I continue the 100 Year Project by tackling a horror film from 1923.
“El viejo Barón de Rautakylä” (Old Baron of Rautakylä) is not just a horror film. It’s the first Finnish horror film ever made. It premiered on April 1, 1923 at the Kino-Palatsi cinema in Helsinki, Finland. It’s a silent picture, with title cards. Unfortunately, I couldn’t locate a translated version. As such, I had no idea what was going on LOL but I’ll heap praise on its historical coolness.
The film was written and directed by Carl Fager, based on a novella by by Zachris Topelius. The stars are names no one reading this will know, but they certainly sound cool. Einar Rinne as Baron Gustaf Drakenhjelm, Adolf Lindfors as Baron Magnus Drakenhjelm. Ah Finland.
Finland
The aesthetics are creepy. The production has the typical uncanny quality to the actors and the lighting of every scene.
Some of the shots – particularly the outdoor ones drenched in snow – look amazing. I marvel at how a filmmaker can present a vision with whatever is available to them at the time.
They get an B for effort. Watching a visual art crafted 100 years ago is something mesmerizing to behold – even if I didn’t understand it. Its perfect to have on in the background at a Halloween party.
“El viejo Barón de Rautakylä” can be watched on YouTube.
