FAUST/Austin Film Society

Continuing with the European Escaping Filmmakers at the Alamo this evening we had the good fortune to see Murnau's FAUST.  A silent film from 1925 Germany with heavy dramatic performances.  Good vs. evil, an archangel vs. the devil, and a young woman being punished brutally for having loved.  Scenes of her clutching her baby through a blizzard and being denied help are heartbreaking.  While I'm not a lover of silent films (no I don't think THE ARTIST is the best picture of the year) I must admit I was surprised by how engaging this film was.  Coming home to Chale Nafus' notes (almost 5 pages tonight) is always fun and so informative..  The information and analysis he provides about the lives of the directors, their childhoods, their travels, their lovers, their performances on the sets always helps me to rethink the film.  And perhaps to understand the film better.  And then there's always Abe to answer questions about what we just saw.  In this case "three heads are better than one."