I watched 21 films for 1929. You can find the complete list with reviews here: http://www.imdb.com/list/8EJ4UrbiwEA/ . These were my ten favorites.
1. Man with a Movie Camera (Dziga Vertov)
This is one of my favorite movies of all time. I love the inventiveness and energy of this city symphony.
The city awakens
2. The Cocoanuts (Robert Florey and Joseph Santley)
The Marx Brothers made me laugh right out of the box! But where did they get those chorus girls for “The Monkey Doodle-Do”?
3. Pandora’s Box (G. W. Pabst)
Two words: Louise Brooks.
Clip
4. Piccadilly (E.A. DuPont)
Three words: Anna May Wong. Actually, this is a masterfully directed film as well with some standout choreography of large groups of people.
Gorgeous photography in pub/dance hall
5. Hallelujah! (King Vidor)
There is a sincerity in the portrayal of simple country folk that transcends any stereotyping in this all-black musical. And the singing, from spirituals to blues to Tin Pan Alley, can’t be beat.
Clip – Chick’s song and dance in the gambling joint
6. The Great Gabbo (James Cruze)
Erich von Stroheim is fantastic as an egocentric ventriloquist whose personality is slowly splitting between a persona who cannot relate to others and the kind and funny puppet who does his engaging with the world. The story is good enough to forgive the film’s ludicrous musical numbers.
Highlights
7. Asphalt (Joe May)
This late German silent was a complete delight to me, from its amusing beginning to its melodramatic end. I drank in the gorgeous expressionist lighting and super-stylish design.
Excerpt – seduction
8. Diary of a Lost Girl (G. W. Pabst)
Worth seeing just for the natural performance of the fabulous Louise Brooks as the lost girl.
Clips set to “Dear Diary” by Pink (I love this video!)
9. The Love Parade (Ernst Lubitsch)
These Pre-Code Lubitsch musicals are hard to beat when one is looking for a good time.
Clip – “My Love Parade”
10. Applause (Rouben Mamoulian)
The movie’s claim to fame is the fluidity with which Mamoulian uses the camera in this very early sound film. Helen Morgan is also simply fantastic as a worn-out burlesque star.
Opening – keep your eyes on that moving camera
