Blue Bottles
Blue Bottles

Movie spotlight

Blue Bottles

1928
Movie
26 min
English

As criminals assemble for a convention, a policeman investigates and is abducted. A young woman finds his whistle and blows it. The full forces of the law assemble. The confrontation between order and disorder ensues, with our heroine caught up in it.

Insights

IMDb6.2/10
Director: Ivor MontaguGenres: Short Film, Comedy, Experimental

Plot Summary

A silent comedy short that is an early example of avant-garde filmmaking in Britain. The film features a series of surreal and humorous vignettes, often involving anachronistic elements and playful visual gags. It is characterized by its experimental editing and its embrace of the absurd, offering a whimsical look at everyday life through a distinctly modern lens.

Critical Reception

As an experimental short from 1928, "Blue Bottles" was not subject to widespread critical reviews in the same way as contemporary feature films. However, it is recognized by film historians as a significant early work in British avant-garde cinema, praised for its innovative approach to visual storytelling and its playful, often Dadaist, sensibility. Its influence is seen in later experimental and comedic shorts.

What Reviewers Say

  • A charmingly eccentric and playful silent short.

  • Showcases early British avant-garde filmmaking with surreal humor.

  • An intriguing example of experimental visual comedy from the late 1920s.

Google audience: Audience reviews are scarce for this historical short, but it is generally appreciated by film enthusiasts for its historical significance and unique comedic style.

Fun Fact

The film was directed by Ivor Montagu, who was a significant figure in promoting Eisenstein's films in the UK and also a prominent screenwriter and journalist.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

1 reviews
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

It's not often that you see Elsa Lanchester (or is it Manchester, or Lancashire?) top the bill whilst Charles Laughton languishes mid-table, but that she does in this slapstick comedy. She just happens to pass a building where just moments ...