For the second time in a week, I have been profoundly moved by this great film. One of the best I've ever seen. Passion contains the most astonishing performance ever captured on celluloid, by Renee Falconetti as Joan of Arc during her heresy trial. Vastly ahead of its time, full of intricate camera work. The Criterion DVD carries an alternate score, created for the film, that adds another layer of power to the narrative. See it silent, as well, for an entirely different, more intimate, experience.
Powerful, a monumental achievement, and a defining moment for me.
(See also Carl Th. Dreyer's Vampyr (1932), an incredible silent horror film.)
1928; starring Renee Falconetti; directed by Carl Theodore Dreyer; 82 min; Not Rated; silent w/ French cue cards translated into English.
