The Lighthouse Keepers (1929)

 Jean Gremillon's "The Lighthouse Keepers"


Jean Gremillon's 1929 silent film "The Lighthouse Keepers" is an interesting work that sets itself apart from the other films in the final days of silent cinema. Adapted from a stage play by Jacques Feyder, "The Lighthouse Keepers" follows a father and son who arrive to spend their next month attending to a lighthouse. However, things get bad after the son is bitten by a rabid dog. He starts hallucinating and experiences what can only be described as a form of rabies. Gremillon is able to edit sequences together to make them feel surreal. The claustrophobia of the lighthouse, along with some dizzying editing, and psychedelic sequences make for an interesting watch of a young man descending into insanity. 



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