"The Unknown" deals with themes of trust, jealousy, and sacrifice while tying the three together with a tragic, while predictable, sense of irony. This predictability can make some scenes drag, even with the film's meager 63 minute running time. The film also covers the topic of amputation, something I'm sure many post-WWI moviegoers had an interest in.
I found the cinematography to be the strongest aspect of the film. Shots of the carnival are beautifully constructed and lit with a warm, inviting glow.
The score was lacking, especially considering how recently it was recorded. Every cue is a horror soundtrack cliché.
I was a bit confused with the pacing and editing of the film, as it doesn't explain everything outright and could have benefited from more exposition (what is the history between Alonzo and the surgeon?, who or what is the titular "unknown"?). Between the lack of explanation and the length of the film, I am led to believe a reel of the film might have gone missing somewhere along the way. Considering every other point is made perfectly clear, I doubt the ones I mentioned were meant to be open to interpretation.
The acting was solid all around, with Chaney being the obvious standout. He brought a very modern level of emotion and depth to a role that could have been a caricature in the hands of a lesser talent.
The film utilizes a stylized, fantastical visual approach in the earlier scenes, which slowly devolves into a more realistic style as we see Alonzo's fantasies fall apart, culminating in a shot of an operating room whose fluorescent lights and white walls stand in stark contrast to the darker, more romantic lamp-lit scenes inside caravans earlier in the film.
The film uses a pretty straightforward narrative, with almost every scene containing Alonzo as he executes his plan one step at a time.
I found the cinematography to be the strongest aspect of the film. Shots of the carnival are beautifully constructed and lit with a warm, inviting glow.
The score was lacking, especially considering how recently it was recorded. Every cue is a horror soundtrack cliché.
I was a bit confused with the pacing and editing of the film, as it doesn't explain everything outright and could have benefited from more exposition (what is the history between Alonzo and the surgeon?, who or what is the titular "unknown"?). Between the lack of explanation and the length of the film, I am led to believe a reel of the film might have gone missing somewhere along the way. Considering every other point is made perfectly clear, I doubt the ones I mentioned were meant to be open to interpretation.
The acting was solid all around, with Chaney being the obvious standout. He brought a very modern level of emotion and depth to a role that could have been a caricature in the hands of a lesser talent.
The film utilizes a stylized, fantastical visual approach in the earlier scenes, which slowly devolves into a more realistic style as we see Alonzo's fantasies fall apart, culminating in a shot of an operating room whose fluorescent lights and white walls stand in stark contrast to the darker, more romantic lamp-lit scenes inside caravans earlier in the film.
The film uses a pretty straightforward narrative, with almost every scene containing Alonzo as he executes his plan one step at a time.