Figures de cire (1914) User Reviews

Silent "Grand Guignol"

[FerdinandVonGalitzien · 7/10 · 14 May 2008]

"Figures De Cire" (1914) was another work for "Éclair" films. If this German count remembers well it was Herr Tourneur second collaboration with Herr André de Lorde. Herr de Lorde was the master of the "Grand Guignol" genre, those theatrical works full of terrifying realistic elements such as murders, mutilations and other bloodcurdling situations that the Parisians liked so much at the beginning of the last century.

Due to those artistic references, not to mention that "Figures De Cire" was considered lost until 2007, the film is very estimable. This short film ( 11 minutes ) summarizes its theatrical references with the virtues of the "Grand Guignol" genre but transferred to the silent screen. Herr Touneur was more interested in the psychological aspect of the story than to show effective special effects. For that reason, it is especially remarkable because of its ill, decadent and threatening atmosphere.

It is obvious that "Figures De Cire" was an illustrious reference for Herr Gance's "Au Secours" (1924) ( Herr Gance made a comedy with basically the same plot that has "Figures De Cire". That is to say, a man must spend a night in a sinister place in order to gain an important sum of money… by the way, in those silent times, bourgeois men were very stylish and spent those dreadful nights with top hat and tuxedos… ). More doubtful for this German count are some comments that said that Herr Tourneur film influenced Herr Leni's notorious "Das Wachsfigurenkabinett" (1924) because, although many elements coincide in both films, the development of the story and the artistic intentions are completely different.

And now, if you'll allow me, I must temporarily take my leave because this German Count must find some more lost films in the Schloss cellar.

Herr Graf Ferdinand Von Galitzien http://ferdinandvongalitzien.blogspot.com/

Waxing Lyrical

[writers_reign · 7/10 · 8 July 2008]

Long before Sigmund Freud stamped his gravitas on it Edgar Allan Poe had more or less patented the idea that the greatest terrors are the ones locked behind the eyelids eclipsing anything more tangible. In 1914 with some dozen films under his belt Maurice Tourneur picked up this ball and ran with it. In just a tad over one reel he sets the scene; a group of well-heeled friends, a wager culminating in one of the party spending the night in a wax museum. Wagers like this only work, of course, if the subject is highly imaginative as flights of fancy fail to get cleared for takeoff in the dull and pragmatic. Once alone with the exhibits the imagination projects the repressed fears onto the screen of the mind and makes for a fitting - and no doubt shocking in 1914 - climax. Even at this early date Tourneur was well on the way to the maestro he would become.

Fear is a man's best friend.....

[dbdumonteil · 7 May 2008]

isn't it? This is Maurice Tourneur's second movie which was recently restored .The average-to-good quality of the copy does not prevent the viewer from enjoying a short which is celebrating its 96 th birthday in 2008.

This story happens during the so-called "Belle Epoque" just before WW1 drastically changed everything.A man does not know what fear is (they say the Northmen didn't either,should we believe Asterix).His good friend dares him to spend one night in a scary place.A wax museum will get the job done.Why are these museums so frightening?Because the figures are almost alive in the dark;and the scene often depicts executions ,with a penchant for guillotine.

Tourneur creates a threatening atmosphere and ,like in his other short (a talkie) "obsession" aka "l'Homme Mysterieux" ,he saves the best for the end: a totally unexpected end.Hats off,Mister Tourneur.It's really Poesque.

The Man with Wax Faces

[Michael_Elliott · 8 February 2017]

Figures de cire (1914)

*** (out of 4)

A group of people are sitting around a table when one man is bet that he can't stay the entire night at a creepy location. The man laughs and takes the bet and before long he's inside a wax museum where his imagination begins to take control.

Maurice Tourneur's FIGURES DE CIRE was a lost film until 2007 when a print turned up and we're all thankful that it did. Well, to be honest, whenever any lost film turns up it's a reason to celebrate and it's even better whenever that film turns out to be a good one. While one wouldn't call this a masterpiece it's at least well-directed and is entertaining.

There are some very good moments scattered throughout the 10-minute running time including the ending, which I obviously won't spoil here but it certainly packed a nice little punch and isn't what you'd expect. The performances were also quite good and the wax museum setting was effective enough.