Sunday, July 10, 2005

Tih Minh 12: Justice

FR 1918. PC: Gaumont. D: Louis Feuillade. /18 fps/ 33'. Da Archives Gaumont-Pathé. Presenta Francis Lacassin. ♪ Maud Nelissen. Saturday 9 July 2005, Cinéma Lumière 1, Il Cinema Ritrovato, Bologna. Placide, a stowaway in the spies' car, empties their gasoline canisters. The spies, knowing they've been exposed, decide to split. There is a dispute over the money, though. One of them crushes his companion with a rock, another lights a cigarette and catches fire from the gasoline leaked by Placide. Impressive image of Gilson/Marx observing the mountain road. The gasoline gone, the spies run to a mountain elevator / transporter. A thrilling action sequence, Kistna vs. Gilson in the car speeding over the valley, impressively in a majestic long shot. Also impressive: an eagle's-eye view on Gilson, reduced to a small dot among the rocks. There is a dynamite alarm, and after the detonation, Gilson's mutilated body is found amongst the debris. And from a water reservoir the dead Kistna's stiffened hand points defiantly towards the sky. Dolorès, having given her confession de sa vie, deeply troubled, bites a poison pearl on her necklace. A triple wedding is being prepared. FIN

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