Von Stroheim is one of those rare directors who can make a long movie be engaging throughout its whole length (I think modern directors-in-training should see this movie). The way that the characters are portrayed in the movie feels astoundingly true-to-life, and the on-location shots really create a sense of authenticity.
I only wish that the full movie had been preserved; I saw the 2h10min version, and the editing does sometimes feel uneven, as if huge chunks of the story have been left out. This could have been counted as one of the 20th century greatest movies, were it not for the idiot who edited the film. This is really a movie that should have been longer, but what is here already is absolutely amazing, definitely worth watching for everybody. The other gift that the director has is making the audience almost forget that they're watching a silent film; it seems completely unlimited by the lack of speech, and in fact makes it seem somewhat unnecessary.
Speaking of sound, the score to this film is fantastic; it perfectly complements the mood of each scene. My only slight complaint would be that the movie's beautiful main melody gets a slight bit tiresome by the end because it is repeated in so many variations.
Overall, I give this movie 9/10, although I'm positive that had I seen Stroheim's original version it would have become one of my favourite movies. Perhaps the next best thing is the newly restored 3-hour version that is available on DVD. I'll have to watch it some time...
I only wish that the full movie had been preserved; I saw the 2h10min version, and the editing does sometimes feel uneven, as if huge chunks of the story have been left out. This could have been counted as one of the 20th century greatest movies, were it not for the idiot who edited the film. This is really a movie that should have been longer, but what is here already is absolutely amazing, definitely worth watching for everybody. The other gift that the director has is making the audience almost forget that they're watching a silent film; it seems completely unlimited by the lack of speech, and in fact makes it seem somewhat unnecessary.
Speaking of sound, the score to this film is fantastic; it perfectly complements the mood of each scene. My only slight complaint would be that the movie's beautiful main melody gets a slight bit tiresome by the end because it is repeated in so many variations.
Overall, I give this movie 9/10, although I'm positive that had I seen Stroheim's original version it would have become one of my favourite movies. Perhaps the next best thing is the newly restored 3-hour version that is available on DVD. I'll have to watch it some time...