Waxworks
The new Kino release makes this once hard to come by film a little more accessible. Plus, their restored print features some snappy visuals, including the film’s original mono-color tinting! (Although the English language title cards have a little bit of clipping around the edges, this is probably still the best-looking copy of the film currently available.)
If you’ve ever watched a silent expressionist film before, you pretty much know what to expect. Otherworldly abstract sets, costumes and acting are all standard issue. For added enjoyment, the cast features such favorites as Conrad Veight and Werner Krauss, both of ‘Cabinet of Dr. Caligari’ fame.
The first segment is a light hearted little romp through what German expressionists of the 1920’s thought Baghdad might have been like in the middle ages. Despite such themes as regicide and infidelity cropping up, the whole segment is rather cute.
The second segment, which features a little skit based on the reign of Ivan the Terrible, is not so much with the light-hearted. (It is however, just as goofy, historically speaking.)
Unfortunately, both of the previous segments have rather hefty running times. This leaves only a few brief moments in which to enjoy film’s best segment. An addendum to the framing device, rather than a proper piece of the movie, the final segment features the wax figure of Jack the Ripper springing to life and stalking the main players through a nightmarish hell-scape.
Despite its giving ol’ Jack the short end of the stick, Waxworks remains a creative and enjoyable bit of cinema. That is, if you have a taste for very, very old film.
8.0
10/17/05