La roue [videorecording] = The wheel / a Flicker Alley digital edition from the Blackhawk Films collection ; scénario d'Abel Gance animé par l'auteur ; restoration produced by Eric Lange, David Shepard.
Format:
[videorecording] =
Edition:
Deluxe DVD ed.
Publisher:
Film Preservation Associates ;
Copyright Date:
c2008
Description:
2 videodiscs (ca. 270 min.) : si., b&w and tinted ; 4 3/4 in. + 1 booklet (15 p. : ill. ; 19 cm.)
Séverin Mars (Sisif), Ivy Close (Norma), Gabriel de Gravone (Elie), Pierre Magnier (Jacques de Hersan). Originally produced as a French motion picture in 1922. Booklet includes the essays "Abel Gance's 'Tragedy of modern times' : La roue" by William M. Drew, and "Composing for La roue" by Robert Israel.
Contents:
(161 min.). The rose of the rail -- Fifteen years pass -- Machefer -- This modern world -- Reading Sisif's palm -- Sisif's confession -- The forbidden love -- The reprimand -- Marry him, since you love him -- Child stealer! -- Sisif writes to Hersan -- There are shames -- Blinded! -- Goodbye, old friend (161 min.). (101 min.); Special features: Autour de La roue = Around "The Wheel" making-of featurette (8 min.); Original pressbook [slide show] (3 min.). Elie declares his love -- Searching for Elie -- You're all I have now -- Drama in the valley -- The anniversary of Elie's death -- Night and the snow -- Norma speaks to Elie -- Norma's name day -- Dancing "The Wheel" (101 min.); Special features: Autour de La roue = Around "The Wheel" making-of featurette (8 min.); Original pressbook [slide show] (3 min.).
Summary:
"I know that Creation is a Great Wheel which cannot move without crushing someone!" - Victor Hugo. With this quotation begins the story of widowed railroad engineer Sisif. He finds an infant girl in a train wreck, and realizing that her parents are dead, rescues her and decides to raise her as his daughter, Norma. His wife died in childbirth, and Norma will make a good companion for his son, Elie. Knowing nothing of Norma's true origins, Elie and Norma grow up having an unusually close relationship, stopped from developing any further by their belief they are siblings. Haunted by his actions and resultant guilt, Sisif is driven to drink, making him all the more susceptible to the scheming of his wealthy boss, De Hersan, who wants to marry Norma. Though Norma refuses Hersan at first, Sisif's dismissal from the railway forces her to accept, which destroys both men. Elie realizing that he could have had the love of his life all along--once the truth comes out--is especially tragic. This seminal film introduced many innovations in set design and construction, location shooting, cinematic graphic effects, and particularly rhythmic editing. Gance's technique was years ahead of its time and influenced filmmakers all over the world, as his technical mastery is always in the service of the story.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.