This film was directed by tod browning, who had directed several other films with chaney. The unknown is a 1927 american silent horror film directed by tod browning and featuring lon chaney as carnival knife thrower alonzo the armless and a young joan crawford as the scantily clad carnival girl he hopes to marry. The wicked darling 1919, outside the law 1921, the unholy three 1925, the blackbird 1926, the road to mandalay 1926, the unknown 1927, london after midnight 1927, the big city 1928, west of zanzibar 1928, where east is east 1929. What makes this macabre tale of unrequited love, selfmutilation and grisly revenge so potent is the unbeatable. A criminal on the run hides in a circus and seeks to possess the daughter of the ringmaster at any cost. The print is fairly poor and the film suffers from a snail pace and overacting. Alonzo, one of the star attractions of zanzis gypsy circus, is an armless wonder who hurls knives with his feet at his attractive assistant nanon, zanzis daughter. Tcm salute to tod browning 1of5 the essentials with drew barrymore freaks intro duration. And she does help make this movie come alive, more than even lon chaney, who was the big draw for audiences in 1927. Mayer, head of film studio metrogoldwynmayer mgm, announces the creation of the academy of motion picture arts and sciences. Chaney plays a carnival performer known as the armless wonder, who performs nearmiraculous stunts with his bare feet. Jul 28, 2014 it is a 1927 silent romantic comedy film which tells the story of a shop girl who sets her sights on the handsome and wealthy boss of the department store where she works. The unknown is an early tod browning film, featuring lon chaney in the role of alonzo the armless, a criminal who hides his distinctive doublethumb deformity by working in a traveling circus as an armless knife thrower. Lon chaneys monstrous performance drives the preposterous story.
In fact, he is in possession of both his arms, but keeps them strapped to his side to maintain. The unknown 1927 unrated 1h 3min drama, horror, romance 4 june 1927 usa a criminal on the run hides in a circus and seeks to possess the daughter of the ringmaster at any cost. The narrative centers around a professor who wakes up from a four. June, 1927 although it has strength and undoubtedly sustains the interest, the unknown, the latest screen contribution from tod browning and lon chaney, is anything but a pleasant story. Lon chaney was probably the greatest character actor of the silent era and became famous for the extraordinary lengths he would go to for a film, including placing on a twentypound harness as the hunchback of notre dame 1923 and wires around his eyeballs as the phantom of the opera 1925. The unknown 1927 alonzo the armless wonder lon chaney is a circus sideshow attraction whose specialty is a knifethrowing act. Wikiproject film rated startclass this article is within the scope of wikiproject film. Louis international film festival was an epic evening of vintage silent cinema and live music. The unknown 1927 on the run from the law, alonzo lon chaney hides in the circus as the armless wonder a performer who uses his feet to hurl knives. By august 1998 they had begun showing the black and white version we see today. The unknown 2005 film, an actionthriller starring miles okeeffe. The overall effect is as delightful as it is shocking. Listen to the score for the unknown 1927 by the rats and people motion picture orchestra. T he best of the eight collaborations of director tod browning and legendary star of the silent era lon chaney, the unknown is also brownings darkest and most disturbing film, several orders of magnitude more chilling than his subsequent horror classic dracula 1931.
Browning and waldemar youngs collaborations are indicated in bold in the above endnote. The film, produced by joel silver, leonard goldberg and andrew rona, is based on the 2003 french novel by didier van cauwelaert published in english as out of my head which was adapted as the films screenplay. The picture barely qualifies as a horror film as its really more of a bizarre melodrama. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see lists of. The unknown is a 1927 american silent horror film directed by tod browning and featuring lon chaney as carnival knife thrower alonzo the armless and a young joan crawford as the scantily clad carnival girl he hopes to marry chaney plays a carnival performer known as the armless wonder, who performs nearmiraculous stunts with his bare feet. Tod brownings masterful the unknown 1927, 50 min, 35mm. Throughout the film, the illusion that chaney is using his legs to open doors, smoke cigarettes, and throw knifes is. The unknown 1927 tod browning synopsis, characteristics. There are, apparently, multiple prints of the lon chaney classic the unknown 1927, though sorting the whole situation out is difficult to the point of impossible. One singlesided, singlelayered, region 0 ntsc dvd disc, 1. The unknown 1927 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Alonzo is an armless knife thrower and gun shooter for a circusor so he appears. Throughout the film, the illusion that chaney is using his legs to. The film is based on the 2003 french novel by didier van cauwelaert published in english as out of my head.
With his welltrained feet, he tosses the flashing blades at his lovely assistant, nanon joan crawford, who has. The unknown 1927 plot summary directed by tod browning and starring lon chaney as alonzo the armless wonder, a circus performer who has an act throwing knives with his feet at attractive nanon joan crawford as she spins on this wheel the knives cut off her. Alonzo is the featured attraction in a traveling circus. His assistant nanon zanzi joan crawford in an early role, fearful of the touch of any mans hand, falls in love with him. The earliest film, from 1921, is ace of hearts a static and melodramatic story of a vigilante group who draw cards to select who will commit murder. Unknown mathematics, a variable that appears in an equation for which a solution is sought unknown, the ongoing answer to an open problem. While the overall tone of the movie is deliciously creepy, the romance joan crawford warms up to with a circus strongman norman kerry is sweet, and browning uses a piece of gauze over the camera. Nepoznati je americki crnobijeli nijemi horor film snimljen 1927.
Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. The unknown 1927 we can see the unknown today and say, wow, look at the young joan crawford. Chaney did collaborative scenes with reallife armless double paul desmuke, whose legs and feet were used to manipulate objects such as knives and cigarettes in frame with chaneys upper body and face. In some ways, the unknown foreshadows those two films. The unknown is a 1927 american silent horror film directed by tod browning and starring lon chaney as carnival knife thrower alonzo the armless and joan crawford as the scantily clad carnival girl he hopes to marry. Lo sconosciuto the unknown tod browning 1927 youtube. It is a 1927 silent romantic comedy film which tells the story of a shop girl who sets her sights on the handsome and wealthy boss of the department store where she works. The films sets were designed by the art director karl machus. Oct 17, 20 tcm salute to tod browning 1of5 the essentials with drew barrymore freaks intro duration. One of the best, and weirdest, of the batch is the unknown. The unknown 1915 drama film the unknown, a silent horror film starring lon chaney. A criminal on the run hides in a circus and seeks to. Wanted to know what source the june 4, 1927 release date comes from. In rolurile principale joaca actorii lon chaney, norman kerry, joan crawford.
Even so, audiences in 1927 flocked to see this movie. He and his accomplice, cojo a little person, are hiding from the police. Aug 30, 2017 the unknown is a film that can catch even the informed viewer of precode movies offguard. The unknown 1927 plot summary directed by tod browning and starring lon chaney as alonzo the armless wonder, a circus performer who has an act throwing knives with his feet at attractive nanon joan crawford as she spins on this. In june and december of 1997, tcm showed an amber tinted print of the unknown 1927 that i really enjoyed. He would go on to direct the similarlythemed, betterknown freaks, which has become a cult classic.
Unknown company, unknown catalog number, unknown upc number. Oct 08, 2011 there are, apparently, multiple prints of the lon chaney classic the unknown 1927, though sorting the whole situation out is difficult to the point of impossible. The unknown 1927 film jump to navigation jump to search. From the films of lon chaney isbn 1568332378, its listed as june, 1927. With his welltrained feet, he tosses the flashing blades at his lovely assistant, nanon joan crawford, who has a deep seated fear of being touched by men. The unknown was one of the classic films made by lon chaney sr.
The unknown is a film that can catch even the informed viewer of precode movies offguard. Born today most popular celebs most popular celebs celebrity news. She said it wasnt until working with lon chaney in this film that she learned the difference between standing in front of a camera and acting in front of a camera. The cannister containing the unknown was finally checked in 1968 and the world regained an amazing movie.
The unknown 1927 chaney plays alonzo the armless, who makes his living in the circus by throwing knives with his feet, because allegedly has no arms. As a group, the silentmovie collaborations between director tod browning and star lon chaney hardly represent the best work of either man, though each film definitely has its moments. Unknown is a 2011 action thriller film directed by jaume colletserra and starring liam neeson, diane kruger, january jones, aidan quinn, bruno ganz, and frank langella. Perhaps his greatest triumph was the original dracula with bela lugosi. Joan crawford always considered the unknown 1927 a big turning point for her. Lon chaneys monstrous performance drives the preposterous story with a. Unknown rasputina album, a 2015 album by the band rasputina. See the article in its original context from june, 1927, page 0 buy reprints view on timesmachine timesmachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Bobbie mack the unknown 1927 ranking among the most diabolically gruesome films produced in the silent era, the unknown is also undeniably tod brownings masterpiece. The unknown 1927 and you call yourself a scientist. The unknown 1915 comedy film, a silent boxing film. Tod browning in this bizarre and macabre horror tale of jealousy and deception, master of disguise lon chaney portrayed the character of alonzo the armless, an armless knifethrower in zanzis circus he threw the knives with his feet. Chaney did collaborative scenes with reallife armless double paul desmuke sometimes credited as peter dismuki, whose legs and. Sep 25, 2016 piano music from georges delerue the unknown 1927 silent horror film withjoan crawford 19051977 lon chaney 18831930 alonzo is a circus freak without arms.
173 1543 361 789 1079 1136 629 382 655 1383 587 1067 1616 246 1464 871 922 172 409 1566 1395 105 369 702 1098 301 385 956 767 51 1225 1280 715 724 416 358 651 217 1136 744 1179 900 572