Today, Herr Graff continues with one of his favorite pastimes ( which also include drinking cocktails, flirting with rich spinster heiresses and whipping the servants ); that is to say, to rescue exotic and unknown silent films from the oblivion of the Teutonic archives ( Actually, this German count forgot a lot time ago what was hidden in the Schloss cellar).
Those German adjectives, exotic and unknown, fit perfectly well with the film "Noored Kotkad" ( The Young Eagles ), an Estonian film directed by Herr Theodor Luts; meanwhile, while you are looking on a European map trying to find where the hell is Estonia ( Look for Russia ), this German count can tell you that Herr Luts was a very important person in this Baltic state, one of their most famous early film directors and "Noored Kotkad" a milestone in the Estonian film industry.
The film depicts the adventures of three students who enlist in the war when their small country is invaded by their neighbors, the Russian Bolshevists during what became known as the Estonian war of independence (1918-1920). This became a standard subject for Estonian films because during the last century the Baltic States were attacked, liberated and annexed by their Bolshevists neighbors many times.
Besides the historical facts and curiosities involved in this Estonian film production, little more interesting can be said about this oeuvre because of its meagre artistic merits.
The film was directed by Herr Luts during the silent year of 1927 but it looks like it was made ten years before due to the primitive, amateurish even clumsy film direction during the whole film, including poor performances by the entire cast, schematic, simplistic film narrative and nil techniques ( a too static camera ). The artistic intentions are innocent and it might be fine as an Estonian production but it is many years behind the powerful and modern European and USA films made during the same period.
And now, if you'll allow me, I must temporarily take my leave because this German Count must depart to a luxury spa break to Tallin.
Herr Graf Ferdinand Von Galitzien http://ferdinandvongalitzien.blogspot.com/
