Movie: Abel Gance et son Napoléon

  • HomePage

  • Overview

    This documentary focuses on the making of the 235-minute, silent epic Napoleon, the masterpiece of French director/writer/actor Abel Gance. Napoleon showcased Gance's talents with the camera, his use of multiple-images (like a split screen), and his handling of crowded action scenes -- all brought forward in this documentary by his later assistant, Nelly Kaplan. While Gance was shooting Napoleon in 1925-26, he and his crew were also being filmed for a documentary titled Autour de Napoleon. The only extant reels from that documentary are included in this film, as well as views of Gance's unique "triptychs" -- three different scenes lined up side-by-side across a super-wide screen to convey the effect of a panorama, or of three separate interludes. Nelly Kaplan put together this documentary using old footage, such as Gance filming the famous snowball fight at the Brienne military school and still photographs and excerpts from Gance's production diaries.

  • Release Date

    1984-03-26

  • Average

    5.3

  • Rating:

    2.6 starts
  • Tagline

  • Genres

  • Languages:

  • Keywords

Recommendations Movies

Kathleen Madigan: Madigan Again
76%

Kathleen Madigan: Madigan Again(en)

2013-09-11

Kathleen Madigan drops in on Detroit to deliver material derived from time spent with her Irish Catholic Midwest family, eating random pills out of her mother's purse, touring Afghanistan, and her love of John Denver and the Lunesta butterfly.

Godzilla vs. Megalon
62%

Godzilla vs. Megalon(ja)

1973-03-17

Inventor Goro Ibuki creates a humanoid robot named Jet Jaguar. It is soon seized by an undersea race of people called the Seatopians. Using Jet Jaguar as a guide, the Seatopians send Megalon as vengeance for the nuclear tests that have devastated their society.

Groot Takes a Bath
72%

Groot Takes a Bath(en)

2022-08-10

Everybody needs some alone time to relax and wash up, but things go quite differently when you’re a Flora Colossi toddler.

The Diabolical
50%

The Diabolical(en)

2015-03-16

When a single mother and her two young children are tormented by an increasingly strange and intense presence in their quiet suburban home, she turns to her scientist boyfriend to take on the violent forces that paranormal experts are too frightened to face.

Object: Alimony
60%

Object: Alimony(en)

1928-12-22

Ruth Butler, a clerk in an emporium, marries Jimmy Rutledge and thereby greatly displeases his mother, the owner of the emporium, because of Ruth's lowly origins. Renaud Graham, one of Mrs. Rutledge's friends, becomes interested in Ruth, forces his way into her apartment, and attempts to make violent love to her. Jimmy walks in on their embrace and, suspecting the worst, leaves Ruth. In the family way, Ruth finds refuge in a boardinghouse where she meets Al Bryant, an aspiring writer. Ruth tells Al her life story, and he makes it into a bestselling novel and then into a play. Jimmy sees the play and comes to his senses, winning Ruth's forgiveness.

Free Willy 3: The Rescue
61%

Free Willy 3: The Rescue(en)

1997-08-06

Willy the whale is back, this time threatened by illegal whalers making money off sushi. Jesse, now 16, has taken a job on an orca-researching ship, along with old friend Randolph and a sarcastic scientist, Drew. On the whaler's ship is captain John Wesley and his son, Max, who isn't really pleased about his father's job, but doesn't have the gut to say so. Along the way, Willy reunites with Jesse

Scooby-Doo! and the Beach Beastie
86%

Scooby-Doo! and the Beach Beastie(en)

2015-05-05

Scooby-Doo and the gang investigates a new ghost at a water park resort.

Monster Pets: A Hotel Transylvania Short
74%

Monster Pets: A Hotel Transylvania Short(en)

2021-04-02

Drac tries out some new monster pets to help occupy Tinkles for playtime.

Fantozzi to the Rescue
60%

Fantozzi to the Rescue(it)

1990-12-21

Fantozzi is now retired but continues to go to the office where it is held up as a fine example of employees intending to do career.

Pokémon the Movie: Hoopa and the Clash of Ages
68%

Pokémon the Movie: Hoopa and the Clash of Ages(ja)

2015-07-18

Ash, Pikachu, and their friends come to a desert city by the sea. Here they meet the Mythical Pokémon Hoopa, which has the ability to summon things—including people and Pokémon—through its magic rings. After a scary incident, they learn of a story about a brave hero who stopped the rampage of a terrifying Pokémon long ago. Now, the threat that has been bottled up for years is in danger of breaking loose again.

The Avengers
77%

The Avengers(en)

2012-04-25

When an unexpected enemy emerges and threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins!

Barbie Fairytopia: Mermaidia
68%

Barbie Fairytopia: Mermaidia(en)

2006-03-14

In this animated follow-up to Fairytopia, Elina enlists the help of a mermaid, Nori, to save her friend Nalu, a merman prince who has been captured by the wicked Laverna.

George & Mildred
85%

George & Mildred(en)

1980-10-10

Big screen spin-off of the Seventies sitcom. Mildred Roper is determined to make husband George celebrate their wedding anniversary in style, at a posh hotel in London. However, upon arrival George is mistaken by a gangland criminal for a rival hitman, and soon the Ropers find themselves up to their necks in trouble on the wrong side of the law!

LEGO Scooby-Doo! Blowout Beach Bash
73%

LEGO Scooby-Doo! Blowout Beach Bash(en)

2017-07-11

Mystery, Inc. heads to Blowout Beach for a real swinging beach party when the Ghost Pirates threaten to harsh the good vibes.

A Fairly Odd Summer
57%

A Fairly Odd Summer(en)

2014-08-02

Get ready for the oddest summer yet! Timmy Turner and his fairies are going on a summer vacation to Hawaii. But, unfortunately for Timmy, something tells us this won’t be a very relaxing holiday. With all the magic in Fairy World at stake and villains like Vicky , Foop and Crocker on his tail, there’s no way he’ll be able to enjoy himself…

Frosty Returns
56%

Frosty Returns(en)

1992-12-01

Mr. Twitchell, a greedy old businessman, has invented Summer Wheeze: a spray that instantly removes snow and slush! Now Holly has to keep Frosty from melting, and convince everybody that snow's actually a good thing.

Barbie Mariposa
68%

Barbie Mariposa(en)

2008-02-26

Elina, heroine of the Fairytopia films tells her friend Bibble the story of Flutterfield, a faraway kingdom populated by fairies with butterfly wings. Henna, the evil butterfly fairy has poisoned the queen of Flutterfield in an attempt to take over the kingdom.

Re-BORN
74%

Re-BORN(ko)

2022-06-30

Synopsis 1. "Today's Superpower" (26min, 오늘의 초능력, o-neul-eui cho-neung-ryeok) by Lee Min-seob People who claim to be able to use superpowers once a day gathered! But why can't they use their superpowers? Do they really have superpowers in the first place? 2. "1+1" (30min, 1+1) by Han Jay "Toot! I'm 1+1!" One day, the same alter ego as me appeared! 3. "Jangah & Chichung" (35min, 장아치청, jang-a-chi-cheong) by Kim Tae-hoon-II "Burp!" Once you start burping, there's nothing you can do. A comedy action movie limited to 60 minutes, filled with real superpowers by superheroes. 4. "LOVE SICK" (23min, 러브씩, reo-beu-ssik) by Jung Seung-hoon A year after the end of the zombie crisis, Seung-beom prepares an unforgettable proposal for his girlfriend Ji-yoon who saved him.

The Crocodiles Strike Back
67%

The Crocodiles Strike Back(de)

2010-01-21

New summer adventure of the Crocodiles, who set up their detective skills to find out who is behind the accidents of the factory where Ollie and Mary's parents work , which could mean the closure of the plant, the move of the family and the dissolution of the gang.

Moonshot
67%

Moonshot(en)

2022-05-05

In a future where Mars is terraformed and colonized by the best humanity has to offer, two very different college students wind up joining forces and sneak onboard a space shuttle to the red planet in order to be united with their significant others.

Similar Movies

Coal's Deadly Dust
0%

Coal's Deadly Dust(en)

2019-01-22

Coal miners are dying from the resurgence of an epidemic that could have been prevented. FRONTLINE and NPR’s joint investigation revealed the biggest disease clusters ever documented, and how the industry and the government failed to protect miners.

Jimi Plays Monterey
72%

Jimi Plays Monterey(en)

1987-10-16

It's no exaggeration to say this might be the most intense and groundbreaking 45-minute performance in the history of rock. Jimi Hendrix's debut American set at 1967's Monterey Pop Festival is generally considered one of the most radical and legendary live shows ever. Virtually unknown to American audiences at the time, even though he was already an established entity in the UK, Hendrix and his two-piece Experience explode on stage, ripping through blues classics "Rock Me Baby" and Howlin' Wolf's "Killing Floor," interpreting and electrifying Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone," debuting songs from his yet-to-be-released first album and closing with the now historic sacrificing/burning of his guitar during an unhinged version of "Wild Thing" that even its writer Chip Taylor would never have imagined. Hendrix uses feedback and distortion to enhance the songs in whisper-to-scream intensity, blazing territory that had not been previously explored with as much soul-frazzled power.

Waiting for Hockney
50%

Waiting for Hockney(en)

2008-01-01

A young working class Baltimore man spends 10 years on a single portrait, believing it is his means to fame and fortune. But he also believes that only one man can lead him there---the famous artist David Hockney. What happens when you finally meet the god of your own making?

For the Record: The World Tribunal on Iraq
0%

For the Record: The World Tribunal on Iraq(en)

2007-01-01

A document of the momentous culmination of a series of world tribunals held in 30 cities around the world, providing testimonials of the war crimes committed by the US and it’s allies in the war in Iraq. This culminating session was held in Istanbul in 2006.

Framing Lesbian Fashion
25%

Framing Lesbian Fashion(en)

1992-01-01

Framing Lesbian Fashion looks at the evolution of lesbian attire and identity – butch/femme, flannel, androgyny, cross-dressing and drag, queer fluorescent, S/M and leather, lipstick and more.

In So Many Words
52%

In So Many Words(en)

2013-04-07

Lucy Daniels believes that a family secret told to her as a four year-old radically impacted the trajectory of her life, and set in motion a life-long debilitating mental illness. Born into a powerful newspaper-magnate family, from an early age Lucy defined her worth by her ability to write. Despite early success, she was struck with severe anorexia and underwent brutal treatment in mental institutions, only to survive, pen her first best-seller, and ultimately win a Guggenheim Prize in literature - all before the age of 22. The first of its kind, this hybrid documentary weaves together 'relational' recreations, animated dream sequences, constructed worlds and intimate interviews to tell a worthwhile story of survival and creativity, filtered through the eyes of filmmaker and subject.

The Execution of Wanda Jean
60%

The Execution of Wanda Jean(en)

2002-01-10

The Execution of Wanda Jean chronicles the life-and-death battle of Wanda Jean Allen, the first black woman to be put to death in the United States in the modern era.

Pornotropic
70%

Pornotropic(fr)

2020-09-30

When French writer Marguerite Duras (1914-96) published her novel The Sea Wall in 1950, she came very close to winning the prestigious Prix Goncourt. Meanwhile, in Indochina, France was suffering its first military defeats in its war against the Việt Minh, the rebel movement for independence.

Misconception
50%

Misconception(en)

2014-04-21

For almost 50 years, the world's population has grown at an alarming rate, raising fears about strains on the Earth's resources. But how true are these claims? Taking cues from statistics guru Hans Rosling, Misconception offers a provocative glimpse at how the world—and women in particular— are tackling a subject at once personal and global. Following three individuals, director Jessica Yu focuses on the human implications of this highly charged political issue, inspiring a fresh look at the consequences of population growth. In English, Hindi, Mandarin, and Russian with subtitles.

Sachsenhausen - Le due facce di un campo
0%

Sachsenhausen - Le due facce di un campo(it)

2014-01-01

This documentary tells the untold story of the Sachsenhausen camp that between 1936 and 1945 was a Nazi concentration camp, and between 1945 and 1950 a Soviet special camp.

Saudi Solutions
0%

Saudi Solutions(en)

2006-04-16

How to combine modernity and fundamentalist Islam. "Saudi Solutions" is a unique and revealing documentary about the lifestyles and attitudes of ambitious career womenin conservative Saudi Arabia - the only country in the Arabworld where women are obliged to cover themselves inabayas and aren't allowed to drive cars. Because of the strong influence of fundamentalist Islam on society, filmingis severely restricted in Saudi Arabia. With unique access to the Kingdom, Backlight had the opportunity to film the daily routines of Saudi working women. This documentaryfeatures a top gyneacologist, a TV news anchor woman, a photographer, and a university professor. It also introducesthe wealthy Prince Al-Waleed, who passionately promotes the acceptance of women into the workforce. He kindly invitesBacklight to his luxury desert camp, but there are no women to be found - only thousands of men.

Good Grief
0%

Good Grief(en)

2014-04-06

Good Grief is a short stop motion animated documentary that explores the lessons we learn from dealing with grief and loss. Five real people share their true stories of losing something precious and what it has taught them about living.

Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema
57%

Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema(en)

2006-02-12

A chronological look at films by, for, or about gays and lesbians in the United States, from 1947 to 2005, Kenneth Anger's "Fireworks" to "Brokeback Mountain". Talking heads, anchored by critic and scholar B. Ruby Rich, are interspersed with an advancing timeline and with clips from two dozen films. The narrative groups the pictures around various firsts, movements, and triumphs: experimental films, indie films, sex on screen, outlaw culture and bad guys, lesbian lovers, films about AIDS and dying, emergence of romantic comedy, transgender films, films about diversity and various cultures, documentaries and then mainstream Hollywood drama. What might come next?

Horns and Halos
62%

Horns and Halos(en)

2002-03-30

"What if someone wrote your biography? Would there be horns and halos involved?"

Hannah: Buddhism's Untold Journey
74%

Hannah: Buddhism's Untold Journey(en)

2014-11-14

'Hannah' tells the story of Buddhist pioneer Hannah Nydahl and her life bringing Tibetan Buddhism to the West. From her idealistic roots in 1960's Copenhagen to the hippie trail in Nepal, Hannah and her husband Ole became two of the first Western students of His Holiness the 16th Karmapa - the first consciously reincarnated lama of Tibet in 1110. Hannah went on to become an assistant and translator for some of the most powerful Tibetan lamas and a bridge between Buddhism in the East and the West.

Communion
71%

Communion(pl)

2016-11-25

When adults are ineffectual, children have to grow up quickly. Ola is 14 and she takes care of her dysfunctional father, autistic brother and a mother who lives apart from them and is mainly heard the phone. Most of all she wants to reunite a family that simply doesn’t work — like a defective TV set. She lives in the hope of bringing her mother back home. Her 13 year old brother Nikodem’s Holy Communion is a pretext for the family to meet up. Ola is entirely responsible for preparing the perfect family celebration. “Communion” reveals the beauty of the rejected, the strength of the weak and the need for change when change seems impossible. This crash course in growing up teaches us that failure is not final. Especially when love is in question.

One Last Hug
75%

One Last Hug(en)

2014-04-14

"One Last Hug" chronicles a three day summer camp for children learning to cope with the death of a loved one. With the guidance of trained professionals, grieving children as young as seven years old learn that their feelings are normal, and that by talking about them they can begin to heal. A testament to the healing power of shared sorrow, One Last Hug shows the often-unseen and particular experience of children's grief.

Salesman
72%

Salesman(en)

1969-04-17

This documentary from Albert and David Maysles follows the bitter rivalry of four door-to-door salesmen working for the Mid-American Bible Company: Paul "The Badger" Brennan, Charles "The Gipper" McDevitt, James "The Rabbit" Baker and Raymond "The Bull" Martos. Times are tough for this hard-living quartet, who spend their days traveling through small-town America, trying their best to peddle gold-leaf Bibles to an apathetic crowd of lower-middle-class housewives and elderly couples.

The Pixar Shorts: A Short History
76%

The Pixar Shorts: A Short History(en)

2007-11-06

The story of Pixar's early short films illuminates not only the evolution of the company but also the early days of computer animation, when a small group of artists and scientists shared a single computer in a hallway, and struggled to create emotionally compelling short films.

The Martha Mitchell Effect
62%

The Martha Mitchell Effect(en)

2022-01-20

She was once as famous as Jackie O—and then she tried to take down a President. Martha Mitchell was the unlikeliest of whistleblowers: a Republican wife who was discredited by Nixon to keep her quiet. Until now.