Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans

About the production

F.W. Murnau was given unprecedented artistic control and an unlimited budget by Fox studio head William Fox, who wanted to attract prestigious European talent to Hollywood. The film took over a year to produce, with extensive preparation and shooting. Murnau used groundbreaking techniques including superimposition, forced perspective, and innovative camera movements. The famous city sequence was filmed on massive, detailed sets that cost over $200,000 alone. The film used the Fox Grandeur 70mm process for some scenes, though most were shot in standard 35mm.

Themes

Themes & topics

Historical background

Fox Film gave F.W. Murnau an unprecedented budget for Sunrise in 1927, the same year The Jazz Singer introduced synchronized dialogue to American theaters.

Why this film matters

Murnau's camera choreography and city-set scale influenced Hollywood's visual grammar and remains a touchstone in film-school curricula.

Making of

Production records for Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans are limited, though release paperwork confirms its place in 1927 distribution.

What critics said

Contemporary American reviews were mixed, but European critics hailed it; it later won the first Academy Award for Unique and Artistic Production.

Did you know?

• Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans is documented as a 1927 release in studio and trade listings.
• Surviving materials help place Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans among contemporaneous shorts and features.

Awards & recognition

• Academy Award for Best Picture, Unique and Artistic Production (1929)
• Academy Award for Best Actress - Janet Gaynor (1929)
• Academy Award for Best Cinematography - Charles Rosher and Karl Struss (1929)
• Photoplay Magazine Medal of Honor (1927)
• Kinema Junpo Award for Best Foreign Film (1929)
• National Board of Review Award for Best Film (1927)

Visual style

The cinematography by Charles Rosher and Karl Struss revolutionized film technique through groundbreaking use of superimposition, forced perspective, and camera movement. The famous 'unchained camera' shots, including one that appears to fly through a window and another that glides over a city street, required custom-built dollies and tracks. The film used innovative lighting techniques, particularly in the marsh scenes where natural light was filtered through layers of silk to create ethereal effects. The contrast between the dark, shadowy countryside scenes and the bright, vibrant city sequences was achieved through careful control of exposure and lighting. The film also employed early forms of the Schüfftan process for certain composite shots. The Academy Award-winning cinematography established new standards for visual storytelling that would influence cinema for decades.

Innovations

Sunrise pioneered numerous technical innovations that would become standard in cinema. The film's use of superimposition was revolutionary, particularly in the sequence where the farmer imagines his wife's death. The camera movements, including the famous 'flying camera' shots, required custom-built equipment and meticulous planning. The film employed early forms of rear projection and matte painting techniques. The massive, detailed city set was an engineering marvel, featuring working trolleys, multiple levels, and thousands of individually crafted storefronts. The underwater sequences required specialized waterproof camera housings and carefully controlled water conditions. The film's use of the Fox Grandeur 70mm process for certain scenes was experimental and ahead of its time. These technical achievements were not mere gimmicks but served the film's emotional and narrative purposes.

Music

The original release featured a synchronized musical score and sound effects compiled by Carli D. Elinor, utilizing the Movietone sound-on-film system. The score combined classical pieces by composers like Wagner, Liszt, and Tchaikovsky with original compositions. Sound effects were synchronized to enhance key moments, including church bells, traffic noises, and storm sounds. This made Sunrise one of the first feature films with a synchronized soundtrack, though it remained a silent film in terms of dialogue. Various modern restorations have featured different scores, including a 2002 restoration with a new orchestral score by Timothy Brock. The film's musical approach demonstrated how sound could enhance rather than replace visual storytelling.

Famous quotes

INTER TITLE: 'This song of the Man and his Wife is of no place and every place; you might hear it anywhere at any time.'

INTER TITLE: 'The Man was a farmer, and his Wife was his helper. They were happy and contented... until a Woman from the City came to spend a vacation in the country.'

INTER TITLE: 'The Man and the Wife - their hearts were as one... until the shadows of doubt fell between them.'

INTER TITLE: 'In the City, they found their love again - fresh and new as the morning.'

INTER TITLE: 'And as the storm raged about them, they knew that their love was stronger than any wind or wave.'

Memorable scenes

• The opening sequence showing the idyllic rural life with superimposed images of the city woman tempting the farmer
• The marsh scene where the farmer rows his wife toward her intended murder, with the famous superimposition of the city woman's face
• The trolley ride to the city, with the couple's emotional reconciliation
• The city sequence with its innovative camera movements and vibrant urban energy
• The amusement park scene where the couple rekindles their romance
• The storm at sea sequence testing their renewed love
• The final sunrise scene symbolizing redemption and new beginnings

What audiences thought

Initial audience reception was mixed, particularly in America where the film's artistic ambitions and lack of clear-cut melodrama confused some viewers accustomed to more straightforward narratives. The film's European release was more successful, with audiences more receptive to its avant-garde style. Over the decades, audience appreciation has grown significantly, with the film now celebrated at film festivals and revival screenings worldwide. Modern audiences often express astonishment at the film's emotional power and technical sophistication, especially considering its age. The film's reputation has been enhanced by its preservation and restoration, allowing new generations to experience Murnau's vision as intended.

Film connections

Influenced by

• German Expressionism
• F.W. Murnau's earlier works including 'The Last Laugh' and 'Nosferatu'
• Romantic literature
• Classical mythology (particularly the Orpheus myth)
• Biblical stories of redemption
• Contemporary anxieties about urbanization in 1920s America

This film influenced

• The Last Laugh (1924) - influenced by Murnau's techniques
• City Lights (1931) - Chaplin's visual storytelling approach
• The Wizard of Oz (1939) - transition from dark to light sequences
• It's a Wonderful Life (1946) - themes of redemption
• Vertigo (1958) - Hitchcock's visual techniques
• 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) - visual storytelling over dialogue
• The Tree of Life (2011) - Malick's poetic visual style
• The Shape of Water (2017) - visual homage to silent cinema

Film restoration

Availability of Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans depends on archive holdings and rights status.