Movie spotlight
His Head
Jean Bonnard, clean-cut industrialist and the only son of a widow, goes to visit his mother in the small village where she lives. However, early in the morning the police arrive to arrest him, accusing the man of having murdered the old banker who'd made advances towards his girlfriend. Jean's mother is eager to aid her son, whom she believes is innocent. Said Epstein of his film: "I shot small landscapes in Livilliers which seemed to me-- in their reality, I mean-- very large".
Insights
Plot Summary
This short film presents a macabre and unsettling narrative focusing on a severed head that retains its consciousness and ability to communicate. The head experiences torment and reflects on its past existence, offering a disturbing glimpse into a mind trapped without a body. The story explores themes of isolation and the philosophical implications of a disembodied existence.
Critical Reception
As a short film from 1929, 'His Head' did not receive widespread critical reviews in the modern sense. Its reception was primarily within the niche circles interested in early horror and exploitation cinema. Contemporary audiences likely found it shocking and grotesque due to its subject matter and visual presentation, reflecting the era's taste for the sensational.
What Reviewers Say
Visually disturbing and unsettling for its time.
Explores morbid themes with a raw, early cinematic approach.
A curiosity of early horror shorts, notable for its grim subject matter.
Google audience: Information on Google user reviews for this specific 1929 short film is not readily available.
Fun Fact
The film is notable for its surprisingly graphic depiction of a severed head that remains sentient, a concept that was quite daring for a short film produced in 1929, pushing the boundaries of what was considered acceptable for the era's cinema.
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