Sunrise

After German director F.W. Murnau was invited to Hollywood, he was given carte blanche to make his first American film: 1927's Sunrise, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture at the very first Oscars ceremony and is still considered one of the greatest motion pictures ever made. In this silent movie masterpiece, Murnau takes a simple tale of reconciliation and renewal between an unnamed young peasant farmer (George O'Brien)—who's under the spell of a sexy urbanite (Margaret Livingston)—and his innocent, angelic wife (Janet Gaynor) and turns it into a deliriously romantic fable. The couple leave their idyllic village and embark on a second courtship through the bright lights and modern culture of a magnificent big city, an American metropolis for the jazz age. Sunrise—subtitled A Song of Two Humans—is one of the loveliest pieces of cinematic poetry ever, with beautiful images, graceful camerawork, stunning sets, and a romantic optimism of paradise lost and regained. Produced at the very end of the silent era, the original release was accompanied by pre-recorded music and sound effects. Fox's Blu-ray/DVD Combo release features both Hugo Riesenfeld's original score and another by contemporary composer Timothy Brock, plus a recently discovered alternate version of the film prepared for Europe. Both are remastered for this high-def debut which also includes extras such as audio commentary by cinematographer John Bailey, outtakes, the original screenplay, and restoration notes. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. (S. Axmaker)