The Man Who Laughs: The Forgotten Universal Classic

[@rogermorris9696]

It is strange that Conrad Veidt shows a greater range of emotions with just his eyes than most actors now with their whole faces and voices.

[@monsterfromid66]

@@Talisguy Veidt DID make the transition from silents to talkies, and comparatively smoothly too. His theatre training would have helped, but he also became obsessed with the mechanics of film-making and spent hours just hanging around watching how everything worked. Ultimately he gave up theatre to become solely a film actor. He performed in English, German and French. He was so adaptable that had he lived longer I'm sure he would have embraced television too. In fact he predicted in the early 1930's that in the future, television would be the medium that the public received their movies in. 3D television no less! He was incredibly forward thinking.

[@RevolverSnake007]

There's a Twilight joke I can make there but I'll leave that dated thing behind

[@Bluesit32]

Such was the talent of actors before the talkies. Even when text was provided, you had to look at the actor's expression and body language to know the tone they were using. If they couldn't do that, they weren't good enough to star in pictures. At least not in any good ones.

[@heartofjustice6041]

@@Talisguy you should have been clearer but now its too late, its too late theres no going back

[@YesYouAreAbsolutelyCorrect]

T'was the era of expressionism in all of arts, so the cinema was flowing the same way.

[@doudouard1132]

The impact of Victor Hugo on modern culture knows no boundaries.

[@georger64]

If you want to start watching silent movies, this one and Sunrise are the best gateway into the wonderful world of “We didn‘t need dialogue. We had faces!“.

[@DarkCornersReviews]

Totally Agree. Everyone should watch Sunrise.

[@georger64]

Dark Corners Reviews shame on me, I forgot to mention City Girl. It‘s probably the most modern looking silent film, like a regular 1930s drama where the actors just accidentally forgot to speak. And then there‘s The Artist, which is hard to categorize. Personally, I‘d call it a modern movie for people who already know and appreciate silent movies, or something like that.

[@hamburgareable]

@@DarkCornersReviews Ive got it on DVD actually.

[@BirdArvid]

@Boom Diggaty I disagree; some of the greatest directors of all time wanted their pictures to speak more than dialogue (and I don't mean during the silent era). Silence often makes one think independently, rather than along the expected tracks of dialogue, often in a linear form; that's a bit restricting for a medium which is, let's be honest, pictures first, dialogue second.

[@Jeffrey314159]

And great musical composers!

[@varanid9]

07:55 ".....two people who have no obstacles to overcome except those they create for themselves." So, in other words, this movie tells an exceptionally true-to-life story.

[@moviemeows4466]

You could do an episode on Conrad Veidt. Such a wonderful actor but often overlooked today.

[@willhouse]

Veidt was also a dedicated anti-Nazi who donated a substantial amount of his wealth to Britain in order to help fund their war against his own home country. If he and his Jewish wife had not left Germany in 1933, Veidt's politics could very well have put him in a concentration camp.

[@johnathonhaney8291]

@@willhouse And he STILL wound up being imprisoned by the Nazis a little while.

[@MTE1611]

@@willhouse how can you be a Neo-Nazi and have a wife who's a Jew

[@willhouse]

@@johnathonhaney8291 Yikes, really?! I think I need to research that guy in more depth. A truly fascinating artist.

[@escottamezcua6814]

I agree

[@Bigbadwhitecracker]

Jack Nicholson: I played the Joker. Conrad Veidt: Hold my stein.

[@StevieStitches]

Jack Nicholson didn't just play the Joker, he became the Joker. Jack Nicholson watched Conrad Veidt in The Man Who Laughs for pointers, that's why Nicholson's Joker even wears the perpetual grin like the Veidt character.

[@STUPIDYOUTUB00000000]

*heath ledger : "i played the first joker in the history of movies! , to have a surgically disfigured face & smile!!!!"* .. *"and everyone really thinks! , that i am something original! & unique! & legendary & innovative!!!"* *CONRAD VEIDT : "oh hell , to the fuck! , to the no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"*

[@joeomalley2835]

That's good :)

[@HaiAnh-nk3jz]

@@STUPIDYOUTUB00000000 Conrad veidt be like: You fools, you all think of yourselves too much. You all forget about me.

[@Brandonhayhew]

Conrad: his acting was the inspiration for the joker. All the actors who played the Joker, they owe thanks to Conrad

[@darksideorseid0066]

Without this masterpiece, Joker wouldn't exist.

[@aidandangiolillo415]

And the world would be so much better for it.

[@Snobert99]

The person who originally came up with the idea for Joker definitely got it from that movie character, but some creativity was used in the origin stories of all those variations of Joker that came into existence. The original Joker first came into existence during the 1940s in a Batman comic book. The origin story of that Joker is that he was originally a criminal who went by the name of Red Hood. He was being pursued by Batman during a heist one night when he fell into a vat of chemicals, causing him to mutate into something that looks like a clown.

[@mollywhoppedsouls_pvp]

There's a whole history of russian clowns that probably had some influence on the film as well

[@RedRexxius]

The joker is the worst character ever created

[@RedRexxius]

@Jack Evans every other batman villain is better even calender man

[@phildavies3902]

Conrad Veidt’s performance as Gwynplaine is one of the very best of the silent cinema era.

[@ShadowsHeat]

This channel continues to be severally underrated. I just love these documentaries for classic horror movies.

[@nolanolivier6791]

True, true...

[@Prophet_-jq1lv]

Severely*

[@Prophet_-jq1lv]

@Human Resources lol

[@DeVstatrOmga]

Love how Bill Finger is rightfully credited for his hand in creating the Joker. Far as I’m concerned Bill Finger is also the *TRUE* creator of Batman we know of today.

[@icegangsta4004]

Hory shet..

[@TheTechnopriest]

He did most of the work concerning what we know as Batman and his mythos today, but Bob Kane was better at politicking and that assured him that for decades he would be recognized as the only man responsibly for the creation of Batman, even though he did little in the way of contributing to what we recognize as the character and his world. In fact Jerry Robinson also did more for the character than Kane, and to me both Finger and Robinson are the true co-creators of Batman and his world. Sadly this is a recurrent theme in comics, lets we forget how Stan Lee has become part of pop culture and how little that same culture knows about Kirby or Ditko.

[@TheTechnopriest]

Also, by all accounts except Kane's, he had very little if anything to do with the Joker's creation. It was Finger who had seen the Man Who Laughs and it was Robinson who had the joker playing card, the two main elements to the visual creation of the character, and also Finger was the writer at the time and Robinson the artist (it was known back then that Kane had very little to do even with the comics itself). By all standards they are the Joker's co-creators, not Kane.

[@shogunfox7141]

@@TheTechnopriest And don't forget Superman's Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel who DC Comics screwed over. They were FINALLY credited in Christopher Reeve movie's opening credits.

[@farpointgamingdirect]

Bill Finger acknowledged prior to his death in 1974 that his inspiration for the Joker was a villain from The Shadow pulps

[@accordingtosophia]

Just watched this film a few nights ago and I loved it! One theme I noticed that really stood out to me was the connection between Gwynplaine showing his mouth and intimacy. When he's with Josiana and she tries to tear his hands away from his mouth, it almost feels like you're watching a sexual assault as he struggles to avoid being exposed by someone who sees him as a fetish. Meanwhile, when he lets Dea touch his teeth, it's a very intimate and romantic moment, because he feels comfortable showing her his face, and she offers him genuine love and acceptance. It adds another layer to the humiliation he feels while doing his act, because for him, showing his mouth exposes his most intimate insecurity.

[@thomasmccaslin4411]

Dea is blind

[@ianbowes6895]

This makes a lot of sense actually, in the Justice League cartoon (2001-2004) Batman makes a reference to "Gwynplaine" in the episode "Wildcards, Part 1" (Season 2, episode 21), telling an TV executive he sold airtime to "Gwynplaine entertainment" and goes on to say that "Gwynplaine entertainment is the Joker". Took me almost 20 years but now I get it.

[@jamestinsley3110]

Conrad Veidt was a master actor who went from silent to sound with that expressive face.

[@doctorthirteen5727]

Veidt's character in this film and Nosferatu are still more terrifying than most of the "modern" film horror characters.

[@Bluesit32]

Who'd he play in Nosferatu? Knock? ...was that the name of the Renfield character?

[@Jeffrey314159]

The remake of NOSFERATU, with Klaus Kinski, was superior

[@karlkarlos3545]

@@Jeffrey314159 Well, it was certainly more comical (although i doubt intentional).

[@hanh7395]

I think the problem is that most horror film characters are just background decorations and riddled with VFX than practical effects

[@miskatonic_alumni]

@@Jeffrey314159 I like Herzog's remake, but it definitely wasn't as creepy as the original. Still excellent though.

[@larrybrown8180]

Cesare the Somnambulist brought so much menace and weirdness to 'The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.' Conrad Veidt managed to bridge the substantial gulf between silent cinema and the talkies, because with or without sound, he was the most compelling, strange character on the screen.

[@mollykoenig7009]

I watched this movie for the first time only a few days ago (March 28th, 2021). Fuck I cried. It's gorgeous. Every emotion Gwynplaine feels is expressed so flawlessly, despite the frozen lower half of his face. His shyness is so palpable, and yes, the physical impulse to hide his face is emotionally striking, breaks my damn heart. I don't think I'd have liked our beloved Chaney in this role; something about Veidt's eyes is so painfully beautiful. I ADORED him from the very first shot of him walking outside the caravan.

[@IsabelDhampir82]

👍👍👍👍

[@niyniiloves]

thats my birthday 😭

[@mollykoenig7009]

@Gyrate Sure did! Such a beautiful movie!

[@elijahvincent985]

His character is such a selfless lifesaver, plagued by the horrors of his youth. It's so sad to see someone so sweet be repeatedly abused by evil people.

[@JGB_Wentworth]

@Gyrate I know right lol. Like what the fuck

[@hamburgareable]

So glad that this silent film will have a prestine restoration.

[@bgp001]

The blu-ray is amazing. I highly recommend it.

[@hamburgareable]

@@bgp001 Thanks!! I'll try to buy it.

[@bighuge1060]

Veit was absolutely brilliant in this movie, especially when he was showing pain while retaining the permanent grin. Years back I was able to watch the entire movie on youtube and it was a beautiful production. Thank you for making this video!

[@bighuge1060]

Also, I would LOVE to see a biofilm about makeup artist Jack Pierce.

[@kronos_rides_about_a_bit6125]

Another parallel with Joker. Thats what got me about Joaquin Phoenix performance all those desperate contradictory emotions while he's laughing.

[@rodionromanovitchraskolnik2167]

The man who laughs (1971) kzbin.info/www/bejne/qIu4ioRuh7hgpNU kzbin.info/www/bejne/gWGkgmZ3Zc1_eJI kzbin.info/www/bejne/mnnJhniZbZt8btk

[@cristinamashayekh7431]

I'm happy to see appreciation given to The Man Who Laughs. It's one of my favorite films, and you've put it so well on what makes it amazing. Truly a master-class of storytelling that withstood the transition from the silent era to talking pictures.

[@DarkCornersReviews]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@DrDespicable]

Bravo! And *THANK YOU* for pointing out that THE MAN WHO LAUGHS is *not* a horror film.

[@teteiyus5762]

>>God closed my eyes so I could see only the real Gwynplaine.

[@tsnophaljakarax9963]

It's kinda crazy how great these silent films are. I only watched Phantom of the Opera the other day but I stuck through the whole thing and was never bored from the lack of dialogue that I originally thought I would be. And this honestly looks great as well. I have to find this movie.

[@laBichon999]

Conrad Veidt is becoming one of my favorite actors. He is just brilliant in this movie.

[@horridgoober6386]

I feel this films legacy is so overwhelmed by the fact that “DiD yOu KnOw ThIs FiLm InSpIrEd ThE jOkEr” like yeah i like the joker but I really do not care let the film be its own thing great review

[@IsabelDhampir82]

It is one of the great films of silent cinema and perhaps Conrad Veidt's best, but only fans of that type of cinema know that.

[@spiritchild9101]

People can’t help but repeat what they’ve been told. It’s the “fun fact” generation. Mockingbirds.

[@williamhanekom9882]

I agree, people need to give this film and Victor Hugo's original story more recognition. It just sucks that it doesn't have as much notoriety as Notre Dame or Les Miserables.

[@1SpicyMeataball]

There are people literally discovering this movie because of that fact. .. And they get introduced to a great movie/book, so don't get your knickers in a twist.

[@zeltzamer4010]

@@1SpicyMeataballThey’re turning it into some novelty film to bring up whenever they want to dazzle someone with their awesome Joker knowledge. Next to none of the people who know about this movie because of Joker actually bother to watch or learn anything else about it.

[@tommargarites2811]

Five years ago I was gifted with watching 'The man who Laughs'. I say gifted, for it was a gift to be able to watch this classic silent film, from start to finish. Not for everyone mind you, however I just love these old movies. It took real skill to convey to an audience what was going on by expression, rather than the spoken word, and do so convincingly.

[@heartofjustice6041]

that requires attention something people lack today

[@mattghostly5261]

The batman who laughs. Ok I see what they did there.

[@KantHandleThis]

Now I do, yes.

[@ceeleewal1257]

Wordplay & homage to a classic character? Comic book writers have more imagination than we believe (and they're comic book writers...so that's saying a lot)

[@alejandrosegato671]

Full circle nontheless

[@ceeleewal1257]

@Man of Action ?

[@connorbrennan4233]

I just watched The Man Who Laughs last night and I loved it. Even though much of the film itself is not horror-based outside of its atmosphere, I think there's no shame in calling it a horror film in the same way that James Whale's Frankenstein films and both the 1923 and 1939 Hunchback of Notre Dame are, in that they all feature characters with deformities, but the horror is what happens to these characters, suffering the cruelties of humanity and held back from having any destinies of their own.

[@АннаКаренина-ц2ш]

William Dieterle who was the director of the hunchback of notre Dame (1939), he was an actor in the film Waxworks that Paul leni was the director of and Conrad Veidt was in the film.

[@avishalom2000lm]

8:01- "The story follows two people who have no obstacles to overcome except those they create for themselves." Such is life and real relationships.

[@JacobdeFries]

6:15 That shot clearly inspired Joaquin's expression in his movie.

[@toastedalien1389]

Yep... noticed right away🤘

[@Oscar_Lasco]

It's not like billions of people have done that at some point in their life for centuries.

[@quiryqmai9447]

Well, in that scene it wasn’t even main character(the man who laughs)😕

[@Sieben77]

I wrote this more than a year ago but I'll write it again - Dark Corners is at it's best with these types of materials. While the normal, short movie rewievs are not nescesairlly (butchered that word, haven't I?) for me, these longer video-essays are simply great. The editing, narration, everything here is great and the content is imformative. Looking forward to future ones, as always.

[@kemmdog4444]

We wouldn’t have the Joker without this movie.

[@Bluesit32]

Very true. The first rendition of the Joker was a dead ringer for this guy...well, when he smiled anyway. Joker's first appearance was him frowning at a desk, musing aloud about his crime, as golden age characters tend to do.

[@razieltalos]

you have a firm grasp of the obvious

[@Xspurr]

Like they said in the video. Very, very early in the video.

[@Torthrodhel]

@@razieltalos something enough people miss these days to nevertheless be a valuable skill

[@Ian-hj4yt]

@@Bluesit32 The Golden Age Joker was far superior than his future incarnations. Golden > Silver, Bronze, Modern, New 52 and Rebirth

[@henrycbrennan]

Bravo! Yet, another superb documentation from Dark Corners. For anyone interested in comprehensive and insightful reviews of the Classics in horror, this channel is a must. In the 55+ years that I have been watching these films, I am literally astonished by the quality of these presentations. You most definitely have my gratitude!

[@DCMarvelMultiverse]

The character Gwynplaine was the name of a front company for the Joker in the Wild Cards episode of JL. Veidt's last name was used by Alan Moore to name Adrian Veidt aka Ozymandias. The title of the film is the inspiration for the newest omega level villain The Batman Who Laughs.

[@TheRealNormanBates]

@GozerTheTraveller “His mind is so full of useless trivia he couldn’t _possibly_ be Batman!”

[@kevinhuen1380]

the film title was also used for the one-shot comic retelling of the Joker's first appearance, Batman: The Man Who Laughs, by Ed Brubaker and Doug Mahnke

[@Jeffrey314159]

Ozymadias is a Greek coruption of the Pharoah Ramses

[@stephenbarker1734]

Conrad Viedt was an amazing actor all the films he acted in were works of art.

[@IsabelDhampir82]

All of his performances were works of art because he was an acting artist, but not all of his movies were good, he was in some really bad ones that have only survived because his fans watch them to see him.

[@joshua2814]

I admittedly first watched this because of the Joker connection, but fell in love with the movie itself and now have the restoration BD.

[@robk3596]

Thank you Dark Corners, your reviews are fascinating & open our eyes to much that is sadly lost to our more contemporary generation. We need to understand the building blocks & influences of the past, that have in some cases shaped cinematic progression throughout the decades! Some of my dearest memories come from watching the old classic universal horror movies with my old dad, now long gone! So your insight & balanced consideration is very much appreciated!

[@nastasyafilippovna6279]

A cinema classic and one of the best films ever made. The film's expressionist style, great script based on a classic of literature and great actors made the film immortal. In the silent cinema I love: - German expressionism - Douglas Fairbanks Robin Hood and The Thief of Bagdad are among the films I love the most.

[@kali3665]

Another fantastic video. I first saw the film years ago, and I remember thinking, "What would Chaney do with this?" But this is one of the great silent films - one of the few silent melodramas you can really enjoy today. What the history of film would have been like had Paul Leni survived into the sound era. Leni's career might be a fantastic video on its own.

[@razzledcroaker3678]

The Man Who Laughs has long been one of my three favorite films of all time because of its cinematography, the production value and story telling, and the incredible performance of Veidt and the rest of the cast. Yet as a silent film, I have always struggled to get my friends and family interested in the movie. I showed this to my mother, and she wants to watch it now! Thank you so much for this wonderful love letter to such a neglected masterpiece! You have a new fan.

[@beccaxbee]

oh thank you for this video!! this is the movie that got me into both silent films and conrad veidt, and one of my favourite movies. very few people do justice to this movie, only mentioning gwynplaine's "disturbing" appearance or his relation to the joker. you've done a fantastic job explaining the movie's history and influences, and i think that if more people saw this video they would likely have a different opinion of the man who laughs. thank you and thank you again!! edit: i wrote that only a few minutes into the video, and after having watched the entire thing, i have to say, you are the only person i've ever encountered who has truly represented this film well. i have a great amount of both admiration and respect for you. thank you, thank you, thank you for making this video and explaining that this movie isn't about scary disfugurements or comic-book villains, but rather a masterful melodrama. you've earned a subscriber. i hope you're doing well.

[@speedracer1945]

Thanks for keeping this classic alive .

[@thatblondartist1295]

Oh, I can't wait. Has been one of my favorites for years

[@fletchkeilman2205]

It's definitely one of my favorite silent films. It's made almost like if Gwenplaine was Erik the Phantom, only this time he is the hero and actually wins the love of Mary Philbin.

[@animateangus]

Bit of useless trivia: In “Abbott & Costello meet Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde”, Lou ends up getting stuck in the very same Iron Maiden prop that Conrad Veidt does, in this film.

[@monsterfromid66]

And Conrad Veidt himself opens it in his very last movie, Above Suspicion 1943. (He's playing an Austrian resistance fighter who moonlights as a tour guide of torture chambers!)

[@bh8365]

@Angus Lamont. Useful trivia to me.

[@Rickzilla]

I'm beginning to see the similarities between Gwynplaine and Arthur Fleck.

[@shteatinggrin]

It all loops around at some point

[@Jeffrey314159]

I already made that comparason

[@ceeleewal1257]

But Joaquin Phoenix said once that he did receive some flack for character appearence/portrayal.

[@EzeICE]

@@ceeleewal1257 why though?

[@WeeRattyMau5]

Never forgotten and always a classic in my books! I love Conrad Veidt! Such pathos! 🤍

[@butternugget]

Thank you for this video. We need to make this movie and Conrad Veidt as mainstream as Boris Karloff and other classic movie actors.

[@brianfuller7691]

We would not have the Joker without this iconic movie. I remember being amazed by this during a film class I took. I loved this video and your passion for cinema.

[@troygaspard6732]

Truly one of the greatest performance ever to grace a screen. The power of the silent movie.

[@carlosfalcon2099]

This movie actually made me cry..it was through Conrad's eyes of emotion that was captivating and beyond words

[@sludgefactory241]

Dark Corners, you fucking hit the nail on the head, and when you do these longer spotlights on more forgotten films, it warms my cold, dead heart everytime! Kudos!

[@iandawson6461]

My endless fascination with film history and the roots of horror cinema feels justified watching your dives into wonderful though unseen works as these. Thank you!

[@gregorygourley6426]

I think an actor who's work has been mostly forgotten is the fantastic German silent character actor Rudolf Klien-Rogge . Also from the Reihardt school, he played fantastic, and strange characters, mostly in Fritz Lang classics like Dr.Mabuse, Die Nibelungen (Seigfried), and of course the wild, mad scientist in Metropolis. But also popped up in creepy smaller roles in many of the early expressionistic films from Germany like the the first murder suspect in chains from The Cabinet Of Dr.Caligari , to a rogue in The Golem, and appearances so many other classic films ,either in disguise, or uncredited, he must have been the hardest working actor of that era in Europe. I would also say Micheal Gough, the wonderful British actor does not get enough attention in the horror genre, just my opinion though, great question that I could go on for days about, obviously. Cool video, great review. Bob. G

[@robinbailes5236]

I knew Klein-Rogge was Fritz Lang's go-to guy for maniacs, but had no idea he was in Caligari and Golem. Thanks for watching.

[@VonWenk]

At least know who Michael Gough is, if only for the Batman movies.

[@edmonddantes3688]

I love Michael Gough as Gérard de Villefort in the count of monte Cristo (1964) kzbin.info/www/bejne/oHO9p2erjstmb6s

[@gregorygourley6426]

@@VonWenk Yeah, Micheal Gough was in a lot of great old horror films ,mostly low budget British gems , and some by Hammer studio, and Amicus pictures. My favorites were Mystery of the Black Museum, and the classic giant gorilla film Congo , both from the early 1960's. Even though these films have all kinds of flaws, Micheal Gough's performances are always outstanding, and extremely entertaining. And yes, he was also great as Alfred in the Batman films, just a wonderful actor. Bob. G

[@VonWenk]

"At least people know… ," I meant to say.

[@Jawnietheboy]

13:31 we ain’t gonna talk about how that sounds just like the Batman 1989 theme

[@dckiddos4112]

great ear! It’s the exact same thing

[@tragiclantern]

The Man Who Laughs is also the basis of The Grinning Man - one of the finest musicals of the last five years.

[@MrWorf35]

An underrated masterpiece indeed, sublimated by this fine review. Thanks, guys!

[@Jaidabecca]

I watched this yesterday & it is every bit deserving of all its praise. I love this film!

[@gregorygourley6426]

Thank you for hilighting this classic silent gem, I've always thought it was underrated , and maybe now some of the young film buffs will experience Paul Leni, and Conrad Veidt's fantastic work on Hugo's great, bizarre story. Wonderful job reviewing it, my friend. Bob. G

[@stevebrummett8539]

Truly a masterpiece that deserves to be reissued

[@ccscalpo]

Had the priviledge to view this in the theatre yesterday accompanied for its entirety by Michael York on theatrical organ. So moving, cheers, gasps, sighs and wild applause for the hero at the end. Highly recommend Old Town Music Hall in El Segundo, CA.

[@aadamtx]

I watched TMWL years ago and saw it again only earlier this year, via YT upload. Very underrated, and Veidt is marvelous in the lead.

[@carlosaugustodinizgarcia3526]

Conrad Veidt was a great actor.A shame some of his works like Satanas (where he played Satan himself in different eras) and The head of Janus are lost.

[@MLBlue30]

Damn. Do we at least know their plots and endings?

[@simonjack9699]

@@MLBlue30 after all the movie The Man Who Laughs came out back in the late 1920s most likely any of those scripts are probably long gone. It would be nice if someday we find a way how to restore films that were made even back then.

[@simonjack9699]

@@MLBlue30 you never know there might be a filmmaker out there who is a major collector and he or she might have some of these old scripts in a case somewhere. Or maybe even the producer or director of The Man Who Laughs maybe their relatives have so many Scripts. We just really don't know. Just like what Duncan MacLeod said in the episode End of Innocence. After Jack Dawson left the Watchers Duncan told Jack at the end of the episode that Jack needs to go back to the Watchers that somebody needs to be there who cares about the Immortals someone to record the history so when all the Immortals are gone at least there is something left to tell their story. The same can be applied to movies and people back in the 1920s. If we recorded these people achievement and the movies we wouldn't be asking ourselves how can we restore such a great movie like The Man Who Laughs so people can cherish it..

[@simonjack9699]

@@MLBlue30 all I can say is now with 20/20 more people should realize if we want to cherish Classics like The Man Who Laughs and maybe in a hundred years from now somebody might cherish films we make today we need to have a way to record every history up to now to the Future so people can cherish the past. These days it's like people don't really think about this kind of stuff

[@davidsavage5630]

Just one head of Janus? Or both?

[@RavenHouseMystery]

Great job on the episode. I remember when I first saw The Man Who Laughs, I was disappointed simply in the fact that it was not a horror film (as I had believed it was). So with the knowledge I now have, I'm going to give this film another look.

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

Gotta admit, i had tears in my eyes when i watched it on Blu-ray for the first time. This movie is an absolutely incredible masterpiece and also an important landmark when Soundfilm was already a thing and the silentfilm era was coming to an end. There were even filmprints that had a Soundtrack with music and some sound FX (like Audience cheering for Gwynplaine) but there are still no spoken dialogs. And it works really well like that. This film definitely belongs into every good collection. Conrad Veit and Emil Jannings both really were two absolutely outstanding german Silentfilm Era actors who absolutely are amazing both in silent films AND talkies.

[@esmeralda1703]

"At times Gwynplaine reproached himself. He made his happiness a case of conscience. He fancied that to allow a woman who could not see him to love him was to deceive her. What would she have said could she have suddenly obtained her sight? How she would have felt repulsed by what had previously attracted her! How she would have recoiled from her frightful loadstone! What a cry! What covering of her face! What a flight! A bitter scruple harassed him. He told himself that such a monster as he had no right to love. He was a hydra idolized by a star. It was his duty to enlighten the blind star." - The man who laughs by Victir Hugo, part II, book 2, chapter 7 Gwynplaine just doesn't feel worthy of Dea's love and doesn't want to deceive him. Erik tried to manipulate Christine, but Gwynplaine refuses to manipulate and deceive her.

[@esmeralda1703]

"Heroism in immaterial regions has an outline; she distinguished this sublime outline. In the inexpressible abstraction in which thought lives unlighted by the sun, Dea perceived this mysterious lineament of virtue. In the surrounding of dark things put in motion, which was the only impression made on her by reality; in the uneasy stagnation of a creature, always passive, yet always on the watch for possible evil; in the sensation of being ever defenceless, which is the life of the blind-she felt Gwynplaine above her; Gwynplaine never cold, never absent, never obscured; Gwynplaine sympathetic, helpful, and sweet-tempered. Dea quivered with certainty and gratitude, her anxiety changed into ecstasy, and with her shadowy eyes she contemplated on the zenith from the depth of her abyss the rich light of his goodness. In the ideal, kindness is the sun; and Gwynplaine dazzled Dea. (...) For Dea, Gwynplaine was the saviour, who had gathered her into his arms in the tomb, and borne her out of it; the consoler, who made life tolerable; the liberator, whose hand, holding her own, guided her through that labyrinth called blindness. Gwynplaine was her brother, friend, guide, support; the personification of heavenly power; the husband, winged and resplendent. Where the multitude saw the monster, Dea recognized the archangel. It was that Dea, blind, perceived his soul." - The man who laughs by Victir Hugo, part II, book 2, chapter 3 Gwynplaine was always very affectionate and helpful to Dea, never threatened or tried to hurt Dea or force her to love him.

[@esmeralda1703]

"Gwynplaine, losing all self-command, trembled. What could he do against such a temptation? Here were no skilful effects of dress, no silken folds, no complex and coquettish adornments, no affected exaggeration of concealment or of exhibition, no cloud. It was fearful simplicity-a sort of mysterious summons-the shameless audacity of Eden. The whole of the dark side of human nature was there. Eve worse than Satan; the human and the superhuman commingled. A perplexing ecstasy, winding up in a brutal triumph of instinct over duty. The sovereign contour of beauty is imperious. When it leaves the ideal and condescends to be real, its proximity is fatal to man." - The man who laughs by Victor Hugo, part II, book 7, chapter 3 Gwynplaine felt lust for Josiane, but he struggled and refused to give in to his desires for her as happened with frollo for Esmeralda. He never sexually harassed anyone.

[@esmeralda1703]

"Palaces, castles, power, opulence, all human happiness extending as far as eye could reach; a map of enjoyments spread out to the horizon; a sort of radiant geography of which he was the centre. A perilous mirage!" - The man who laughs by Victor Hugo, part II, Book 5, chapter 5 Gwynplaine still has to deal with temptations and not spoil lust, but social status and money. Do you think Erilk would have Christine if he had another woman or Quasimodo if he could have another woman? Do they remember their old love and could lead a life of opulence? It is more complex than unrequited love, but guilt and temptations.

[@Napalm6b]

The Victor Hugo book is one of my favorites. The opening act when he is abandoned on the coast as a boy and has to struggle to find shelter, finding Dea in the process, is incredible.

[@scombs6543]

I just watched this movie for the first time last night. It is a truly beautiful film, I wish people would give it more of a chance. People don't watch it just because it's silent. Movies aren't about dialogue, they're about acting. Silent movies are like visual books, and are truly a lost art. The movie is amazing, already among one of my favorite silents. I've had the book for a while, and didn't know if I should read it. Now I know I should, and will once I'm done with the current book I'm reading.

[@DarkCornersReviews]

Sunrise is a really great silent film too if yiu have not seen it.

[@scombs6543]

@@DarkCornersReviews I'll check it out when I can 👍

[@markyoung01maccom]

Bravo, this is a marvellous film that is overlooked. Your channel is easily one of my favourites. Great work again!

[@emilyb8763]

I recently "discovered" this film and was completely enthralled. Veidt's performance was devastating.

[@paulchristman2456]

Although it's not an actual or necessarily intended horror film in itself, "The Man Who Laughs" certainly contains some blood-curdlingly horrifying scenes which frequently make it a harrowing cinematic experience. The same might be said, for another example, of "Schindler's List". Great review! Your vids always are. Thanx !

[@youdontmatter2me]

THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS! I enjoyed the commentary on similarities & differences between ‘The Man Who Laughed’, ‘Phantom of the Opera’, ‘The Elephant Man’, etc. I appreciate ALL of the clips & continued titles in writing for each one. I’m becoming increasingly interested in silent films, so this video was both entertaining and informative.

[@StevieStitches]

In the book Jack's Life: A Biography (2015) by Patrick McGilligan, it's explained, "Talking with Bob Kane, Nicholson learned that Kane had based the Joker on a character played by Conrad Veidt in a 1928 movie, The Man Who Laughs. The Veidt character wears a perpetual freakish grin because as a boy his check muscles were slit. Nicholson made an effort to track down the silent picture, directed by the German Expressionist Paul Leni, and watched it for pointers."

[@tomcross3000]

i love the way he changes the faces of his characters with prosthetics he made himself

[@EffendiChung]

I've been collecting these old classic silent movies, in solid media if possible, but mostly found digitalized. I found it adorably charming, and having movie nights with these movies brings a nice change of atmosphere. Crazy how they could convey emotions and connect to the viewers under such limitations, only through music and acting.

[@mattiavanelli4011]

I love the silent movies and this theatrical mood

[@ryandtibbetts2962]

I think a documentary about the life and work of Georges Melies is long overdue.

[@monsterfromid66]

I worked on the video essay The Face Deceives for the Masters Of Cinema/Eureka Release of The Man Who Laughs. This is an excellent piece with some great insights. Really enjoyed it. Well done!

[@floraposteschild4184]

Victor Hugo's novel is the most depressing I have ever read. And I'm including Jude the Obscure.

[@DarkCornersReviews]

Completely agree. The book is unnecessarily tragic.

[@cosuinofdeath]

@@DarkCornersReviews such is life

[@earlsmith7428]

@@DarkCornersReviews When I read Jude the Obscure, and I starting reading the section, where everything went "dark," I was shocked. Couldn't believe a novel could be that bleak.

[@LentaChorum]

@@DarkCornersReviews Wow that's harsh, so endings that don't end happily are depressing?

[@lewiskazinsky7334]

@@LentaChorum the operative word here is “unnecessarily.” There’s a difference between a downbeat or bittersweet story and something that only exists to inflict misery on the characters. It’s the literary forefather of torture porn, only psychological instead of physical, if not both.

[@fernandosalvador369]

I'm just amazed by the quality of the footage of the Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

[@shadowartist8892]

This video is fabulous! I want to watch the German Expressionist films now.

[@Amber-se7qq]

Beautifully produced video and I greatly appreciate you showing the value of this film on its own merit (apart from Gwynplaine inspiring the Joker.) Conrad Veidt is such an amazing and mesmerizing actor. Its so astounding to see how prolific his work has been, how his roles in various films has influenced other great classic films yet unfortunately he himself remains rather obscure. My hope is that people will see your video and check out Veidt's other amazing works (both silent and sound.) One of my personal favorites is The Student of Prague (just putting it out there.) Thanks for your hard work, I learned some things I hadn't heard before.

[@engrfka]

When the man who laughs looks better than any live action Joker we ever had 😱

[@ceeleewal1257]

Wouldn't say better exactly... more frightening definitely.

[@raydn23]

Stop. Every joker including Leto blows this out of the water lol.

[@Xuchilbara.]

@@raydn23 that’s like your opinion man they are all good in there own way

[@bigfatpug_s1465]

@@raydn23 Well, in my opinion, Heath and phoenix are better actors and give better performances, But Veidt Is much more frightening. Even though, in my opinion, Veidt is not better than heath and Phoenix. And don't get me started on Leto, he does not compare to any of the actors I just listed. Also Jack Nicholson and Romero are great too

[@1SpicyMeataball]

@@raydn23 You're seriously comparing one character that was inspired by another character, and whose only similarity is the look. Your comment is like comparing apples to dust.

[@L-Maple035]

I read the book as a child and loved it dearly, thanks for making this video. I'm glad Gwynplaine was played for such a great actor

[@gummy2510]

I like the way the actor controlled his eyes so when the smile is hiding you can see a completely different face haha

[@ashleywalker1411]

That's the essence of expressionism. Eye control.

[@HAL9000S3]

As others have commented 'The Man Who Laughs' is a masterwork and Conrad Veidt is amazing. Even with those hooks distorting his appearance, he can show a full range of emotion in spite of them.

[@jasmadams]

There have been two musical theatre adaptations recently, in Korea and the UK. The British production in Bristol and the West End was called The Grinning Man, and it wasn't half bad.

[@starmnsixty1209]

Took me a long time to catch up to The Man Who Laughs, but Veidt made it well worth the search. Another fine documentary, Robin.

[@williamgroves3134]

I consider this film and Metropolis to be two silence films modern film lovers should watch.

[@xavierharvey4961]

I've never gone far enough in cinema where not even audio is played.. but mannn what an awsome film and what an awsome actor..

[@gwynplaine6710]

Never heard of it!

[@colleencrouch4346]

You Joker, you

[@EdithCardellini]

Love you Gwynplaine! ❤

[@gwynplaine6710]

@@EdithCardellini Gwyn Plaine Smiles

[@madstheghost4130]

I have adored this film for so long! It is beautiful! So is the book.

[@buzzawuzza3743]

An excellent look at a film that really delivers the goods, thank you.

[@DaveLeeDownUnder]

BRILLIANT documentary! Thanks for this!

[@Supiragon1998]

"Why so serious? You're supposed to be the man wo laughs" "I steal the show like Bob Kane stole from Bill Finger"

[@michaeltruthson6262]

Epic Rap Battle brought me here too.

[@saxo689]

Oh now i get that line

[@BritInvLvr]

Many years ago, I attended a screening of this film at the Silent Movie Theatre in LA. The place was packed. It was a very warm night and the AC was broken. At that time, the seats were hard wood. As uncomfortable as the situation was, not one person left. We wanted to see a much anticipated masterpiece. We were not disappointed. It was quite an experience. Now, I have the dvd and it can watch it anytime I want but....that first time...

[@HeavyMetalTones]

what an episode so detailed so lovingly made. This is GOLD standard and i think you guys should have more exposure. The history of horror cinema is so badly represented. But you really know how to enthuse and educate. As a lover of Horror cinema both hi brow and low brow i salute you

[@DarkCornersReviews]

Thank you for the kind words. It warms the dark corners of our hearts.

[@justwaiting5744]

Too many people forget this gem! Thank you!

[@NIN1]

I love Dark Corners Classics!

[@kenzopo8125]

I discovered your channel a few months ago and I Have to say that it's the Best of my Top 5 KZbin channels. Your show helps me to Not lose my mind while the world is going crazy.

[@DarkCornersReviews]

Thank you. This warms the Dark Corners of our hearts. Stay safe.

[@xTravisMarx]

Christ the lady that plays Dea is amazingly beautiful!

[@MikeClarke85]

See also : The Grinning Man. Which was a musical adaptation that toured UK a lot. That was very good