Pandora's Box [1929 film]
by Georg Wilhelm Pabst (Director, Screenwriter), Ladislaus Vajda (Screenwriter)
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Description
One of the masters of early German cinema, G. W. Pabst seemed to have an innate talent for discovering actresses. And perhaps none of his female stars shone brighter than Kansas native and onetime Ziegfeld girl Louise Brooks, whose legendary persona was defined by Pabst's lurid, controversial melodrama Pandora's Box. Sensationally modern, the film follows the downward spiral of the fiery, brash, yet innocent showgirl Lulu, whose sexual vivacity has a devastating effect on everyone around show more her. Daring and stylish, Pandora's Box is one of silent cinema's great masterworks and a testament to Brooks's dazzling individuality. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
An unflappable flapper is surrounded by melodramatic tragedy.
It's a perfectly okay movie (which is pretty good for a silent era drama), but unremarkable. The only thing Ebert's Great Movies essay has to say about it, apart from a lengthy plot synopsis, is that Louise Brooks is in it. And I guess that's supposed to be enough to make it a great movie. She's cool and all - very ahead of her time - but, man, if this is her best role, that is unfortunate.
Concept: D
Story: D
Characters: C
Dialog: C
Pacing: C
Cinematography: A
Special effects/design: B
Acting: B
Music: C
Enjoyment: C
GPA: 2.2/4
It's a perfectly okay movie (which is pretty good for a silent era drama), but unremarkable. The only thing Ebert's Great Movies essay has to say about it, apart from a lengthy plot synopsis, is that Louise Brooks is in it. And I guess that's supposed to be enough to make it a great movie. She's cool and all - very ahead of her time - but, man, if this is her best role, that is unfortunate.
Concept: D
Story: D
Characters: C
Dialog: C
Pacing: C
Cinematography: A
Special effects/design: B
Acting: B
Music: C
Enjoyment: C
GPA: 2.2/4
Ratings
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Shaking a Leg
111 works; 3 members
Author Information
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Series
Belongs to Publisher Series
The Criterion Collection (358)
Work Relationships
Is contained in
Is an adaptation of
Has as a reference guide/companion
Has as a commentary on the text
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Pandora's Box [1929 film]
- Original title
- Die Büchse der Pandora
- Original publication date
- 1929-01-30
- People/Characters
- Lulu; Ludwig Schön; Alwa Schön; Schigolch; Rodrigo Quast; Augusta Geschwitz (show all 8); Charlotte Marie Adelaide von Zarnikow; Jack the Ripper
- Important places
- Berlin, Germany; Germany; London, England, UK; England, UK
- Important events
- Christmas; Victorian Era; 19th century; 1880s
- Related movies
- Pandora's Box (1929 | IMDb)
- Original language
- German (silent) (silent)
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 84
- Popularity
- 380,501
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (3.78)
- Languages
- English, German, Italian, Turkish
- ISBNs
- 6
- UPCs
- 1
- ASINs
- 12
