have always preferred the work of Donald Sosin, and have nothing but praise for the live performance at the Walter Reade.
Very fine review here!

By: Marilyn

Marilyn — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 08:00:55 +0000

Without question, Rod.

By: Rod

Rod — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 01:47:24 +0000

On the other hand, man, Evelyn Brent is hot.

By: Marilyn

Marilyn — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 22:05:24 +0000

Greg – I have liked quite a few of TCM’s young composers, and Concrete, a small industrial rock band from Michigan, did a superb job on Potemkin at the first Ebertfest. I haven’t heard anyone else besides a full orchestra and organists, so I’d say my only complaint is with Alloy. But I take your point in general and take your word for it.

By: Greg

Greg — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 11:55:56 +0000

Wow, I have to admit – in all my years of knowing of this film’s existence and the Oscar and seeing that still at the top of this post, I never actually read up on it and… well, I had no idea that was the story. None.
And that gripe you have about the Alloy Orchestra I’ve had before with modern composer’s work over silent films, whether seen on DVD, TCM or at the AFI. The old scores, like the original organ score played at the AFI’s showing of The Crowd was perfect. It fit all the moods just right and never became something you noticed. With modern composers I have found they often are insensitive to the mood shift because they are writing the music to be listened to, not to accompany imagery.