23 Der letzte Mann
- The Digital McGuffin
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23 Der letzte Mann
Der Letzte Mann
A landmark work in the history of the cinema, Der letzte Mann represents a breakthrough on a number of fronts. Firstly, it introduced a method of purely visual storytelling in which all intertitles and dialogue were jettisoned, setting the stage for a seamless interaction between film-world and viewer. Secondly, it put to use a panoply of technical innovations that continue to point distinct ways forward for cinematic expression nearly a century later. It guides the silent cinema's melodramatic brio to its lowest abject abyss — before disposing of the tragic arc altogether. The lesson in all this? That a film can be anything it wants to be... but only Der letzte Mann (and a few unforgettable others) were lucky enough to issue forth into the world under the brilliant command of master director F. W. Murnau.
His film depicts the tale of an elderly hotel doorman (played by the inimitable Emil Jannings) whose superiors have come to deem his station as transitory as the revolving doors through which he has ushered guests in and out, day upon day, decade after decade. Reduced to polishing tiles beneath a sink in the gents' lavatory and towelling the hands of Berlin's most-vulgar barons, the doorman soon uncovers the ironical underside of old-world hospitality. And then — one day — his fate suddenly changes...
Der letzte Mann (also known as The Last Laugh, although its original title translates to "The Last Man") inaugurated a new era of mobile camera expression whose handheld aesthetic and sheer plastic fervour predated the various "New Wave" movements of the 1960s and beyond. As the watershed entry in Murnau's work, its influence can be detected in such later masterpieces as Faust, Sunrise, and Tabu — and in the films of the same Hollywood dream-factory that would offer him a contract shortly after Der letzte Mann's release. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present the original German domestic version of the work that some consider the greatest silent film ever made.
SPECIAL FEATURES
• New, progressive encode of the recent, magnificent film restoration.
• The original 1924 Giuseppe Becce score, orchestrated and performed by Detlev Glanert (2002).
• Der letzte Mann – The Making Of – documentary by Murnau expert Luciano Berriatúa
• New and improved optional English subtitles (original German intertitles)
• Lavishly illustrated 36-page booklet with writing by film scholars R. Dixon Smith, Tony Rayns, and Lotte H. Eisner — and more!!!
A landmark work in the history of the cinema, Der letzte Mann represents a breakthrough on a number of fronts. Firstly, it introduced a method of purely visual storytelling in which all intertitles and dialogue were jettisoned, setting the stage for a seamless interaction between film-world and viewer. Secondly, it put to use a panoply of technical innovations that continue to point distinct ways forward for cinematic expression nearly a century later. It guides the silent cinema's melodramatic brio to its lowest abject abyss — before disposing of the tragic arc altogether. The lesson in all this? That a film can be anything it wants to be... but only Der letzte Mann (and a few unforgettable others) were lucky enough to issue forth into the world under the brilliant command of master director F. W. Murnau.
His film depicts the tale of an elderly hotel doorman (played by the inimitable Emil Jannings) whose superiors have come to deem his station as transitory as the revolving doors through which he has ushered guests in and out, day upon day, decade after decade. Reduced to polishing tiles beneath a sink in the gents' lavatory and towelling the hands of Berlin's most-vulgar barons, the doorman soon uncovers the ironical underside of old-world hospitality. And then — one day — his fate suddenly changes...
Der letzte Mann (also known as The Last Laugh, although its original title translates to "The Last Man") inaugurated a new era of mobile camera expression whose handheld aesthetic and sheer plastic fervour predated the various "New Wave" movements of the 1960s and beyond. As the watershed entry in Murnau's work, its influence can be detected in such later masterpieces as Faust, Sunrise, and Tabu — and in the films of the same Hollywood dream-factory that would offer him a contract shortly after Der letzte Mann's release. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present the original German domestic version of the work that some consider the greatest silent film ever made.
SPECIAL FEATURES
• New, progressive encode of the recent, magnificent film restoration.
• The original 1924 Giuseppe Becce score, orchestrated and performed by Detlev Glanert (2002).
• Der letzte Mann – The Making Of – documentary by Murnau expert Luciano Berriatúa
• New and improved optional English subtitles (original German intertitles)
• Lavishly illustrated 36-page booklet with writing by film scholars R. Dixon Smith, Tony Rayns, and Lotte H. Eisner — and more!!!
- denti alligator
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- Awesome Welles
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- denti alligator
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I thought that Tabu was also in the works. Actually, if I'm not wrong, MoC was planning to do four more Murnaus: Tabu, Nosferatu, Der letzte Mann, and Phantom.daniel p wrote:I'm guessing #25 will be Nosferatu, it falls after 2 Murnau films.FSimeoni wrote:This is great, I only hope that Nosfertu hasn't been abandoned
- daniel p
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Yeah, I think you're right denti, I just think Nosferatu will be 25.denti alligator wrote:I thought that Tabu was also in the works. Actually, if I'm not wrong, MoC was planning to do four more Murnaus: Tabu, Nosferatu, Der letzte Mann, and Phantom.daniel p wrote:I'm guessing #25 will be Nosferatu, it falls after 2 Murnau films.FSimeoni wrote:This is great, I only hope that Nosfertu hasn't been abandoned
- Tommaso
- Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 10:09 am
I remember Nick saying that "Der letzte Mann", because it was already released by Eureka, was not a main priority for MoC. I fear that it now comes first doesn't bode too well for the other three films to be released soon. But I guess at least with "Nosferatu" MoC should rather hurry up. Transit is releasing the new resto with original music in October, and I'd prefer to buy it from MoC, but I have the feeling that I can't wait overly long to see/hear this finally.
- Awesome Welles
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- Tommaso
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And hopefully with some mouth-watering news of things to come.peerpee wrote:Yup, new 2008 catalogue coming soon with the latest order of thangs.
Like last year with the announcement of the Mizoguchis.
Good to hear that "Nosferatu" and "Tabu" are definitely on the way, and "Phantom" also. I hope they all sell very well, so that we can get even more German silents. I only say "Die freudlose Gasse"... =P~
- domino harvey
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- denti alligator
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- not perpee
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Excellent - this issue is destined to be a definitive edition for the English speaking audience regardless DVD Region!peerpee wrote:We aim to improve the encoding of the older Eureka edition of THE LAST LAUGH (by making it progressive); to improve the subtitling; redo the menus; and to add a lovely booklet -- the excellent documentary will remain.
It's not simply the same old Eureka disc with a different sleeve.
And I keep asking: MoC, please, do the same with Mabuse, the Gambler!
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I have both the Kino and the 2004 Eureka discs, and the two editions show slightly different camera placements and actors' movements in certain scenes, since Murnau often shot multiple versions of the same film for domestic and international releases. So I'm holding on to my Kino disc just for this bit of historical significance.domino harvey wrote:so glad I held off on buying the Kino now =D>
Same thing for the "Faust" disc by Kino and the 2006 Eureka. They are two different versions of the same film.
- markhax
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In fact, the MOC has an excellent documentary by Luciano Berriatua that compares the three different versions--for Germany, the US market, and other foreign markets.kevyip1 wrote:I have both the Kino and the 2004 Eureka discs, and the two editions show slightly different camera placements and actors' movements in certain scenes, since Murnau often shot multiple versions of the same film for domestic and international releases.
- Awesome Welles
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MoC page now live, though sans screens shots.
- Rowan
- Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2007 11:05 pm
- Location: Liverpool, UK
I’m really getting into Murnau at the moment and lapping up the brilliant MOC releases. This was my first encounter with ‘Der Letzte Mann’ (be patient with me, I’m relatively new to cinephilia), and I loved it! The dream sequence was thrilling, and the epilogue-in-spite-of-itself completely took me by surprise - it adds a whole extra cynical, self-referential richness to the theme. My only problem was with the score, which I found slightly overbearing and insensitive to the delicate nature of certain scenes/actions (I think in the excellent documentary it said that this music was constructed with Murnau’s guidance, so.. maybe I just wasn’t in the zone).
After reading HerrSchreck’s comments about ‘Fordian’ and ‘un-Fordian’ I’m keen to hear what people think is ‘Murnauian’, as I don’t know if I have a handle on it yet.. When I showed Nosferatu to some friends recently they read the blurb on the back of the DVD where it says something about the ‘signature Murnau-style’, and one turned to me and said ‘what do you suppose that style is exactly?’- I wanted to give them the low down but ended-up mumbling about naturalism-meets-expressionism-meets-romanticism. I could describe the effects of the mise en scene in say Nosferatu, or Tabu, or Letzte Mann individually, but they’re all so different and experimental it’s difficult to speak of a unifying ‘signature’.
After reading HerrSchreck’s comments about ‘Fordian’ and ‘un-Fordian’ I’m keen to hear what people think is ‘Murnauian’, as I don’t know if I have a handle on it yet.. When I showed Nosferatu to some friends recently they read the blurb on the back of the DVD where it says something about the ‘signature Murnau-style’, and one turned to me and said ‘what do you suppose that style is exactly?’- I wanted to give them the low down but ended-up mumbling about naturalism-meets-expressionism-meets-romanticism. I could describe the effects of the mise en scene in say Nosferatu, or Tabu, or Letzte Mann individually, but they’re all so different and experimental it’s difficult to speak of a unifying ‘signature’.
- colinr0380
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