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| Napoleon
Year: 1929
Directed:
- Abel Gance
Actors/Actresses:
- Albert Dieudonné
Detailed history of Abel Gance's film masterpiece "Napoleon"
British film preservationist and historian Kevin Brownlow's detailed history of Abel Gance's "Napoleon". Covers Brownlow's initial interest the film at an early age, and his 25 year quest to reconstruct it. Offers a detailed history of the production of the film, its many versions as produced by Gance, and the films triumphant return at Radio City in 1981. An essential book in the history of film. Lots of detailed information about Abel Gance available nowhere else.
Napoleon
I just want to comment upon one of the reviewers objecting Abel Gance's Napoleon masterpiece tells only about the young Napoleon and his achievements during the Revolution, the picture ending with the 1796-97 Italian campaign, without references to Austerlitz, the Empire, Russia, Waterloo, etc.<BR>This fact is not related with censorship; it is due to the conditions of the production of the movie. Initially Gance planned six films shot altogether (like Lord of the Rings to-day) focused about "peaks" of the Napoleaon saga : Revolution, Egypt, Austerlitz, the rise of the Empire, the Russian campaign, Saint Helen. The production of episod 1 fastly exceeded in terms of length (six hours) and budget the whole initial six episods. New producers came in. They subordinated their taking the picture over to Abel Gance finishing just the first episod that was completed in 1927. After a very successful premiere the film was a flop, chiefly because the theaters were reluctant investing in the triple screen. Then in 1928-29 cinema began to talk, and such epics became affordable only in Hollywood (or USSR). Nevertheless Gance managed to shoot the second episod "Austerlitz" in color and sound in 1960 (Pierre Mondy playing Napoleon with the most famous French actors of the time). It was moderately successful and not convincing at all, Gance's magic touch was gone.
Perhaps the most ambitious film ever made...
Abel Gance's Napoleon is a triumph of style, technique, and inspired performances from the lead to the extras in the crowd scenes.
The original plan was to create six films highlighting all of Napoleon's life. But Gance spent the entire budget on this one and it really shows.
From the opening scene depicting a snowball fight, I was immediately impressed with the sheer number of techniques Gance used to make it more enegetic. From "Russian montage" (rapid edits at a blinding speed) to mounting the camera on snow sleds, boats, and even a horse to put the viewer in the middle of the action. Gance also invented the idea of widescreen by mounting three cameras on one tripod.
Perhaps the single finest scene in the film has the intercutting of Napoleon in a small boat at sea fighting through a typhoon as the French parliment is falling apart (with the camera attached to a pendulum to simulate the ocean waves). Few scenes pack so much incredable energy as this one.
I was also very impressed with Albert Dieudonne's performance as Napoleon. He seems to channel the spirit of Napoleon himself through his eyes. And the film goes to great lengths establishing the future emperor as a man of destiny. All this, in spite of the fact that Dieudonne is clearly too old to play the young (20 or so) Napoleon.
It's a shame that this film still isn't on DVD.
If you're a lover of films, this is a must-have for your collection. The four-hour length of the movie may seem daunting, but it can be watched in 2 two hour viewings.
Buy Napoleon at Amazon.com
Buy posters at Allposters.com
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