The story of Lulu, was already familiar with the story from seeing and hearing Alban Berg's opera 'Lulu', is an immensely harrowing and tragic one, and a brave one to dare to adapt on film at this particular time in film history. GW Pabst was one of the best and most influential silent film directors, known for the authenticity of his settings visually and in atmosphere (coined "street realism"), how his films were edited and his direction of actresses and how he developed their skills.
All three can be found here in 'Pandora's Box', which made star Louise Brooks a cinematic icon for very good reason. It has Pabst written all over it, that's how big an impression his style and direction make here, and to this day is one of his and Brooks' best films. Even better than the wonderful 'Diary of a Lost Girl' (also directed by Pabst and also starring Brooks hence the comparison), which has pretty much all the brilliant things 'Pandora's Box' has but 'Pandora's Box's' ending works much better and takes more risks (even with again being significantly censored in various countries at the time) which is what makes it marginally better.
'Pandora's Box' looks fantastic even now, with some of the most truly beautiful and atmospheric images for any silent film. The lighting is moody, which adds so much to the dark, sleazy tone of the story, and the editing typically seamless for a Pabst film. The sets are far from static and are not static, even if they weren't authentic in real life they certainly looked and felt authentic, which is where Pabst's pioneering street realism comes in. Best of all visually is the exquisite, rich in atmosphere and very creative cinematography.
Moreover Pabst's direction is masterly, it's a triumph visually and creating a hugely realistic mood that is as hard hitting and moving as is required for the story. This is far from too safe directing, always admire it when directors and writers bring a pull no punches approach to uncompromising subjects and that was something that Pabst was consistently brilliant at and doing it in a way that makes one feel that they are there (another example of his street realism).
The most familiar of the music scores available for 'Pandora's Box' is Stuart Oderman's. To me, it fitted quite well even if it will never go down as one of my favourites. It was foreboding and leaves one unsettled even when not being complex in instrumentation, there are melodramatic parts but the nature of the story calls for that. While the story may seem too melodramatic and lacking in cohesion for some, to me it had some intense sensuality and some darkly humorous moments without resorting to camp. But above all it was violently harrowing and moving, with an unforgettably disturbing ending that never fails to shock. One of Pabst's biggest stengths and what set him apart was how he portrayed the dangers and plights of his female lead characters, most evident in 'Pandora's Box' and 'Diary of a Lost Girl'. Atmosphere-wise, 'Pandora's Box' is quite unlike any film released before and at the time and is still quite unique now.
Despite the characters not being ones one sympathises with (Alwa comes closest but namely down to how he is treated), with Lulu being pretty amoral, they are very interesting and the interactions between them induce a wide range of emotions. The cast are all strong, with Gustav Diessel a big standout as a truly sinister Jack the Ripper. Along with Pabst and the production values, one of 'Pandora's Box's' biggest treasures is the magnificent and quite iconic performance of Brooks in a challenging role that she embodies every single shade of. She looks wonderful on camera too and her face and eyes tell so much, one believes everything she conveys.
In summation, a silent film masterpiece. While the critical and commercial failure at the time is understandable, the acclaim it's garnered over-time is more so. 10/10
All three can be found here in 'Pandora's Box', which made star Louise Brooks a cinematic icon for very good reason. It has Pabst written all over it, that's how big an impression his style and direction make here, and to this day is one of his and Brooks' best films. Even better than the wonderful 'Diary of a Lost Girl' (also directed by Pabst and also starring Brooks hence the comparison), which has pretty much all the brilliant things 'Pandora's Box' has but 'Pandora's Box's' ending works much better and takes more risks (even with again being significantly censored in various countries at the time) which is what makes it marginally better.
'Pandora's Box' looks fantastic even now, with some of the most truly beautiful and atmospheric images for any silent film. The lighting is moody, which adds so much to the dark, sleazy tone of the story, and the editing typically seamless for a Pabst film. The sets are far from static and are not static, even if they weren't authentic in real life they certainly looked and felt authentic, which is where Pabst's pioneering street realism comes in. Best of all visually is the exquisite, rich in atmosphere and very creative cinematography.
Moreover Pabst's direction is masterly, it's a triumph visually and creating a hugely realistic mood that is as hard hitting and moving as is required for the story. This is far from too safe directing, always admire it when directors and writers bring a pull no punches approach to uncompromising subjects and that was something that Pabst was consistently brilliant at and doing it in a way that makes one feel that they are there (another example of his street realism).
The most familiar of the music scores available for 'Pandora's Box' is Stuart Oderman's. To me, it fitted quite well even if it will never go down as one of my favourites. It was foreboding and leaves one unsettled even when not being complex in instrumentation, there are melodramatic parts but the nature of the story calls for that. While the story may seem too melodramatic and lacking in cohesion for some, to me it had some intense sensuality and some darkly humorous moments without resorting to camp. But above all it was violently harrowing and moving, with an unforgettably disturbing ending that never fails to shock. One of Pabst's biggest stengths and what set him apart was how he portrayed the dangers and plights of his female lead characters, most evident in 'Pandora's Box' and 'Diary of a Lost Girl'. Atmosphere-wise, 'Pandora's Box' is quite unlike any film released before and at the time and is still quite unique now.
Despite the characters not being ones one sympathises with (Alwa comes closest but namely down to how he is treated), with Lulu being pretty amoral, they are very interesting and the interactions between them induce a wide range of emotions. The cast are all strong, with Gustav Diessel a big standout as a truly sinister Jack the Ripper. Along with Pabst and the production values, one of 'Pandora's Box's' biggest treasures is the magnificent and quite iconic performance of Brooks in a challenging role that she embodies every single shade of. She looks wonderful on camera too and her face and eyes tell so much, one believes everything she conveys.
In summation, a silent film masterpiece. While the critical and commercial failure at the time is understandable, the acclaim it's garnered over-time is more so. 10/10