The first feature animated movie ever made!!

The Adventures of Prince Achmed was made in 1926, it is a silent movie created with handcut shadow pupptes- over 300,000 cuts were needed to create this movei.

This just proves that I have no patience at all. I can’t imagine how much time and talent it took to make this movie. It’s a Middle Eastern themed fairy tale- I have no idea how accurate it is to the original stories- butt he story is very fun. The delicate shadow puppets are so beautiful. I was able to see it at my indie theaters annual Children’s International Film Festival, complete with live musicians for the musical score!

Here’s a short clip from the beginning of the movie where they introduce all the characters.

If your local theater doesn’t have a Children’s Film Festival bug them until they start one.

Classic Vampires

Several years ago I was caring for five teenage girls who kept squealing about how Twilight is the best vampire movie ever made. Once I was done crying my hubby and I decided to review as many vampire movies as we possibly could and put them on the web because we couldn’t let these poor kids think that Twilight was the best vampire movie ever made.

One of the films we reviewed was “Vampyr” a German movie made in 1932. It is amazingly beautiful. The filming techniques and ‘special effects’ are lovely. The use of light and shadow to create the atmosphere was masterful. It uses a ‘classic scary movie score’ and I can’t help but wonder if this was one of the first to use it. It has been dubbed into English, which I normally hate, but there is so little talking in the film and it’s done so well that it didn’t bother me. This is not a scary movie- at least not for us- but I smiled thinking of people watching it in the theater in 1932 and being scared by it. If you enjoy vampire or old films people check this one out. It is really beautiful.

You can watch the whole movie on youtube

Regular Guys

Regular Guys is a movie from Germany about a cop, Christoph, having a truly hideous day. In true macho style he gets drunk and wakes up naked next to another equally naked gay man.

Christoph doesn’t know what he’s done, is confused about who he is, and what he wants. Of course Edgar doesn’t help much with his constant flirting.

I liked this movie. It’s not a faced-paced movie, but slow and steady as Christoph figures out his life. One of the things I do like about German movies is that they don’t portray their gay men as outrageous, overly effeminate queens. Not that they aren’t fun, but its nice to have gay men as, well, regular guys.

I loved the ending, even thought it wasn’t what I was hoping for. This really is a movie about love, friendship, and self discovery.

Sorry I could find a trailer, but you can watch the full movie on youtube.

Foreign Film Friday

I picked Enlightenment Guaranteed for my fourteenth Foreign Film Friday.

Most of us have at one point or another sought enlightenment, greater spiritual understanding, and higher purpose. Some of through prayer and meditation, some through pot and sex, some through physical activity. We searched in our late teens during college, when we hit our Saturn Return at 28, some later once the kids had grown and putting food one the table wasn’t as much of a struggle.

For two German brothers their journey begins in middle age, one who is a devout seeker of enlightenment and the other who’s marriage has just fallen apart and has no where else to go.

Their journey into Japan and the Zen Monastery where they will find enlightenment is hysterical, heart-warming, and painful.

One of the things I love about foreign films is learning about another culture. This film is unique because we get to see Japan for the perspective of a confused and overwhelmed outsider.

Both my husband and I really enjoyed this film, and have recommended it to friends many times. The ending might surprise you, but it’ll leave you feeling happy and maybe a bit enlightened.

Foreign Film Friday

The fourth installment of Foreign Film Friday combines my love of foreign films with my love of vampire movies. Several years ago I was caring for five teenage girls who kept squealing about how Twilight is the best vampire movie ever made. Once I was done crying my hubby and I decided to review as many vampire movies as we possibly could and put them on the web because we couldn’t let these poor kids think that Twilight was the best vampire movie ever made. One of the films we reviewed was “Vampyr” a German movie made in 1932. It is amazingly beautiful. The filming techniques and ‘special effects’ are lovely. The use of light and shadow to create the atmosphere was masterful. It uses a ‘classic scary movie score’ and I can’t help but wonder if this was one of the first to use it. It has been dubbed into English, which I normally hate, but there is so little talking in the film and it’s done so well that it didn’t bother me. This is not a scary movie- at least not for us- but I smiled thinking of people watching it in the theater in 1932 and being scared by it. If you enjoy vampire or old films people check this one out. It is really beautiful.
Here’s the imdb page http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0023649/