Fascinating! I'd never heard of this film before your review but it's easy to see the influence it's had on contemporary media. Tragic villain? I'm going with David Kessler from An American Werewolf in London. A victim who by no choice of his own became a monster who died violently and tragically. One of my favorite horror films.
Even removing the Joker connection, the film is interesting on its own terms. Plus, it's an important film for horror films despite only being adjacent to the genre. In short, it's one of my favorites of all time, as for my favorite tragic villains, The Phantom of the Opera, Frankenstein's Monster, and the Wolfman. They aren't exactly villains, but they bring upon themselves their own undoings, which is a big part of the tragedy in a lot of ways, plus, they are just such compelling characters.
Right; while they may function as antagonists in the structure of the story, I would hesitate to call them villains. Which is why Disney setting up their "Villains Lan" as some kind of competition for Universal's Dark Universe is such a boneheaded and creatively bankrupt move. Disney's villains and Universal's monsters aren't even apples and oranges; they're more like apples and footstools.
@ actually Disney villain lands could work, but it ain’t gonna be like the universal monsters. Disney villains usually embrace evil. I still prefer monsters though.
Phantom of the Opera is absolutely a villain. We get too readily caught up in the Webberian idea of Eric as a tragic romantic, but the 1925 version makes very clear that he is a psychotic and murderer who, while a victim of his hideous appearance, nevertheless victimizes others. As for Villain's Land vs. Dark Universe... The latter is itself a creatively bankrupt attempt that "modernizes" the monsters. It isn't even the Universal Monsters. If Disney could manage a hive of full-bodied and delicious villainy, and not a counterfeit like Universal, that would be something.
@ you say that as if Lon Chaney didn’t try to make the phantom sympathetic. Also, there’s the novel where he was sympathetic. Besides tragic VILLAIN. As for the Disney thing… you’re just being negative, like Nancy.
I’m happy you brought up the Man Who Laugh. Like the Hunchback of Notre Dame, it also deserves both a remake like Nosferatu, and a spot at Hollywood Horror Nights haunted house like Jekyll/Hyde.
"The Man Who Laughs: The Darkest Film You've Never Seen" I've seen it many times (owned it on DVD and now in Blu-ray) and the reason it is so dark is that it is an early black and white silent movie when there was no color in moving pictures...
The man who laughs it's a great movie and Conrad Veidt made a incredible performance. Inspired to make the Joker and i have no doubt. I had this movie in dvd. The movie has on UA-cam.
Well done! One of my favorite films of the Silent era. It’s worth reading Hugo’s novel as there are enough differences (including the ending) for a different experience.
The Man Who Laughs is an exquisite film. Absolutely incredible and really puts you through an emotional wringer to get you to the emotional high of Gwynplaine's moment of transcendence before the queen. But I disagree with you that he is a "tragic villain"... Nothing about Gwynplaine is villainous. This is a Victor Hugo story... the villain is society. Gwynplaine and Quasimodo may be monstrous, but they are not villains.
This film is the very definition of MASTERPIECE! Conrad Veidt is, to my mind, the greatest actor who ever lived. I love this movie. Antonia, wonderful channel. I had the privilege of meeting Carla Laemmle and talking about your uncle Carl and Mary Philbin. Awesome. Many thanks to you and your family.
Such an underrated classic, it really makes me wosh Universal would show more love for the silent films. I also hope we see Gwynplaine in the Neca Ultimate series to go with the others.
I must admit I just bought this for Conrad Veidt as he's a favourite actor of mine, but I have gone on to buy more Paul Leni movies because of it, it's a real masterpiece Mary Philbin is so good in it, I would love to see more of her films, but Olga Baclanova! Wowza! She sets the screen on fire! The whole love verses lust, innocence vs lasciviousness thing that the 2 of them bring to it is amazing. Obviously Veidt is hypnotic in it too, I'm so glad you love these films as much as I do (including the non Universal Expressionist ones too)
But, ohhhh! That awful cringe-worthy song they stuck in there. Yuk. Otherwise, a dark masterpiece. The scenes in the snow are right out of German films like Faust.
Thoroughly enjoy these passionate deep dives!
Fascinating! I'd never heard of this film before your review but it's easy to see the influence it's had on contemporary media. Tragic villain? I'm going with David Kessler from An American Werewolf in London. A victim who by no choice of his own became a monster who died violently and tragically. One of my favorite horror films.
Even removing the Joker connection, the film is interesting on its own terms. Plus, it's an important film for horror films despite only being adjacent to the genre. In short, it's one of my favorites of all time, as for my favorite tragic villains, The Phantom of the Opera, Frankenstein's Monster, and the Wolfman. They aren't exactly villains, but they bring upon themselves their own undoings, which is a big part of the tragedy in a lot of ways, plus, they are just such compelling characters.
Right; while they may function as antagonists in the structure of the story, I would hesitate to call them villains. Which is why Disney setting up their "Villains Lan" as some kind of competition for Universal's Dark Universe is such a boneheaded and creatively bankrupt move. Disney's villains and Universal's monsters aren't even apples and oranges; they're more like apples and footstools.
@ actually Disney villain lands could work, but it ain’t gonna be like the universal monsters. Disney villains usually embrace evil. I still prefer monsters though.
Phantom of the Opera is absolutely a villain. We get too readily caught up in the Webberian idea of Eric as a tragic romantic, but the 1925 version makes very clear that he is a psychotic and murderer who, while a victim of his hideous appearance, nevertheless victimizes others.
As for Villain's Land vs. Dark Universe... The latter is itself a creatively bankrupt attempt that "modernizes" the monsters. It isn't even the Universal Monsters. If Disney could manage a hive of full-bodied and delicious villainy, and not a counterfeit like Universal, that would be something.
@ you say that as if Lon Chaney didn’t try to make the phantom sympathetic. Also, there’s the novel where he was sympathetic. Besides tragic VILLAIN.
As for the Disney thing… you’re just being negative, like Nancy.
I’m happy you brought up the Man Who Laugh. Like the Hunchback of Notre Dame, it also deserves both a remake like Nosferatu, and a spot at Hollywood Horror Nights haunted house like Jekyll/Hyde.
"The Man Who Laughs: The Darkest Film You've Never Seen"
I've seen it many times (owned it on DVD and now in Blu-ray) and the reason it is so dark is that it is an early black and white silent movie when there was no color in moving pictures...
fav tragic villain would be a toss-up between Frankenstein and The Wolf Man
Great history Antonia. He reminds me of Lon Chaney Sr. Jack Pierce was the best makeup artist.
The man who laughs it's a great movie and Conrad Veidt made a incredible performance.
Inspired to make the Joker and i have no doubt.
I had this movie in dvd.
The movie has on UA-cam.
Such a tenderly sympathetic interpretation. And I LOVE that you pronounce it Nawtra Dahm, instead of Noter Dame! Bless you! 🙌🏻
Well done! One of my favorite films of the Silent era. It’s worth reading Hugo’s novel as there are enough differences (including the ending) for a different experience.
Remember reading a Grafic novel of the man that laughed . Very interesting but creepy some times think victor Hugo had a creepy interest in deformity
The Man Who Laughs is an exquisite film. Absolutely incredible and really puts you through an emotional wringer to get you to the emotional high of Gwynplaine's moment of transcendence before the queen. But I disagree with you that he is a "tragic villain"... Nothing about Gwynplaine is villainous. This is a Victor Hugo story... the villain is society. Gwynplaine and Quasimodo may be monstrous, but they are not villains.
This film is the very definition of MASTERPIECE! Conrad Veidt is, to my mind, the greatest actor who ever lived. I love this movie. Antonia, wonderful channel. I had the privilege of meeting Carla Laemmle and talking about your uncle Carl and Mary Philbin. Awesome. Many thanks to you and your family.
Such an underrated classic, it really makes me wosh Universal would show more love for the silent films. I also hope we see Gwynplaine in the Neca Ultimate series to go with the others.
Yes! We need a Neca Man Who Laughs.
This movie always makes me wonder what Veidt would have been like had he indeed been cast as Dracula instead of Lugosi
Another what if! What if Lon Chaney was The Man Who Laughs and Conrad Veidt was Dracula and Bela Lugosi was Frankenstein? I want to see them all!
@AntoniaCarlotta or if Lugosi and Karloff had starred in Werewolf of London together, with Jack Pierce's original makeup!
I must admit I just bought this for Conrad Veidt as he's a favourite actor of mine, but I have gone on to buy more Paul Leni movies because of it, it's a real masterpiece Mary Philbin is so good in it, I would love to see more of her films, but Olga Baclanova! Wowza! She sets the screen on fire! The whole love verses lust, innocence vs lasciviousness thing that the 2 of them bring to it is amazing. Obviously Veidt is hypnotic in it too, I'm so glad you love these films as much as I do (including the non Universal Expressionist ones too)
Yes i never saw that movie. I have seen remakes of that show. Kind of errie.
Never seen? I’ve seen it a bunch of times.
Inspiration for the recent "SMILE" movie as well perhaps?
@@colin1487 not sure about that. Still a creepy image.
Love that creepy smile too!
But, ohhhh! That awful cringe-worthy song they stuck in there. Yuk. Otherwise, a dark masterpiece. The scenes in the snow are right out of German films like Faust.