Home | Programme | Short Films | Membership | History | Winners & Losers | Instagram | Twitter
Venue | Contact Us | Awards | Films A-Z | Archives | Links | Refresh | Bookmark Site | Facebook

2008/09 Season

THE LAST LAUGH/ NIGHT MAIL

Germany/GB 1924/1936 (U/U) 77/24 minutes Directed by F W Murnau/ Basil Wright & Harry Watt

Hollywood Film Theatre - 23 March 2009 - 7.30pm The great Emil Jannings stars, in this perhaps misleadingly titled comedy of social dethronement, as the proud and aging doorman of a high-class hotel who is demoted to washroom attendant after a trifling neglect of his duties. This classic silent film is all about the true values of society versus those of the individual. The journey of the mail train from London to Glasgow is shown in this film classic combining music by Benjamin Britten and verse by W H Auden. AUDIENCE COMMENTS: Stunning visual effects and superb expressionist lighting; I remember seeing Night Mail aged 13 in 1936 at the Ipswich Hippodrome when it had gone over to films. I have seen it several times since and never failed to be fascinated by it. The Last Laugh was quite a revelation; Night Mail was majestic and showed how people used to work together as one; Night Mail was absolutely superb again. The Last Laugh was excrutiating I'm afraid; Night Mail was interesting but The Last Laugh was boring until the end. I suppose it was technically good for the era.

| Watch Media Player (Last) | Watch Media Player (Night) |
| IMDB Details (Last) | IMDB Details (Night) | Full Programme |