Tonight's movie was "Spies" (1928) by Fritz Lang. Yet another Silent film, and the last one, of the dvds I bought at Christmastime. Lang is the cinematic giant who made the groundbreaking sci-fi epic "Metropolis". He also made one of my favorite "weird" movies, "The Testament Of Dr. Mabuse". That one is a sound movie from 1932. Lang worked in both eras successfully. "Spies" came after his first "Mabuse" movie, "Dr. Mabuse The Gambler" (a Silent), in which he first explored the idea of a singular criminal mastermind who aims to take over the world, and who has at his disposal every kind of technological advantage imaginable. The Master Criminal is stateless, which is to say that in the movie he is not identified with any country or party. He seems to be a power hungry lone wolf who wants to cause anarchy.
This was a theme of Fritz Lang in the "Mabuse" movies, and also in the lesser known "Spies", which I had never heard of until Amazon recommended it to me a few months ago. That Amazon sure knows it's movies, and "Spies" is really good. It has a Master Criminal played by Rudolf Klein-Rogge, who also played the master criminal Dr. Mabuse, so he knows what he's doing in that regard. He is spectacularly evil. :)
The plot is spy vs. spy in the classic espionage mold. Reviewers say that "Spies" was a prototype for the James Bond films, and that may be so. The main spy for the "Good Guys" is very dashing and works for an organisation called the Secret Service. Like 007, he is identified by a number. And like Bond (James Bond), he is a romancer of women, but unlike Mr. Bond, he really means it. In the movie he falls in love with a beautiful enemy spy who he is expected to bring down. She likewise, working for Rudolf Klein-Rogge , Mr Evil, is expected by him to kill the Good Guy Bond Character. But she falls for him too.
In the James Bond series, there is always a romance, but it is throwaway. Bond uses women to get at the Bad Guy, and they are dispensed with in the plot, even if he winds up in the sack with them at the end of the movie. In Bond Movies, it's all about Suave sexuality, which was a 1960s update on the spy thriller first portrayed in 1928 in "Spies". In short, in the Bond movies, though there is romance, it is based on a power trip, and whatever romance there is takes a back seat to the fight against the Bad Guy.
But the formula in "Spies" is the opposite. While there is plenty of intrigue, much of the first 90 minutes of the 143 minute movie is spent building the romantic drama between the male and female enemy spies. Unfortunately - and you know me, that I am always up for a good romance in a movie - in this case the director Lang takes so much time developing this part of the story that you, meaning me, find yourself shifting a little bit in your chair, thinking "okay, but when is the spy movie gonna start"?
"Spies" is too long. That's the problem. It runs two hours and twenty three minutes when it should be at least a half hour shorter. In fact, there is an "American" version that is only 90 minutes, which might be about right. But then, if it was truncated by American producers who simply bought the rights to the film, then who knows how they might have butchered it, so I am glad I saw the overlong original version, even if it did need to be much shorter.
Still, I give "Spies" a Thumbs Up. It's worth it just for Rudolf Klein-Rogge, and the other actors too. And in the final 35 minutes, things really heat up and the plot builds to a slam-bangin' conclusion. So it is a very good film. It just could have been better had it been shorter, or tighter.
In comparison, "Diary Of A Lost Girl", reviewed last night, was almost two hours long. But it never lagged for a second. Directors and screenwriters really need to know, more than anything, how to tighten a movie - and keep tightening - until not a second is wasted.
Having said all of that, see "Spies" anyway. It is a great companion piece to the "Mabuse" films and the idea of the megalomaniacal Master Criminal.
The best news of all is that these movies have opened me up to a whole new cinematic world of Silent film. I am not entirely new to Silents, I had bought a few movies - famous "epics" mostly - in past years, and I enjoyed watching them, but it was always a one-time experience. Even if I loved the movie in question, I never went "man, I've gotta watch more Silents". It just never sunk in until now, and I think it did this time because we had that whole semester at CSUN of watching Buster Keaton, whose movies were mostly Silent, and then I bought all of the Louise Brooks movies and Fritz Lang and "Les Vampires", all of which I not only enjoyed very much, but which I was acclimated to before I watched them. This time I was ready for a string of Silent movies, and what I have found is that, when a Silent movie is good, it's as good and as enjoyable as any sound movie. But it's a different art form, a different kind of cinema, and because it's different, and because I am only just starting to explore the Silent era, I have a whole new treasure trove of movies to seek out. Oh boy! :)
SB, will you watch Silent Movies with me? :):)
Here is a cool detail from "Spies": The female spy who works for Rudolf Klein-Rogge is named "Sonya Baranilkowa". But in the movie, when she writes messages to headquarters, she signs them "SB".
Pretty cool, eh? :):)
That's basically all I know for tonight. I am happy because King's X just announced a show at The Canyon at the end of April. Haven't seen them in a while, so I am stoked, and The Canyon is always a great venue. KX will be playing on April 28th, and six days prior to that I will be seeing Judas Freaking Priest (yes, they lengthened their name) at Microsoft Center on April 22nd, so that is pretty cool too.
Also, Elton John has announced his final tour and tickets will be going on sale for his final Los Angeles shows at Staples Center. I don't love Staples Center, it's like a giant cavern, but I have never seen Elton and I feel like I have got to see him. He was the king of 1970s pop, and has so many great songs. At his best, Elton was as great as The Beatles but in a different way. So I really wanna go. Tickets go on sale on Friday. It's gonna cost a million bucks and scalpers are gonna buy all the tickets.
But I still wanna go, but I don't wanna go by myself, because Elton, of all acts, is a romantic concert. Not something to go to by yourself.
Wanna go with me, SB?
See you in the morning. xoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
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