There are those who rate Sunrise the greatest of all silent films. Then again,
some consider it the finest film from any era. Such claims invite a backlash,
but do yourself a favor and give it a look. At the very least, you'll know
you've seen a movie of extraordinary visual beauty and emotional purity.
This universal tale of a farm couple's journey from country to city and back
again was the first American film for F.W. Murnau, the German director of
Nosferatu and The Last Laugh whose everyday scenes seemed haunted by
phantoms and whose most extravagant visions never lost touch with reality.
Hollywood afforded him the technical resources to unleash his imagination,
and in turn he opened up the power of camera movement and composition
for a generation of American filmmakers. You'll never forget the walk in the
swamp, the ripples on the lake, the trolley ride from forest to metropolis. This
movie defines the cinema