Product Description Serial films, or Ciné Romans were well-established in France before World War I, where they are most closely identified with writer-director Louis Feuillade. At Albatros, Russian émigré producer Joseph Ermolieff produced three serials in 1921, all adapted from roman-feuilletons by the phenomenally successful Jules Mary. The first two serials have not left a trace in the annals of film archives. But the House of Mystery (La Maison du mystFre), Ermolieff's third serial, (begun in the summer of 1921 and not completed until 1923) by Alexandre Volkoff (with fellow studio director Viatcheslav Tourjansky providing some important and uncredited second-unit work), is a triumph of the genre and a complete delight that not only survived, but also was restored in it's original ten-episode format by the Cinematheque Francaise. Review Congratulations to Flicker Alley for the well-deserved DVD award from Bologna. The House of Mystery was shown there complete in 2002, and an audience unaccustomed to serials (or series) turned up regularly at 9 am every morning, absolutely riveted by the drama. I was there, and was as impressed as everyone else. Several people told me it was one of the finest silent films they had ever seen. I got so involved in the story I gave up writing extensive notes and just scribbled 'Superb!' as each episode came to end. Russian emigres were behind this project, many of whom would work on Abel Gance's Napoleon a few years later; Alexandre Volkoff directed it -- beautifully. His use of silhouettes was as surprising as it was exquisite. But surprises are the trademark of this marvellous production. The usually intense Ivan Mosjoukine (Gance's first choice for the title role of Napoleon) plays at times in Douglas Fairbanks style, leaping like a gazelle when he gets permission to marry. He follows the Fairbanks tradition, too, in performing risky stunts. The whole thing conveyed the joy of film-making and I am so glad it is now on DVD. Flicker Alley have proved themselves among the most enterprising and reliable companies and silent film enthusiasts will long be grateful to them. --Kevin Brownlow, film historian
B**R
This is a must see for silent film buffs
Cannot recommend this highly enough. Thank you, Amazon, for alerting me about this silent, serial film. The star was a well-known actor in Europe. I have seen some of his other films, including "Edward Kean", which were wonderful, but did not know about this one or even the genre...serial, silent films that were popular in France during the 1920s. The story, an Othello-like saga, shows what happens to a good man because his close friend and business associate is jealous of the love a young woman has for Mosjoukine's character.One of the most interesting aspects of the film is the depiction of changes pre- and post- WW1, as these changes were understood during the 1920s . One aspect is the way that technological changes are depicted. These include still, film photography [ which replaced daguerrotypes and glass plates] and trains. Photography is part of a major plot element. Do not wish to give this away so I'm being brief here. There is also a scene in which police on horseback chase escaped convicts on a train...and the train wins. Anyway, it is an interesting feature of the film.The craftsmanship of this film, in all regards, including the restoration, is simply breathtaking. The story is as good as any Charles Dickens' tale with all of the changes in fortune and surprise sub-plots one can imagine. Never lost my interest for a moment. The first episode is actually the slowest moving but once the story is set, it is gripping.The star and the production team were almost entirely the top theatrical talent of Russia prior to the revolution. There is even a you tube video available online of an early silent comedy that Mosjoukine made in Russia, which is fascinating because it shows how middle class pre-revolutionary Russia actually was. If you find it, pay particular attention to the sets and costumes. They look positively Victorian. They also appear to have been done in a studio as opposed to outdoors with open sets using daylight, which was common in the US during the pre-1918 silent era.
M**S
EXCELLENT SERVICE!
AN IMPORTANT PRODUCT OF THE RUSSIAN EMIGRES IN FRANCE! AN EXCELLENT FILM!
H**N
& she got bored. I didn't feel the need to continue on ...
My wife & I started looking at this together, & she got bored. I didn't feel the need to continue on by myself, though I plan to start over again sometime & try again.
A**U
Four Stars
Entertaining and quite imaginatively filmed silent serial. A real find.
L**S
Perfection.
The best of the best in DVD quality. Amazing release by Flicker Alley. Pure Silent Serial bliss.
C**N
Remarkable Restoration Of A Remarkable Serial.
Until not that long ago, I was totally unfamiliar with Ivan Mosjoukine and this despite the fact that I have been a fan of silent films for many years. I even feature courses on them at the local university but as more silent films are discovered in archives and with new restoration techniques available the list of unknown and/or previously unavailable films keeps growing. Last year I saw and reviewed Flicker Alley's FRENCH MASTERWORKS set which focused on the work of Russian emigres in Paris in the 1920s. This is where I became acquainted with Mosjoukine as he was prominently involved with 3 films in that set.I have long been a fan of the silent serial especially those of French director Louis Feuillade. His FANTOMAS, JUDEX, and especially LES VAMPIRES set the template for others to follow. These and such German offerings as THE SPIDERS are concerned with master criminals, vast organizations devoted to crime and fearless crime fighters determined to bring them to an end. Pure escapism for a growing cinema audience trying to escape the horrors of World War I. HOUSE OF MYSTERY (1921-23) is different. It takes the structure of the serial and imposes a deeper, more dramatic, and more personal element into the storyline.On the surface the story borrows heavily from THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO. Man is wrongfully accused of crime and unjustly convicted. He is sent to a penal colony where he escapes and is presumed dead. He returns in disguise to bring the true culprit to justice. Director Alexandre Volkoff and star and co-writer Ivan Mosjoukine take this basic plotline and add the serial tropes of multiple disguises, complicated plot developments and an extended chase sequence. The film is also divided into 10 chapters and runs 6 1/2 hours! Of course no one was meant to sit through all 10 chapters at once. It took me 4 days (3 chapters a day and the bonus features last).Now that I've seen it all, I was very impressed. The cinematography (by 3 cameramen) is stunning. The silhouette wedding recalls the work of Maurice Tourneur. The performances for most of the time are restrained and heartfelt, and the storyline based on a book rather than a magazine or newspaper publication has a lot more depth. The locations are memorable and the actions of the characters believable. Having said all that, I must confess that I enjoyed the serials of Feuillade more than THE HOUSE OF MYSTERY (an inappropriate title). The protracted nature of the serial format seemed at odds with the more restrained aspects of the storyline. It made me want to see the condensed version.Although Ivan Mosjoukine is clearly the star as he gets to wear a number of disguises and adopt different physical characteristics for each, the film belongs to villain Charles Vanel (WAGES OF FEAR) whose steady underplaying anchors the film and helps to keep it from going too far afield. The supporting character of Rudeberg the amateur photographer as played by Nicolas Koline is also key to the proceedings (his scruffy appearance is unforgettable). The restoration work on HOUSE OF MYSTERY is exemplary. The images look great and Neil Brand's piano score does yeoman work without ever becoming tiresome. The movie is quite remarkable and should be seen by every silent film enthusiast. How often is up to them.
B**G
Five Stars
Great
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