This is one of my favorite silent films and one of the best films of the era. The story is a bit like It's a Wonderful Life or A Christmas Carol. I liked seeing Sjostrom again after seeing him in Bergman's great Wild Strawberries, made nearly 40 years later.
The Phantom Carriage is a Swedish silent film that could be New Year's answer to A Christmas Carol. According to a myth, whoever dies first in the new year must drive Death's carriage for that annum. The man selected gets a Scrooge-like chance to visit the people he's hurt, and perhaps make amends. It's a ghost story, but it's also a character study, and a moral fable. Our man David is extremely wicked, and when a saintly woman tries to help him sort out his life, his wickedness even makes her good deeds turn to vinegar. And yet, she persists. This is a story about forgiveness, and its lesson is that since it is never too late to repent, it is never wrong to forgive. Now, it is a little slow in the beginning (and not particularly fast even once it gets going), and it structured around several flashbacks, its structure at times confusing. We don't begin with a complete picture, but things start to make sense moving forward. The picture rewards your patience. And that's a neat folk tale out of which to make a movie.
I'm not entirely positive how it works, but i'm sure it doesn't work like that. After a certain amount of time every copyright becomes exempt, regardless of who made it, after which it becomes part of the public domain - or something.
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Comments 1 - 15 of 18
Dieguito
Incredible movie, as amazing as Metropolis and Das Kabinet des Dr Caligari, a must see!!Jeank
Kubrick has checked this film literallywowwee123
http://www.archive.org/details/PhantomCarraigeessaywhu
This is one of my favorite silent films and one of the best films of the era. The story is a bit like It's a Wonderful Life or A Christmas Carol. I liked seeing Sjostrom again after seeing him in Bergman's great Wild Strawberries, made nearly 40 years later.idjutt
Brilliant movie with a brooding Stephen O'Malley-like soundtrack. Truly one of the best from the silent era.Siskoid
The Phantom Carriage is a Swedish silent film that could be New Year's answer to A Christmas Carol. According to a myth, whoever dies first in the new year must drive Death's carriage for that annum. The man selected gets a Scrooge-like chance to visit the people he's hurt, and perhaps make amends. It's a ghost story, but it's also a character study, and a moral fable. Our man David is extremely wicked, and when a saintly woman tries to help him sort out his life, his wickedness even makes her good deeds turn to vinegar. And yet, she persists. This is a story about forgiveness, and its lesson is that since it is never too late to repent, it is never wrong to forgive. Now, it is a little slow in the beginning (and not particularly fast even once it gets going), and it structured around several flashbacks, its structure at times confusing. We don't begin with a complete picture, but things start to make sense moving forward. The picture rewards your patience. And that's a neat folk tale out of which to make a movie.crcurran
So much from so few tools at the time to storytell on screen. Brilliant!-1flb2-
An excellent movie. Very powerful with a message of change and redemption.daisyaday
http://www.archive.org/details/PhantomCarraigeInevitable_destiny
Who cares if its "public domain", our trusted pirate friends, from the bay, will be able to help you anyways.Emiam
7/10But a masterpiece in many ways. A true Swedish classic.
Kublai Khan
David Holm is truly a horrible scoundrel.JoeMorrissy
A truly magnificent movie, one of my favourite silent films.Storaxe
I'm not entirely positive how it works, but i'm sure it doesn't work like that. After a certain amount of time every copyright becomes exempt, regardless of who made it, after which it becomes part of the public domain - or something.Runar
Properbly not since the movie was made by Svensk Filmindustri that still exists.Showing items 1 – 15 of 18