Watch Salomé For Free

Such a frustrating disappointment

Save your money for something good and enjoyable

Let's be realistic.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Who would have thought the Americans would do expressionism so well? This is so out there that it even gives From Morn to Midnight a run for it's money. But effect is completely turn around. Sure, the absurdity is still there, but German expressionism is usually bound in some form of horror, this is bound in a biblical drama. It's just so ridiculous and over the top that I couldn't help getting pierced to the screen. Everything is exaggerated, the guards are parading around with their chests blown up like roosters, horrendous wigs and the most feminine gestures. And our lead, Salome, acts equally absurd, and her mother looks like a John Waters character. This is simply camp at it's finest. Not sure how much was intended, most probably, if not all, but hell, I don't care. My favorite movie of 1923 this far! 9/10.

Wow--you have got to see this film for itself. There is absolutely no way I can adequately describe the look of the film--nothing I say will do it justice. I will try--but see it yourself--it's amazing. The film looks very much like it was inspired by the Art Nouveau movement--which would coincide with when the play was written (the very late 19th century). And, to go along with this, the costumes are wild--very, very ornate and very, very artsy. All of the costumes are totally unique. I particularly loved Nazimova's headdress. It must have cost a fortune to design and execute all this. As I said, you just have to see this! It's a fashion designer's delight--though some might blanch at its weirdness.The story of Salome is taken from the Biblical tale of John the Baptist. Though occupying just a tiny portion of the Gospels, here is it acted out in about 75 minutes. Young Salmone dances enticingly for the ruler of Judea, Herod. He is smitten with her and promises her anything. She asks for the head of John the Baptist--who Herod is holding captive.What makes this so unusual is HOW it's done as well as the highly unusual cast. If the IMDb trivia is to be trusted, it has an all-gay cast (unusual for a Bible story) and Nazimova was apparently a well-known bisexual. And, instead of a simple retelling of the story with cool costumes, the entire thing is very, very artsy and somewhat pretentious. It is NOT a film designed to be enjoyed by the masses--but is more an art house sort of production. Frankly, I think there was way too much in the posing and looking into space department! Overall, I'd give the costumes a 10 and the acting and plot a 2. Overall, a 4 seems fair considering that the film isn't particularly enjoyable despite the wow-factor of the look of the film.

Sometimes there is a weird silent film production very difficult to classify after so many years have passed since its premiere; this is true even for this German count, a strange fact given that the aristocracy are accustomed to unusual subjects.This silent controversy is true of "Salome", a strange oeuvre that even nowadays shocks the audience by its eccentricity and singularity. It was directed by Herr Charles Bryant in the silent year of 1923, and starred his wife ( or something like that because they lived in sin during many years… ) the also unclassifiable Dame Nazimova.Filmed in an unique and theatrical set ( there are few different shots outside the main setting ), this extravagant oeuvre was the first film adaptation of the great writer Herr Oscar Wilde's play,which tells of the capricious and ill fated infatuation between Dame Salomé and Herr Jokanaan .Many adjectives comes to this German count's mind watching this peculiar silent film production, a baroque oeuvre with bizarre costumes inspired by the great Herr Aubrey Beardsley illustrations together with suggestive décors that are outstanding for their originality and the same time modernity ( the "Art Nouveau" is the inspiration) and stilted performances that give the film an atmosphere of careful theatricality that fits well with its artistic and original intentions. It is of course, an adaptation of a biblical story though with a decadent touch.Obviously Herr Charles Bryant's "Salome" is not one of those DeMille' biblical productions in content and form ( thank Gott! ); Dame Nazimova gives to the oeuvre a perverse sensuality and creates a lustful atmosphere hanging over the other characters. The film plays with ambiguity and loose-living, an interesting combination of hedonism and lechery."Salome" is a capricious, original silent film rarity which is outstanding in its artifice and mannerisms at the service of an exuberant staging and is intentionally overacted. It is an audacious and controversial film even after so many years.And now, if you'll allow me, I must temporarily take my leave because this German Count must do a belly dance for one of his Teutonic rich heiress.Herr Graf Ferdinand Von Galitzien http://ferdinandvongalitzien.blogspot.com/

Having read the reviews of this on the Silents Majority website and in Time Out film guide I was curious. It looked good from stills and the play is one of my favourites ... the film is extremely odd. Nazimova, who looks like Gloria Swanson only more over the top, is a seductive and teasing Salome, dancing the seven veils with style, driving Herod mad, taunting the Baptist (a gaunt stick of a man who is quite disturbing to look at). The guards are all extremely camp and OTT and the whole film has that feeling of the extremes of twenties decadence. One feels Wilde would have approved. Not a patch on the opera but a decent stab at a play which is full of excess. It just wouldn't work with sound. It has to be images, and this is full of them.