The Unknown 1927 is a silent film about a criminal who disguises himself as an armless knife-thrower in a traveling circus. He falls in love with a young woman who is afraid of men’s hands. The movie features strong performances by Lon Chaney and Joan Crawford, and showcases themes of deception, desire, and the consequences of one’s actions. With stunning visuals and an unforgettable climax, The Unknown 1927 is a masterpiece of its time.
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Review
As we enter the world of horror movies, little do we know what to expect. Some make us set our bar too high, only to leave us disappointed, while some movies just come out of nowhere and take us by surprise. One such example is the 1927 silent horror classic movie “The Unknown”. It is a perfect mix of mystery, suspense, and drama.
The story follows Alonzo (Lon Chaney), a knife-thrower in a circus who falls in love with the beautiful Nanon (Joan Crawford), the daughter of the circus owner. However, there is a major obstacle in his way: his hands are deformed which makes him become ostracized by society and go undercover. He assumes an entirely different identity as Antonio Spadoni – a man without arms working for the circus. His only way to gain Nanon’s love is by pretending to be armless; but he fears that his secret will be exposed any day.
The plot starts with Alonzo plotting his next move as he loves Nanon wholeheartedly, but she is afraid of being touched due to her traumatic past of being groped by men when she was young. Her fear leads her closer to Malabar (Norman Kerry), another performer in the circus who admires her greatly and is obsessed with her.
The movie delivers excellent thrills consistently throughout its runtime and doesn’t rely on gore or jumpscares typical of most horror flicks; it instead relies heavily on suspenseful events that culminate into an unsettling climax.
Director Tod Browning has done an excellent job at creating tension, dread, and an overall sense of unease. His use of shadows and light was brilliant and helped build up the atmosphere for each scene effectively.
However, what truly sets this movie apart from others in its genre are the performances from its cast members – particularly Lon Chaney and Joan Crawford – who both give a standout performance. Lon Chaney’s role as Alonzo is fascinating to watch, and his ability to play a character who is an outsider and with deformity is remarkable.
The Unknown was a critical and commercial success, receiving widespread acclaim upon its release. It was also the second collaboration between Chaney and Browning, following their successful 1925 film, “The Phantom of the Opera.”
The movie has left an impact that has lasted over 90 years since its initial release. It has influenced numerous horror movies over the decades and, in some ways, set a standard for horror movies that would follow.
The cinematography of the movie is noteworthy as many scenes are shot in low light conditions and shadows are used effectively to create a haunting atmosphere. The editing is also seamless, which makes it an excellent cinematic experience.
Apart from the direction and performances, another aspect that makes this movie great is its score. The silent movie’s score was composed by William Axt and David Mendoza, whose music adds depth to each scene’s emotion.
One of the most memorable scenes from the film involves Joan Crawford trapped in a cave surrounded by snakes. This scene became iconic and showed Crawford’s ability to convey fear convincingly.
It’s interesting to note that The Unknown was made during Hollywood’s Silent Era where movies had no dialogue but rather relied on actors’ performances to carry the story forward. In this case, Lon Chaney carried the weight through his powerful screen presence; it’s no wonder he earned himself the title “man with a thousand faces”.
As with any classic movie comes behind-the-scenes gossip; there has been speculation about Lon Chaney’s personal experiences as he grew up with deaf-mute parents which helped him portray his silent characters better.
In conclusion, The Unknown is an excellent example of early horror cinema at its best; it delivers on all fronts – storyline, acting cast performances, score – everything you’d expect from a masterpiece. It’s worth noting that despite being almost a century old, it still carries its relevance and impact today. This movie undoubtedly deserves its place amongst the classic horror movies of all time and is an absolute must-watch for any horror fan.
Technical Data
- Runtime : 50
- Release : 1927-05-29
- Genre : Drama, Horror, Romance, Thriller
- Cast : Lon Chaney as Alonzo, Norman Kerry as Malabar, Joan Crawford as Nanon, Nick De Ruiz as Zanzi, John George as Cojo
- Crew : Tod Browning as Director, Tod Browning as Story, Irving Thalberg as Editor, Irving Thalberg as Producer, Merritt B. Gerstad as Director of Photography
- Popularity 8.775
- Budget : $217,000
- Revenue : 0
- Company : Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
- Summary : A criminal on the run hides in a circus and seeks to possess the daughter of the ringmaster at any cost.
- Tagline : Don’t miss this startling spectacle!
