Very good movie. I'm sad to see the boards so empty for this one.
The funny thing is I forgot it was silent that's how good it is. You don't need sound with a movie like this.
Agreed. Surprising great film, and very funny.
D.
Toronto
My accountant says, "1 + 1, 40% of the time, equals divorce".
"You don't need sound with a movie like this."
Ha! I actually thought the same thing watching this movie.
What's the Spanish for drunken bum?
Well, this is obviously one of the greatest old dark house films ever made, not to mention, one of the most influential classics of the Hollywood horror genre. Therefore, I can't see how anybody could be so "surprised" that Paul Leni's The Cat and the Canary is so great, which it's been beautifully restored btw. It came at the apex of silent films and in result the film is so stylishly well-executed with an ever moving camera laced with a mysterious moood and experimental shots, which, at the time, lifted the mystery genre into the realm of art. Leni obviously plays it more for laughs than scares, which was a huge influence on director James Whale and Universal horror films, who copied many of the eerie effects here so in consequence of that, I'm quite shocked that this board is dead and that the film has a mere 500-600 votes.
shareI watched it with my daughter last night. It was on TCM again, and we recorded it to watch later. I really didn't understand how beautiful and entertaining silent films could be until I began to watch TCM regularly. My daughter is still a little young to read quickly, so I had to read the story line to her when they appeared. That was fun. Also, she was really thrilled to see the scary hand.
"This is not good for my rage."
"and we recorded it to watch later."
Me as well, 2:15 was a little late, or early for me :) Had seen a bit of it before, and glad I caught the whole thing now. Yes, the scary hand, moving bookcases, spider webs, Mammy Pleasant's eyes....eeeeeeewwwww!!!!!
I find it interesting you are turning silent movies into family time. 'Lorna Doone' would be another good one for that.
Vesele Vianoce!!!! http://www.iarelative.com/czech/xmas/index.html
Mammy Pleasant scared her, too! She was a great character with a fun name! My daughter did comment on her eyes several times when Mammy Pleasant was on the screen.
Please send some more silent film recommendations my way when you get the chance. I feel like I've missed out on such a wonderful part of film history! I am surprised my daughter likes the silent films, too, so I'm going to try to cultivate her love of films with more silent films and black and white classics.
"This is not good for my rage."
The shots of her eyes were great!!!! I was thinking about the silent film recomendations, and almost everything I have seen is from TCM (and off the top of my head, except "Lorna Doone", and the "Student Prince of Heidleburg" all titles might be a little too adult) I will get back to you though!!!!
Vesele Vianoce!!!! http://www.iarelative.com/czech/xmas/index.html
Hummm....All the films I came up with other than above, you probably have thought of yourself. I have not seen the best of Charlie Chaplin's films, but all the ones I have seen have been good, but not as fun as "The Cat and the Canary" IMO.
"Curses" from 1925, was great, almost as fun, "The Movies" also from 1925 was OK.
I did tape a Jackie Coogan film the other week but have not watched it yet.
Did you happen to see "What The Daisy Said" which was on right after TCATC???? Had not seen anything as old as that.
Silent movies I watch a lot, that are not too adult, (like the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse & Metropolis) are Garbo in "The Kiss", & "Beyond The Rocks" with Valentino and Swanson.
Sorry but am new at this, but there is a silent movie board should you wish to ask the posters over there :) All those I have seen were presented on TCM.
http://www.imdb.com/board/bd0000073/threads/
Vesele Vianoce!!!! http://www.iarelative.com/czech/xmas/index.html
Thanks for posting that link to the Silents thread. I got to The Cat & The Canary via Arthur Edmund Carewe, while starting to watch "Uncle Tom's Cabin" (1927). I was wondering what other movies I had seen him in.
shareFor one, you may have seen Arthur Edmund Carewe as Inspector Ledoux (or better known as "The Persian") in Lon Chaney's 1925 "Phantom of the Opera".
"Think slow, act fast." --Buster Keaton
I think anyone who loves this movie will enjoy "The Phantom of the Opera" (1925) and "Sparrows" (1926). Some of the other silent movies I think that will appeal to people not too familiar with the era are "The Mark of Zorro" (1920), "The Kid" (1921), "The Gold Rush" (1925), and "The Garden of Eden" (1928).
I saw "The Cat and the Canary" for the first time as a kid in the early 1970's when PBS had a weekly silent film program hosted by the great Lillian Gish and it's been one of my favorite movies ever since. It may have been the first silent I ever saw.
For further light-hearted but excellent fare, I also highly recommend Buster Keaton's "Sherlock Jr.", "Seven Chances", and "The General". The final chase scenes alone are worth the price of admission, so to speak, but you need to watch the films in their entirety to fully appreciate Keaton's genius in building up a story and incorporating his mind-blowing gags! :-)
"Think slow, act fast." --Buster Keaton
so did I
brilliant film When there's no more room in hell, The dead will walk the earth...
It's a terrific film. I love it!
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Jim Hutton (1934-79) & Ellery Queen =