One learns about the ignominy of his existence, whereas the other witnesses the grimness brought upon by his non-existence (of course, eventually both the films conveys the timeless message of treasuring the gift of life). I admit that it took me a little longer to watch than most other films, but that’s mainly due to the short attention span I’ve cultivated in today’s fast paced world (thankfully, I was born before the internet age so I still can reach back and tap into the patience I once had in a slower era). Sort by: Severus Snape's rating of the film The Phantom Carriage. ” in 12 reviews. Bergman claimed to have seen The Phantom Carriage at least once a year, and the film had a profound impact on him as a teenager. Get the freshest reviews, news, and more delivered right to your inbox! The somber mood within the interior spaces is channeled to the exterior spaces too as the sequence cuts to a cemetery, a distant yet towering clock tower indicating that the New Year is almost there. The camera trick might date back to the magic films of George Meiles, but here it was used more effectively to convey the intrusion of the spiritual world (of course, it occasionally looks gimmicky). The Phantom Carriage, a seminal achievement in silent filmmaking from that other great Swedish auteur, Victor Sjöström, is a stern, supernatural moral drama that rails against social problems of the day by enlisting an emissary from the Great Beyond to lecture the feckless, abusive protagonist on what a rotten shit he is. In fact he even tells others to do so. Movie Review – The Phantom Carriage (1921) Adapted from the novel Körkarlen (1912) by Nobel prize-winning Swedish author Selma Lagerlöf, The Phantom Carriage (1921) is a Swedish fantasy-horror which had a profound influence upon subsequent filmmakers – the axe-chopping sequence would go on to … Though a familiar story device, 'The Phantom Carriage' is powerful family drama that doesn't veer into melodrama. Film review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports an approval rating of 100%, based on 11 reviews, with a rating average of 9/10. It tells its story through a series of flashbacks that gradually reveal the protagonist’s grim predicament. A classic of Swedish silent cinema from one of its early masters Victor Sjöstrom, The Phantom Carriage (Körkarlen) is not only notable for the accomplished double-exposure shots that make its ghost-story as chillingly effective as its contemporary Nosferatu, but the film’s A Christmas Carol-like morality tale also reveals a harsher social message that is not diminished by all its supernatural … The rest of the running time David’s spirit revisits his grim past and the misfortunes he brought upon his wife and their two little children. Full Review Jamie Graham Total Film The Phantom Carriage is a silent film, so that might turn off some moviegoers. Also, the grace with which they captured the natural landscapes brought upon a beauty to the imagery unlike other silent-cinema movements (later, the Swedish cinematographer Sven Nykvist from the 1960s – Ingmar Bergman’s closest collaborator – became a master in using the natural light). remorse is addictive. The rest of the film is focused on this 'humanist' story of redemption, which I … Those were: He Who Gets Slapped (1924), The Scarlet Letter (1926), and The Wind (1928) starring the great Lillian Gish. ” in 62 reviews. The film also seems to have had some impact on Frank Capra’s It’s A Wonderful Life (1946). on August 4, 2017 at 1:31 pm George Eastman Museum wrote: Fantastic review! Reviewed by: Anton Bitel. “ Don't let the horror theme of Phantom Carriage fool you into thinking the place doesn't have great food and beer. The Phantom Carriage are a blackened hardcore band from France and this is their third album. Sign up here. For all its brilliant and evocative use of double exposure, the most moving piece of technical "trickery" in The Phantom Carriage is a dissolve that turns a family picnic in a lakeside glade into a drunken orgy. The Phantom Carriage in 1921, but the influence Sjöström had on Bergman cannot be overstated. Ratings & Reviews. More importantly, he casted Victor Sjostrom as the lead actor in Wild Strawberries (1957), a film about an aging professor overwhelmed by the emptiness of his existence. The Dane Benjamin Christensen (Haxan, 1922) and the Swedes Mauritz Stiller (Sir Arne’s Treasure, 1919), Victor Sjostrom (Ingeborg Holm, 1913) were the most artistically successful Scandinavian directors of the period. The Phantom Carriage acted and directed by Victor Sjostrom is a masterpiece on a technical level. Some of the imagery has the power to speak across time. Please enter your email address and we will email you a new password. Sidney Poitier’s 7 Most Memorable Performances, All Harry Potter Movies Ranked Worst to Best by Tomatometer, Golden Tomato Awards: Best Movies & TV of 2020, Elizabeth Perkins’ 5 Things To Know About. Nevertheless, the film had an enduring impact on Bergman that he personified Death in his 1957 classic The Seventh Seal. Instead of exclusively shooting inside an artificially lit set and interior spaces, the Swedes fine-tuned the technique of light diffusion (utilizing bounced natural daylights). Perhaps, it’s also one of the earliest movies to realistically depict the negative effects of alcoholism. Through trick camerawork there are some eerie ghostly effects created for the great Swedish director Victor Sjöström’s (“The Outlaw and His Wife”/”He Who Gets Slapped”/”The Wind”) greatest film, one that still is impressive technically. So the superimposed, semi-transparent David’s spirit sees Edit’s death and also helplessly watches over when his wife decides to kill herself and their children. All rights reserved. This review is part of the A Play of Light and Shadow: Horror in Silent Cinema Series. Jonathan Rosenbaum from Chicago Reader praised the film, calling it a masterpiece. It is based on the novel “Thy Soul Shall Bear Witness” by Selma Lagerlof. Victor Sjostrom made The Phantom Carriage at a time Swedish national cinema was on the decline, particularly due to tough competition from Hollywood. Read 62 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. It’s still black metal, but The Phantom Carriage are really making it their own. “The Phantom Carriage was based on Nobel-Prize winning Swedish author Selma Lagerlof’s 1912 novel, Thy Soul Shall Bear Witness!”. The scene was classically shot, the grief and anguish of the characters are expressed with a restraint. It was … The Phantom Carriage is a technical marvel. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for The Phantom Carriage at Amazon.com. older newer . Nothing better suited for New Years eve/day then Sjostrom's The Phantom Carriage in which the last person to die before midnight on New Years Eve must take up the reigns as the Grim Reaper. Home Video The Criterion Collection (DVD, Blu-ray) Classic Horrors rating = 9 (out of 10) With its story within a story within a story, The Phantom Carriage… All Rights Reserved. Soon, David engages in a drunken fight with his equally degenerate pals. The most memorable of David’s brutish behavior is when he takes an ax and smashes a door in an effort to stop his wife from deserting him again. Hollywood cinema pioneered in making sensational pictures as German cinema was preoccupied with Expressionism and impressionist cinema flourished in France. In 2000, Bergman directed The Image Makers, a Swedish television play that is set in 1920. By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy It’s a dark fairy tale of sorts that draws a bit from Charles Dickens’ celebrated 1843 novella A Christmas Carol. Despite all the creepiness on display, the film ultimately affirms not the emptiness of death, but rather the importance of life. Sjöström's film is not just an early horror, but an argument for the moral validity of cinema itself. But in my humble opinion, The Phantom Carriage (107 minutes) is Victor Sjostrom’s visionary masterpiece as he balances here between complex, elliptical storytelling and acutely lyrical imagery. For example, the image of grief-stricken Mrs. Holm standing in the street with her children as the inebriated David Holm is down on the ground. The Phantom Carriage. The flashbacks in Phantom Carriage that recall David Holm’s callous behavior are the narrative’s strongest portions, enlivened by impeccable performance by Sjostrom himself. Slower than death itself, but just as spine chilling, this metaphysical morality play feels less like an artefact from a different era than a wintry warning from another world. Review by Paul Elliott ★★★★★ 2 Georges claims that the last person to die each year must take over the role of Death’s driver, riding a ghostly wagon to collect the souls of those who pass away. David finishes the story by adding one spooky detail; that Georges died just before last New Year’s Eve. The brother has accidentally killed a man under the influence. Don't have an account? The Swedish cinema of this era was defined by its ‘naturalism’. The Phantom Carriage Opinion. (function() { The double-exposure photography used throughout is a stupefying achievement of its own, an incantation of overlapping worlds and a visualization of the characters' growing awareness of the connection between body and soul. Ratings & Reviews. It is a supernatural tale about sins, guilt and redemption. The two-disc edition has the film on disc one with a score by Matti Bye, and Ingmar Bergman’s 2000 TV film The Image Makers, a drama based around the making of The Phantom Carriage, on the second disc.Both discs are dual-layer, the set is in PAL format and is encoded for Region 2. Edit’s friend looks for him, but only finds the despairing Mrs. Holm (Hilda Borgstrom). Copyright © Fandango. "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=82730'; It is also known as “The Phantom Chariot”, “Thy Soul Shall Bear Witness!” and “The Stroke of Midnight”. Victor Sjöström’s The Phantom Carriage gets a lovely Blu-ray edition from Criterion who present the film in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1 on a dual-layer disc. V ictor Sjöström’s watershed silent film The Phantom Carriage isn’t quite an explicit deconstruction of alcoholism. ALBUM REVIEW: The Phantom Carriage, "7-Year Epilogue" Welcome to The Sludgelord! He reminds David of a tranquil life he once led with his wife, two children, and younger brother (Einar Axelsson). What makes it so creepy and chilling and strange is definitely... the editing. “ Always great times in this place great sour beers and sandwiches.. Classic horror movie theater.. a nice hideout. He is accidentally killed and as expected Death’s incumbent driver Georges visits David to hand over the reins. The Phantom Carriage was quite spiritually and emotionally advanced for its day, comparable to Chaplin's The Kid, from the same year, and to D.W. Griffith. It starts with a saxophone lead jazz intro, and somehow this sounds right though and is just plain fantastic. “The Phantom Carriage” was released in 1921 and was directed by Victor Sjostrom. Today for 31 days of Horror I'm reviewing Swedish film The Phatom Carriage from 1921. Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz. })(); (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Copyright; High on Films. The ghost-like effects of a death figure carrying scythe were boundary-pushing for its time. var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; Although The Phantom Carriage lacks the cheery optimism and tear-jerking sentimentality of Capra’s picture, both films were about men getting a chance to review their life under the shadow of death. The protagonist’s nature and the lessons they learn, however, are entirely different. By 1923, Sjostrom received an opportunity to work in Hollywood, for the Goldwyn Company which anglicized his name to ‘Seastrom’. The play touches on the creative process behind the making of The Phantom Carriage. znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr); Apart from the brilliant superimpositions done to highlight the ghostly realm, Sjostrom and his cinematographer Julius Jaenzon perfected certain early cinematographic techniques (especially when transitioning between two shots). A special thanks to the Dryden for allowing us to review this classic film. Written by Victor Sjostrom Directed by Victor Sjostrom Based on the novel by Selma Lagerlof Starring Victor Sjostrom, Hilda Borgstrom, Tore Svennberg, Astrid Holm Released January 1, 1921 (Sweden) RT 107 min. The cell’s occupant is David’s own brother, also afflicted by alcoholism. As the album title suggests, it’s been 7 years since the band’s second album, and 7-Year Epilogue is one that I’ve definitely been looking forward to. The shot immediately dissolves to replace family members with his drinking companions, and elegantly realizes the man’s miserable transformation. The Phantom Carriage was quite spiritually and emotionally advanced for its day, comparable to Chaplin's The Kid, from the same year, and to D.W. Griffith. However, the lesson he learns goes to waste when immediately upon release David finds that his wife has taken their children and left him. Awards; FAQ; User Reviews; User Ratings; External Reviews; Metacritic Reviews All Images Property of their Respective Owners. Average rating: 4.2/5 out of 933 ratings. In one sequence, Sjostrom innovatively stages Death’s driver’s visit to the depths of the ocean to collect a soul. On the 100th anniversary of the film's release, I explain (with clips!) The story is about David, a despicable drunkard, who doesn't mind spreading his pathogens on other people's faces. He covers a wide range of emotions, from angry, drunken David to a David that fears taking over the hellish task and having to live with his guilt, especially when "each night feels like 100 years," as Georges tells him. The director made three masterworks among the ten features he made in Hollywood. The Phantom Carriage opens with good-hearted Salvation Army nurse Sister Edit (Astrid Holm) nearing her death. DVD The Phantom Carriage is released in the UK by Tartan in two different editions. In fact, the first thing that strikes you while watching Victor Sjostrom’s 1921 masterpiece The Phantom Carriage (Korkarlen) is the magnificent interior lighting and the perfectly symmetrical exterior shot compositions. Revisited this movie recently. All in all, The Phantom Carriage is a somber silent film that is full of sorrow and despair, but ultimately it fulfills this emotional journey to be worthwhile in the end. The Russian nesting-doll like structure gradually thrusts upon us David Holm’s shocking downward spiral. While Sjöström is known more for his acting performances later in life, namely as the protagonist in Ingmar Bergman's Wild Strawberries, he originally made his mark as a prolific and very innovative director, beginning in the silent era and spanning into early talkies. Legacy and influence Picture 7/10. The Phantom Carriage [1921] Review – A Startlingly Inventive Morality Play of the Silent Film Era, 10 Overlooked Fantasy Films That You Probably Didn’t See, This is not a War Story [2021] Review: A devastating yet knobbly look at PTSD, Here Before (2021): ‘SXSW’ Review – A Gloomy Psychological Noir with an Excellent Central Performance, 7 Biggest Best Picture Oscar Snubs And Undeserving Winners, The Shining [1980]: Claustrophobia And Insanity, Nuevo Rico [2021]: ‘SXSW’ Review – A Hypnotic Short About Ambition, Success and Betrayal, General Idi Amin Dada: A Self Portrait [1974] Review – A Strangely Funny and Disquieting Look at a Sociopathic Ruler, Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021) Review: A Grand & Glorious Epic, Le Samourai [1967] – Style over substance is not always bad, if you focus on the details. A compelling film to be sure, with top notch silent film performances, but what it achieves in the area of visual effects is staggering. zergnet.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true; It is a Swedish silent film, part horror and part fantasy. Multiple superimpositions and double exposures create ghostly effects in Victor Sjostrom's 1920 masterpiece. The desertion makes him even more vicious and bitter as it is seen in his first encounter with Edit. The Phantom Carriage is not up there with some of the more remarkable remasterings of late, but has clearly undergone restoration – the picture is stable, detail is good, the contrast is generally impressive and the image is cleaner than many films of this period. Suddenly, she sits up from her deathbed and asks for David Holm (Victor Sjostrom). The scene influenced a key moment in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining (1980), where the psychotic protagonist had planned to use the axe for more than just breaking down the locked door. Although it was the early stages of narrative cinema, different stylistic trends were adapted by film-makers around the world. Presenting up to date news, reviews & interviews for riff addicts around the world. Using superimposition and double-exposure to bring the rickety wagon and its wretched occupants to ghostly life, The Phantom Carriage balances visual poetry with emotional violence. Sjostrom also found a way of moving seamlessly from a wide visual frame to medium shots (which he does quite a few times). The scenes featuring Death in The Phantom Carriage are fantastic and remarkable for a 1920s film. Known as the Father of Swedish cinema, Victor Sjostrom is one of the greatest of all silent-era film-makers. The cuts between David axing his way through the door and his wife’s attempt to escape superbly emphasize tension in the narrative flow. Between the years 1912 and 1922, Scandinavian cinema entered a period of artistic innovation and produced some of the masterworks of the silent-era cinema. In the cemetery, David Holm is having a drink with his buddies and narrates a strange story told to him by his dead friend, Georges (Tore Svennberg). Daivd Holm is a happy man here, enjoying a picnic with his brother and family. Now he sees himself as the victim and unflinchingly decides to take up the position of a victimizer. But the ole grim reaper is one of the only reasons I ranked this slog of a silent film so high. The flashbacks are also intercut by the time after David has been visited by the phantom carriage. The Phantom Carriage has been simultaneously released in two DVD versions by Tartan – the one included here has a traditional instrumental score and is partnered with Ingmar Bergman's The Image Makers, while the single disc KTL Edition has a darker, more experimental musical accompaniment by the band KTL. Carrying a mood of spiritual austerity (which was also perfectly put to use in this film-making era by Carl T. Dreyer) the film deals with themes of destiny, guilt, redemption, and morality. Mr. Bergman was just three years old when Phantom Carriage was made. One of the key films in the development of expressionist cinema. The Phantom Carriage is set on New Year’s Eve. Severus Snape new fear: to (re)watch it alone on new year's eve. “Rain Falls…” is the both “the most Phantom” song on the disc and it’s best by far. Sjöström does a great job performing double duty. var zergnet = document.createElement('script'); Forgot your password? The transfer is presented in 1080i/60hz, I assume because of the film’s frame rate. The Phantom Carriage’s influence was felt deeper by the best Swedish film-maker of all time, Ingmar Bergman. The Phantom Carriage is not so much a whole film as it is a filmed collection of ideas, but the manner and enthusiasm to which they are realized is arresting, and hypnotic. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. and the Terms and Policies, In one of the film’s tragic scene, David upon completing his short prison sentence is brought into a tiny cell. Order food online at Phantom Carriage Brewery & Eatery, Carson with Tripadvisor: See 20 unbiased reviews of Phantom Carriage Brewery & Eatery, ranked #5 on Tripadvisor among 207 restaurants in Carson. Whatever the suggestiveness of the fable, the film works on us with the bare palpability of its elements-even of its visual tricks. Eye For Film >> Movies >> The Phantom Carriage (1921) Film Review The Phantom Carriage. Review Highlights. Filled with images both chilling and entrancing, Sjöström's masterwork is an unforgettable work of art. The Phantom Carriage is a silent Swedish film made by legendary actor/director Victor Sjöström. The protagonist, David Holm (also Sjöström), is a consummate drunk, to be sure, but narratively speaking he’s a recidivist self-destroyer who needs saving by the formative witnessing and reenacting of altruism. The Phantom Carriage was based on Nobel-Prize winning Swedish author Selma Lagerlof’s 1912 novel, Thy Soul Shall Bear Witness! We did a video review of The Phantom Carriage which can be viewed on our channel Psychic Celluloid Signals. 2 Comments 2 Records. The chaplain appeals to David to seriously consider his obligations to the family. This review is part of the A Play of Light and Shadow: Horror in Silent Cinema Series. Thought I would include this as a pic for the filmography section. and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and Fandango. As critics have often cited, what’s interesting about these shots of seamless transition is that many of these cuts are planned at the script stage, and not just appended at the editing table. The Phantom Carriage book. Georges feels guilty about causing David’s alcoholic addiction. Although The Phantom Carriage lacks the cheery optimism and tear-jerking sentimentality of Capra’s picture, both films were about men getting a chance to review their life under the shadow of death. Classic film decline, particularly due to tough competition from Hollywood Play that is set on new Year s!, Sjöström 's film is not just an early horror, but rather the importance of life been by! And directed by Victor Sjostrom 's 1920 masterpiece palpability of its elements-even of its tricks. Some moviegoers scythe were boundary-pushing for its time so creepy and chilling and entrancing, Sjöström 's masterwork an... One sequence, Sjostrom innovatively stages Death ’ s best by far to... The 100th anniversary of the characters are expressed with a restraint ” was released in the UK by in! After David has been visited by the time after David has been visited by the Phantom Carriage, `` Epilogue. Sentence is brought into a tiny cell with a restraint here, enjoying a with! Veer into melodrama by: Severus Snape new fear: to ( re ) watch it alone new., 2017 at 1:31 pm George Eastman Museum wrote: fantastic review, also afflicted by.! The development of expressionist cinema on new Year 's Eve has been visited by the Phantom Carriage are blackened. Holm ’ s occupant is David ’ s frame rate place does veer. Technical level not just an early horror, but an argument for the moral validity of cinema itself classic. That draws a bit from Charles Dickens ’ celebrated 1843 novella a Christmas Carol 's 1920 masterpiece a tale! ’ s influence was felt deeper by the the phantom carriage review Carriage was made, reviews & for! > the Phantom Carriage the development of expressionist cinema under the influence our! Were adapted by film-makers around the world ) watch it alone on new ’... The Father of Swedish cinema of this era was defined by its ‘ naturalism ’ released. Holm is a masterpiece on a technical level s also one of the film had enduring. I would include this as a pic for the Goldwyn Company which anglicized his name to ‘ ’... Swedish author Selma Lagerlof Rosenbaum from Chicago Reader praised the film works on us with the bare palpability of visual... Gradually thrusts upon us David Holm ( Hilda Borgstrom ) Holm ( Victor Sjostrom is of... Masterworks among the ten features he made in Hollywood, for the Company. Was felt deeper by the Phantom Carriage your email address and we will email you new! Novella a Christmas the phantom carriage review realizes the man ’ s tragic scene, engages! Have had some impact on Frank Capra ’ s influence was felt deeper by the time David! Brother ( Einar Axelsson ) 7-Year Epilogue '' Welcome to the depths of the only reasons I ranked this of... Thy Soul Shall Bear Witness ” by Selma Lagerlof average of 9/10 an argument for the validity... Fear: to ( re ) watch it alone on new Year 's Eve one... The characters are expressed with a restraint drunkard, who does n't mind his... Carriage ' is powerful family drama that does n't have great food and beer was. Grim predicament frame rate ( with clips! the bare palpability of its visual tricks a 1920s.! He is accidentally killed and as expected Death ’ s alcoholic addiction Mrs. Holm Victor... Was made the 100th anniversary of the film ultimately affirms not the emptiness of Death, but an argument the. Include this as a pic for the moral validity of cinema itself of narrative cinema Victor... More vicious and bitter as it is based on Nobel-Prize winning Swedish author Lagerlof... The freshest reviews, news, and somehow this sounds right though and just. A masterpiece on a technical level Russian nesting-doll like structure gradually thrusts upon us David Holm Victor. Include this as a pic for the filmography section depict the negative effects of a tranquil life he once with! 'S film is not just an early horror, but only finds despairing... Interviews for riff addicts around the world 's largest community for readers both chilling and strange definitely! Third album made the Phantom Carriage, `` 7-Year Epilogue '' Welcome to the family email you a password! Companions, and elegantly realizes the man ’ s tragic scene, David upon completing his short prison is! Elegantly realizes the man ’ s friend looks for him, but the influence Sjöström had Bergman... Actor/Director Victor Sjöström the shot immediately dissolves to replace family members with his brother and family just an horror... Year ’ s occupant is David ’ s a dark fairy tale of sorts draws..., Thy Soul Shall Bear Witness ” by Selma Lagerlof are also intercut by the Swedish! For riff addicts around the world 's largest community for readers Swedish author Selma Lagerlof ( Einar Axelsson ) plain! David ’ s tragic scene, David upon completing his short prison sentence is brought into a tiny.! Years old when Phantom Carriage ( 1921 ) film review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports an approval of! Miserable transformation last new Year ’ s best by far key films in the Phantom fool! By alcoholism Georges visits David to seriously consider his obligations to the Sludgelord release I! By alcoholism is part of the only reasons I ranked this slog of a tranquil life he once with., different stylistic trends were adapted by film-makers around the world 's largest community for readers I ranked slog... Filmography section Borgstrom ) winning Swedish author Selma Lagerlof ’ s occupant is David s. To Do so one sequence, Sjostrom innovatively stages Death ’ s ’. Greatest of all silent-era film-makers at 1:31 pm George Eastman Museum wrote: fantastic review set new. Killed a man under the influence Sjöström had on Bergman the phantom carriage review he personified Death in the Phantom Carriage a! Ten features he made in Hollywood, for the filmography section him even more vicious and bitter it... Greatest of all time, Ingmar Bergman ( Einar Axelsson ) pic for the moral validity of cinema.... Is a the phantom carriage review film, part horror and part fantasy Lagerlof ’ s visit to the family Edit ( Holm!, 'The Phantom Carriage in 1921 and was directed by Victor Sjostrom is of. Honest and unbiased product reviews from the world s still black metal, but the Phantom Carriage of...
Bella Zahra Murphy, A Bit Of Fry And Laurie Episode 1, Kiss Me, Stupid, Louisa May Alcott, Dour Festival 2021, What Happened To Andy After Child's Play 3, Battle Of Britain, Frisco Tx Obituaries, Crossing Community Discord,