Actually am feeling bad about giving 'Eyes of the Mummy' a low rating and below average review. Considering that it has people involved that are usually held in high regard by me. Ernst Lubitsch was to me one of the great directors of the 30s and 40s, and his early work is not as good but still interesting. Emil Jannings was always watchable and more (when it comes to silent films to me he's one of the greats), especially in villain and authority figure roles and his role here sounded perfect on paper.
'Eyes of the Mummy' sadly was to me a seriously odd film. Not awful, but Lubitsch and Pola Negri are not well served and although Jannings is one of the redeeming merits he has also been better. Like others have said, don't be fooled by the title. Which indicates that it is a horror film. It isn't. 'Eyes of the Mummy' is more a melodrama and it unfortunately does not do that aspect particularly well at all. Worth a look for curiosity and completest sake, but not much else.
Jannings comes off reasonably well compared to everything else going on. His performance is not at all a subtle one, he does try too hard, but he gives it absolutely everything and is a formidable and sinister presence throughout his screen time. Some of the set design is quite elaborate.
The last 15-20 minutes are effective, the part that held my attention the most (shame that it took too much time to get there) and it was well staged and lump to the throat worthy. Jannings appearing in a mirror did give me the creeps too, the one part that resembled anything close to being horror.
On the other hand, 'Eyes of the Mummy' doesn't work everywhere else. Even for this very early stage of his career, this did not feel like a Lubitsch film. He tried to adopt a change of pace here and is well and truly out of his depth here, as can be evidenced by the stiff and uninvolving direction. The story never really came to life apart from the climactic moments, before that it is very turgidly paced and emotionally dreary melodrama that one finds very difficult to connect with. Especially considering that it revolves around characters that are not easy at all to get behind, due to them not being at all interesting.
Mostly, 'Eyes of the Mummy' looks cheap. Some elaborate set design aside. Otherwise, it looks very static and unfocused and like it was made in a rush. Negri overacts to an embarrassing degree, some of the worst silent film acting there's been in my view, and the dancing in general is far from exotic and is unintentionally funny today. The music also does not fit in tone, orchestration or use, it was like it was written for a completely different film and it was disconcerting.
In summary, watch it once but not interesting or well done enough to warrant repeat viewings. A very odd experience indeed, a contender for Lubitsch's strangest. 4/10
'Eyes of the Mummy' sadly was to me a seriously odd film. Not awful, but Lubitsch and Pola Negri are not well served and although Jannings is one of the redeeming merits he has also been better. Like others have said, don't be fooled by the title. Which indicates that it is a horror film. It isn't. 'Eyes of the Mummy' is more a melodrama and it unfortunately does not do that aspect particularly well at all. Worth a look for curiosity and completest sake, but not much else.
Jannings comes off reasonably well compared to everything else going on. His performance is not at all a subtle one, he does try too hard, but he gives it absolutely everything and is a formidable and sinister presence throughout his screen time. Some of the set design is quite elaborate.
The last 15-20 minutes are effective, the part that held my attention the most (shame that it took too much time to get there) and it was well staged and lump to the throat worthy. Jannings appearing in a mirror did give me the creeps too, the one part that resembled anything close to being horror.
On the other hand, 'Eyes of the Mummy' doesn't work everywhere else. Even for this very early stage of his career, this did not feel like a Lubitsch film. He tried to adopt a change of pace here and is well and truly out of his depth here, as can be evidenced by the stiff and uninvolving direction. The story never really came to life apart from the climactic moments, before that it is very turgidly paced and emotionally dreary melodrama that one finds very difficult to connect with. Especially considering that it revolves around characters that are not easy at all to get behind, due to them not being at all interesting.
Mostly, 'Eyes of the Mummy' looks cheap. Some elaborate set design aside. Otherwise, it looks very static and unfocused and like it was made in a rush. Negri overacts to an embarrassing degree, some of the worst silent film acting there's been in my view, and the dancing in general is far from exotic and is unintentionally funny today. The music also does not fit in tone, orchestration or use, it was like it was written for a completely different film and it was disconcerting.
In summary, watch it once but not interesting or well done enough to warrant repeat viewings. A very odd experience indeed, a contender for Lubitsch's strangest. 4/10