Now here’s something you don’t see every day, a film from the days of silent movies, but that’s exactly what Napoleon is, and while many will be tempted to run a mile at the mere thought of such a thing, they would be missing something quite rewarding.
This 1927 classic is a four-hour epic, and if you think that holding someone’s attention for four hours without a word uttered is an impossible ask, normally, you might be right. However, director Abel Gance has created a very thorough, informative, educational, and entertaining look at the life of the “little Emperor”.
Beginning with his school days, where he was derided as a loner, to his eventual proclamation as the commander of the French Army in Italy, this is a gripping and engrossing portrayal of one of history’s best military strategists. It does not look at Napoleon’s ensuing conquest of Europe, his rise to Emperor, his wide-sweeping social and political reforms, his failed Russian campaign, Waterloo, or his eventual exile and death on the island of St Helena.
There are many things that make this an easy DVD to recommend; not least of all because it is an excellent example of a filmmaker stretching every boundary at a time when film making was in its infancy. It’s no exaggeration to claim that Gance was innovative, experimental and technically as well as artistically gifted. His use of overlay, camera angles, split and multi-screen techniques and colour filtering is sensational. His use of light and shade is masterly, and his close-ups are marvellous.
The large cast includes greats of the time such as Albert Dieudonne in the title role, Gina Manes as Josephine, and Antonin Artaud as Marat. They are very good at displaying the wide range of emotions required to portray their characters. The costuming is quite magnificent, the makeup is very definitive of the age with men very pasty looking, and all the women and many of the men sporting heavy eye makeup.
Lastly, mention must go to the new soundtrack that accompanies the movie. It is attributed to Carmine Coppola and is a recent recording to give the film extra impact, and it succeeds beautifully. There are a number of styles used, though mostly influenced by classical pieces and orchestration. It is continuous, solid, and is quite entertaining in its own right.
History buffs are catered for in this lengthy portrait of Napoleon. Movie buffs will be delighted with the chance to study the techniques of a director decades ahead of his time, and those who love a great epic with plenty of drama, tension and even a laugh or two will also enjoy Napoleon. This is a rare treat.
OK, so you already know this is over 75 years of age, older probably than just about everyone reading this, and are probably expecting the worst. Well, you are close to being spot-on, but c’mon, we can not possibly expect greatness. In fairness though, I feel this could have been far worse, and there has no doubt been some effort put into restoration. It is presented in a full frame aspect ratio and therefore not 16:9 enhanced. This should not come as a surprise.
Yes, it is essentially a black and white film, but there is extensive use of colour tinting which works well. Generally, the quality is quite acceptable, although shadow detail is often very poor. There are constant examples of just about every film artefact know to man – and woman, natch. There are lines, scratches, dirt, marks, spots, blobs, jumps, grain and even reel-change markers, but you know what? It’s hard to be critical. As said, this is quite acceptable when you place it all in context, and all things considered it’s a winner. The overall image is sharp enough to ensure that you don’t miss a thing.
