月宫宝盒 (1924)

Douglas Fairbanks spared no expense for what may be the most lavish fantasy movie ever made. Inspired by the flying-carpet effects of Fritz Langs somber but spectacular Der Müde Tod, Fairbanks (ever the canny businessman) bought the American rights, then hid the film away as he created his own show-stopping adventure, an adaptation of A Thousand and One Nights in which the magic-carpet ride was but one of many fantastic marvels. Swaggering through massive marketplace sets and cavernous throne rooms as an incorrigible thief and pickpocket, he scales towering walls (with the help of a magic rope) and leads a merry chase through crowded bazaars in his pursuit of loot--until he falls in love with the beautiful princess and vows to win her heart. This jaunty opening is but mere preamble to the spectacular second act. As three kings scour the globe to retrieve the rarest treasures known to man, the repentant thief embarks on an odyssey through caverns of fire and underwater caves. The marvelous special effects--from the smoke-belching dragon and underwater spider to the flying horse and magic armies arising from the dust--may show their seams but glow with a timeless sense of wonder. William Cameron Menziess magnificent sets appear to have leapt from the pages of a storybook. As the adventure concludes in a torrent of movie magic that cascades nonstop through the breathless final hour, Fairbanks commands the screen with a hearty laugh and graceful athleticism, the cinemas first action hero triumphant. Kinos restored edition is tinted and features an organ score by Gaylord Carter. --Sean Axmaker 美国在1924年就开始拍奇幻探险电影了……片中的蒙人明明是清人打扮，飞毯和攀高绳都令人惊叹！黄柳霜大概是第一个以电影为生的华人。这片儿叫月宫宝盒，不是月光宝盒。欢乐冒险故事。挺oldschool的。p.s. 塑造了一个观念：‘眼睛往两边儿看表示心里有鬼’。鸿篇巨制，壮观的布景和叠印、停机再拍等新鲜视效，范朋克的扮相是否符合当时存在的好莱坞美男的一个模范？风流而不下流，带有痞帅的特色，小胡子，和后来的克拉克盖博都类似/美国梦，处处显示出大萧条前美国人的乐观和优越感，中东和东亚都成为其手下任意捏造的对象，不知他们对于中国这一当时愚弱民族的邪恶狂妄的印象是从哪儿来的？/一窥黄柳霜在美国的戏路2020年度观影第411部 拉乌尔·沃尔什 《月宫宝盒》1924年 之前看过 迈克尔·鲍威尔 的1940年版《巴格达妙贼》，似乎更喜欢这版。长达150多分钟的鸿篇巨制，如此特技