tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4200832832545654418.post4360979953926925594..comments2023-07-31T04:35:02.260-04:00Comments on Cavalcade of Perversions: The UnknownJennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13299640716799276127noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4200832832545654418.post-75463447821068775402010-11-17T08:22:38.880-05:002010-11-17T08:22:38.880-05:00I have never seen this film...but lo! I have a box...I have never seen this film...but lo! I have a boxed set of three Chaney films still wrapped in plastic and one of them is... The Unknown. It's a cold miserable day today in the north of Scotland so maybe I will watch it today. <br /><br />The castration thing is very interesting, it seems to me he castrates himeslf by having his arms removed. Also brings up memories of Boxing Helena...Toasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07468007158424969757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4200832832545654418.post-16752052248499467372009-11-29T16:06:21.729-05:002009-11-29T16:06:21.729-05:00Hi Jenn -- first off, thank you for your kind word...Hi Jenn -- first off, thank you for your kind words regarding my review of Frankenstein (1931). My review of Bride of Frankenstein will be up within the next two hours. I do intend to look at the tabula rasa/nature vs nurture idea a bit more, along with addressing some other elements that come up.<br /><br />I've been meaning to watch this film for some time now, it's just been a matter of getting my grubby oversized paws on a copy. Your analysis is an absolute joy to read, and the sort of thing I'm trying more and more for in my own reviews. Thanks for the inspiration!Billhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04427050476965801867noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4200832832545654418.post-41711016962876651592009-11-13T12:41:34.090-05:002009-11-13T12:41:34.090-05:00@Aaron (and Jenn)--I don't think Browning woul...@Aaron (and Jenn)--I don't think Browning would necessarily have to have been consciously incorporating Freud into his pictures--really, so much of his carnival-centered weirdnesses (which come from his life experience, of course--I know thanks to the excellent book about him by David J. Skal) seem to come straight from the barely-sublimated subconscious, it seems more likely to me he just gravitated to these types of images because of his own peculiar bent, and not necessarily because he wanted to incorporate Freud into his movies, etc. <br /><br />And I'm not a psychologist, but call it castration anxiety or what have you, it does seem a potent body-horror thing to think of losing one's arms, one's hands, one's ways of interacting with the world. It could speak to the feared or actual powerlessness of the outsider in the face of normal society, even independent of cock-related theories. ;)<br /><br />As to the rest of Chaney's body of work, I've got a $1 dvd of "Shadows" at home I've yet to watch, in which he plays an evil Chinaman who converts to Christianity, or something. I'm sure it's racist and preachy, but am betting Chaney makes it worth watching anyway.The Vicar of VHShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06832137990485130735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4200832832545654418.post-45522556464800398142009-11-13T11:51:15.616-05:002009-11-13T11:51:15.616-05:00@Aaron. I'm suggesting the latter. I think Bro...@Aaron. I'm suggesting the latter. I think Browning had a castration thing. It's quite overt. He was likely familiar with Freud's work, too, which I also find fascinating, give the time period when Browning and Chaney were working. You think jazz-age and good times and then you've got these films coming out dealing with castration anxiety and relentless sexual frustration. But hey, sex sells, no matter what the context, huh?<br /><br />@Scott. Oh man, you're right, you can actually HEAR Chaney, especially when he finds out that Nanon is going to marry Malabar. His expressions are priceless and beautiful, despite the fact that he's a despicable individual. But you root for him anyway. I want to cry out - Don't get amputated! She doesn't love you like you love her! I want to save him from this, even though he's a murderer and a thief! It's a tour de force, and I mean that sincerely. <br /><br />Joan Crawford is wonderful (and sexy) in this as well and I believe she was quoted saying that working with Chaney was both 'traumatic and delightful'. I love that! <br /><br />@Phantom. Thank you, my dear, and that sounds like a marvelous triple bill. Too bad most of Chaney's oeuvre is lost - I would love to see more! Is THE PENALTY lost? I would love to get a glimpse of that! Kind of the lower torso version of THE UNKNOWN. <br /><br />And I don't know about the castration complex personally, not having anything to castrate, so you tell me :PJennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13299640716799276127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4200832832545654418.post-25588063569661517922009-11-13T10:40:38.451-05:002009-11-13T10:40:38.451-05:00Jenn, you're a dish for watching this film twi...Jenn, you're a dish for watching this film twice and singing its praises with such literary finesse. THE UNKNOWN is one of my favorite films of all time, and I use to put on triple Browning bills (at home) that included UNHOLY THREE, UNKNOWN, and FREAKS.<br /><br />Browning had an amazing about to unearth the deep tragedy of Outsider lives, and deep humanity.<br /><br />I would like to know what it means when a director fella features castration (literal and symbolic) in a large percentage of his work because I featured it twice myself in my film DEFENCELESS. Sheesh!<br /><br />Lots of love here for your cinematic excursions.Phantom of Pulphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03684169251989469824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4200832832545654418.post-66722631815499980592009-11-13T09:26:17.362-05:002009-11-13T09:26:17.362-05:00I love this movie, Jenn, and love your write-up so...I love this movie, Jenn, and love your write-up so much I'm willing to forgive the continued, totally undeserved swipes at my man Creighton. ;) <br /><br />I was totally blown away the first time I watched this movie. It's really hard for modern viewers to get into the somewhat different mindset you need to watch silent movies a lot of times, but this one just pulled me right in with all its weirdness, convoluted plotting, and of course the amazing performance by Chaney. I mean, when you think about it, Alonso is really a completely horrible person, a liar and a cheat and a murderer and a thief, and pretty much remorseless about all that. The only redemptive quality is his hopeless, star-crossed love for Nanon, but somehow Chaney makes that enough. I mean, we can all identify with feeling like a freak in front of someone we're in love with who only sees us as a friend, and only pays attention to us when we're tossing knives at her. Right? :)<br /><br />The scene you mention where Chaney comes back from his operation and discovers he's done it all for nothing is really the scene everyone should watch to see what all the fuss is about over Chaney's acting ability. I mean, he's made a gesture of love so extreme, so irreversible, it's really more than almost anyone would do for their loved one, no matter how steeped in romance--and of course she has no idea or appreciation of it. But the scene! Chaney in medium shot, starting out laughing at the black absurdity of it, laughing and laughing and laughing...the camera stays on him as you watch the laughter go maniacal, and then dissolve into hopeless, heartbroken tears at what he's lost, both personally and romantically...I swear to god, you can almost HEAR him. The acting's that good. Amazing stuff.<br /><br />And I too was on the edge of my seat with that wild ending!<br /><br />Brilliant movie, and I was so glad TCM brought it out on DVD. Wish they could do the same with the rest of Chaney's surviving flicks. I know I'd buy them.<br /><br />Also: a very young Joan Crawford in this, who is absolutely DISTRACTINGLY HAWT. Beat me with your wire hangers, baby! ;)The Vicar of VHShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06832137990485130735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4200832832545654418.post-34942694869908023532009-11-13T04:40:20.196-05:002009-11-13T04:40:20.196-05:00Jenn, this movie sounds great. I love movies that ...Jenn, this movie sounds great. I love movies that are full of irony. But a castration complex? Really? I didn't go to grad school, so (get) bare with me... are you suggesting that Alonzo pretended to be armless because he was ashamed of his siamese thumb? Or are you just suggesting that Browning used aspects of the castration complex and incorporated them into his stories? I dunno, maybe I misinterpreted what you were trying to get at.<br /><br />As far as Nanon, it's pretty obvious that she has issues and I'm glad you brought that up, but maybe Browning was sort of using her character to mock women because maybe HE had some issues with women (or a particular woman). Nanon could have been a commentary on that. I mean, she leads Alonzo on and makes him believe one thing, and then she turns around and does something completely different, completely shitting on his loyalty to her in the process. Hmmm....Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06245967954300151039noreply@blogger.com