Blue Beard (1901)
Blue Beard Review
Blue Beard a 1901 silent short film directed by George Melies. It is one of his most accomplished films.
A young woman becomes the eighth wife of the wealthy Blue Beard, whose first seven wives have died under mysterious circumstances. This movie genuinely surprised me how dark it is. In fact, I can’t really recall any other movie from this time period that was even remotely as violent and/or creepy. This ominous tone, thus, set it apart from the rest of the Melies films beautifully. My only issue here is that we do not get any intertitles whatsoever, as a result making the first couple of minutes essential to the plot not as coherent.
But other than that small gripe, Blue Beard is simply incredible. The storytelling is phenomenal and the fantastical elements are so wonderfully executed that the movie genuinely felt like a cinematic fairy tale. I liked how it all concluded, but the highlight has to be the nightmarish dream sequences and that imp acting as the consciousness of the female protagonist was wonderfully realized. Technically, it’s a marvel to behold. The costumes and the editing as well as the effects are all stunning, but it is the production design that made a lasting impression as the castle felt lived in and littered with numerous interesting details.
