The Case of Valdemar(1936)

A doctor performs an experiment on a dying man by placing him under hypnosis on his deathbed in a desperate effort to prolong the patient's life...

Italian directors Gianni Hoepli and Ubaldo Magnaghi decide to try thier collective hand at adapting the famous Edgar Allen Poe tale 'The Case of M.Valdemar' to the Italian screen. This potent 12 minute feature boasts of some truly Avante-garde techniques that many other countries would not adapt for years to come-bizaare camera angles, skewed close-ups of the actors faces and hands, narrow and claustrphobic sets...all combine to create a mildly disturbing and off-kilter short film. In addition, the acting quality is IMHO superb, melodramatic and subtle by turns as the scenes require. As for the effects and makeup....skip the last two minutes of this film if you have a queasy stomach, as the effects-while technically brilliant- are quite gory for even the 1970's much less 1936-but if you think you're up to it, I recommend seeing this feature to its masterful and shocking end. Just imagine the response to this stuff in 1936...

The film mostly stands on its own with a minimum of Title cards-but where they are present, English subtitles are available. I highly recommend this film-if not while eating or before bed...Silent, B&W.