All Quiet on the Western Front - silent version (1 Viewer)

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lancer

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After the terrific baseball games last night, I ran across AQOTWF on Turner Classic Films and decided to watch it. I missed the typical film introduction (by Leonard Maltin, in this case), so I was quite stunned to find I was watching a silent film version of this classic. I say stunned because I had no idea a silent version existed. Initially I figured there was a malfunction but then the dialogue started to appear in the classic black screen/white letter arrangement. Now, this movie wasn't silent in the true sense because there was a sound track that consisted of music (naturally), but also included crowd noise and battle noise which included shell fire explosions, whistling shells, machine gun fire, and screams. I was fascinated and continued to watch and, low and behold, it was not just a silent version of the standard talky version, but a completely different cut of the movie with many added scenes and some scenes that were cut from the version I am familiar with. Unfortunately, I was unable to stay awake long enough to see the whole film, (I made it halfway), but I saw enough to know that this is something I want to see in it's entirety, just to see what has been added and subtracted. It is a longer cut than the standard version and apparently is much closer to what Lewis Milestone wanted released in the sound version. The silent version was made for foreign audiences and it was apparently standard practice at this early date to release the sound version for domestic viewing and the silent for overseas. Now I have to track this silent version down so I can buy it. I don't know how I could watch this film for 50+ years and be totally unaware that a silent version was made. Anyone else out that not know about this or am I alone in my ignorance? -- Al
 
Did not know about that version Al, I do have a DVD of the 1930 version and for a movie thats 80+ years it does hold up well.
 
I didn't know about this either but I'm not sure I'd want to see it though.
 
Some Films were released both in a sound and silent format early in "talkies" because not all rural theatres were rigged for sound. Dracula was released as a silent and a talkie AND in Spanish with a spanish speaking cast using the same sets etc.

I'd like to see the silent version of AQ ot WF!
 
I meant to watch this and then completely forgot about it. I saw the last 10 minutes of the movie. I'm hoping the Ernest Borgnine (wrong spelling) version will play on TV someday, as I had not seen this version in like 30 years.
 
lancer said:
After the terrific baseball games last night, I ran across AQOTWF on Turner Classic Films and decided to watch it. I missed the typical film introduction (by Leonard Maltin, in this case), so I was quite stunned to find I was watching a silent film version of this classic. I say stunned because I had no idea a silent version existed. Initially I figured there was a malfunction but then the dialogue started to appear in the classic black screen/white letter arrangement. Now, this movie wasn't silent in the true sense because there was a sound track that consisted of music (naturally), but also included crowd noise and battle noise which included shell fire explosions, whistling shells, machine gun fire, and screams. I was fascinated and continued to watch and, low and behold, it was not just a silent version of the standard talky version, but a completely different cut of the movie with many added scenes and some scenes that were cut from the version I am familiar with. Unfortunately, I was unable to stay awake long enough to see the whole film, (I made it halfway), but I saw enough to know that this is something I want to see in it's entirety, just to see what has been added and subtracted. It is a longer cut than the standard version and apparently is much closer to what Lewis Milestone wanted released in the sound version. The silent version was made for foreign audiences and it was apparently standard practice at this early date to release the sound version for domestic viewing and the silent for overseas. Now I have to track this silent version down so I can buy it. I don't know how I could watch this film for 50+ years and be totally unaware that a silent version was made. Anyone else out that not know about this or am I alone in my ignorance? -- Al
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Oh! Al your post sure stirred some memories for me.

When I attended technical college way back in the mid 60's one of our lecturers Paul Motz ran a film club after hours which cost us sixpence (about 5 cents in your money) to attend. The lecturer was a "clanky" (mechanical engineer) and a German to boot and to us youngbucks he was quite a character. In 1944 he was attached to the 21st Panzer Division as a mechanic only to be captured at the Falaise Pocket and subsequently sent to a POW camp here in Somerset. Released in 1945 he never went back to Germany but married an English landgirl and twenty years later was teaching us the wonders of the combustion engine and such like.

Anyway I digress- this particular evening he had advertised "All Quiet on the Western Front" and the class-room was packed. As the picture flickered to life imagine our surprise when the title appeared as "Im Western Nichts Neues" (or something like that) Yup it was the German silent version he had got hold of. Motz spoke perfect English and translated the title captions for us attendees adding gems such as "This version was banned in 1930's Germany courtesy of that bolt eyed degenerate Goebbels". We lads lapped it up. Motz loved classic movies and brought this one and many many others to life for us youngsters who had been weaned on Hopalong Cassidy. No doubt he has long gone now and joined all of his Panzer colleagues that he lost in Normandy but I always tip my hat to Motz for firmly embedding in me a love for classic film.

Al- many thanks for the memories

Bob
 
UKReb said:
Oh! Al your post sure stirred some memories for me.

When I attended technical college way back in the mid 60's one of our lecturers Paul Motz ran a film club after hours which cost us sixpence (about 5 cents in your money) to attend. The lecturer was a "clanky" (mechanical engineer) and a German to boot and to us youngbucks he was quite a character. In 1944 he was attached to the 21st Panzer Division as a mechanic only to be captured at the Falaise Pocket and subsequently sent to a POW camp here in Somerset. Released in 1945 he never went back to Germany but married an English landgirl and twenty years later was teaching us the wonders of the combustion engine and such like.

Anyway I digress- this particular evening he had advertised "All Quiet on the Western Front" and the class-room was packed. As the picture flickered to life imagine our surprise when the title appeared as "Im Western Nichts Neues" (or something like that) Yup it was the German silent version he had got hold of. Motz spoke perfect English and translated the title captions for us attendees adding gems such as "This version was banned in 1930's Germany courtesy of that bolt eyed degenerate Goebbels". We lads lapped it up. Motz loved classic movies and brought this one and many many others to life for us youngsters who had been weaned on Hopalong Cassidy. No doubt he has long gone now and joined all of his Panzer colleagues that he lost in Normandy but I always tip my hat to Motz for firmly embedding in me a love for classic film.

Al- many thanks for the memories

Bob
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Bob, those are wonderful and unique memories. Thanks for sharing a great experience. -- Al
 
I'm a big fan of silent films. The TCM database lists only the 1930 and 97 (?) versions. i'm going to try to track down the silent version mentioned below. I'd love to see it. The 1930 version is one of my all-time favorite moveis. THANKS for sharing this with us. I'm a TCM fan. but missed this showing.
 
Maltin's "Classic Movie Guide" says, "also shown in 131 minute version, edited separately in 1930, using alternate shots; it offers a different perspective on this classic." I haven't seen this version, but I certainly want to, as the 1930 sound one is still my favorite. There's a new version with Daniel Radcliffe that's supposedly in the works, which may be okay, especially if it pulls in younger viewers. Still, for sheer power & the genuine "feel" of the Great War, my money is still on the 1930 film.
 
PJDeluhery said:
I'm a big fan of silent films. The TCM database lists only the 1930 and 97 (?) versions. i'm going to try to track down the silent version mentioned below. I'd love to see it. The 1930 version is one of my all-time favorite moveis. THANKS for sharing this with us. I'm a TCM fan. but missed this showing.
Click to expand...
Yeah, the first thing I did was go to the TCM site, too. I have had no luck so far trying to locate the film. Agree about the 1930 version. I still rank it in my top five favorite war films. -- Al
 
This is the only reference I can find - in several places - to what you have seen.

http://jbspins.blogspot.com/2009/07/restored-all-quiet-on-western-front.html

Looks like its the same film. I'd love track it down. Maybe more luck over the weekend

Some interesting stills here:
http://www.silentfilmstillarchive.com/allquiet.htm

Maltin's intro:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/leonardmaltin/archives/the_soundsand_silenceof_all_quiet/

Could we buy or rent a print from the Library of Congress? :)

Looks like I also missed Shanghai Express last night! Rats! Dietrich as Shanghai Lily rocks my world!
 
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