Gerald Fox's documentary Kinaesthesia explores silent cinema's pioneering dream sequences
Gerald Fox's documentary, Kinaesthesia, has premiered in UK theaters, delving into the 'oneiric style' prominent in silent films. This release commemorates the 100th anniversary of three significant dream-themed movies: Menilmontant by Dmitry Kirsanoff, A Page of Madness by Teinosuke Kinugasa, and Fritz Lang's Metropolis. Drawing inspiration from Vlada Petrić's essay Film & Dreams, the documentary incorporates archival footage from filmmakers such as FW Murnau and Sergei Eisenstein, showcasing techniques like montage and point-of-view shots. It emphasizes five notable sequences: The Last Laugh (1924) by Murnau, The General Line (1929) by Eisenstein, Metropolis (1927) by Lang, Napoleon (1927) by Gance, and Sherlock Jr (1924) by Keaton. Fox contends that these methods shaped future filmmakers and highlights the transformation of film into a dream-like medium.
Key facts
- Gerald Fox directed the documentary Kinaesthesia, released in UK cinemas.
- Kinaesthesia marks the centenary of Menilmontant, A Page of Madness, and Metropolis.
- The film is based on Vlada Petrić's essay Film & Dreams.
- Silent-era filmmakers used techniques like montage and point-of-view to depict dreams.
- Five dream sequences are highlighted: from The Last Laugh, The General Line, Metropolis, Napoleon, and Sherlock Jr.
- Directors included FW Murnau, Sergei Eisenstein, Grigori Aleksandrov, Fritz Lang, Abel Gance, and Buster Keaton.
- Fox notes influences on later filmmakers like Fellini, Bergman, Buñuel, and Lynch.
- The documentary explores the 'oneiric style' as an experimental language of psychological subjectivity.
Entities
Artists
- Gerald Fox
- Vlada Petrić
- Luis Buñuel
- Dmitry Kirsanoff
- Teinosuke Kinugasa
- Fritz Lang
- FW Murnau
- Ingmar Bergman
- David Lynch
- Sergei Eisenstein
- Grigori Aleksandrov
- Abel Gance
- Buster Keaton
- Federico Fellini
- Ridley Scott
- René Clair
- Jean Renoir
Institutions
- Harvard
- Another Magazine
Locations
- UK
- United Kingdom