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<font size="2"><p>DVD Review
<font size="4"><br>F.W. Murnau's <i>The Last Laugh</i> and <i>Faust</i></font>
<br>by Gary Johnson</font>
<p>Throughout most of the Twentieth Century, F.W. Murnau's <i>The Last Laugh</i> has held a much higher reputation than his <i>Faust</i>. <i>The Last Laugh</i> was hailed as a masterpiece of expressionism and its worldwide success helped establish Murnau's reputation as one of the silent era's greatest directors. In contrast, <i>Faust</i> received wildly differing critical opinions that frequently accused Murnau of misrepresenting Goethe's classic tale. But in recent years, attitudes toward the movies have begun to flip flop. Emil Jannings' expressionistic performance as a hotel doorman who loses his position--and his all-important uniform--is frequently seen by modern audiences as exuberant hamming.
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