Land Beyond the Sunset, The (1912)
*** (out of 4)
This is a rather interesting and sadly forgotten film from Edison. Poor boy Joe (Martin Fuller) is abused by his alcoholic grandmother so he gets on a train where a group of under privileged children are going on a picnic. At the picnic the teacher tells Joe a story about a kid who was put in a boat and sailed off for a fairy land beyond the sunset. I won't ruin how the film ends but you really have to give it credit for having the guts to end like it does. Again, I won't ruin anything but the ending certainly makes one think as there are several things that might have happened and it's up to the viewer to make up their own mind. I think it's fair to say that this Edison film was trying to copy the work of D.W. Griffith as it certainly has a political message about the poor but it also has the view that happiness can be found in the country, which are two things that the Biograph director made a lot of films about. For the most part I found this piece to be interesting for a number of reasons. One is the before mentioned ending. Another is how it shows the poor living and the effect on Joe after seeing the country, which is seen as a much more pleasant and safe place. I also enjoyed the rather surreal nature of how the film told the "story" of Joe in such a way where it really did seem like a fairy tale. Fuller is very good in his role as the poor boy who dreams of something better.
*** (out of 4)
This is a rather interesting and sadly forgotten film from Edison. Poor boy Joe (Martin Fuller) is abused by his alcoholic grandmother so he gets on a train where a group of under privileged children are going on a picnic. At the picnic the teacher tells Joe a story about a kid who was put in a boat and sailed off for a fairy land beyond the sunset. I won't ruin how the film ends but you really have to give it credit for having the guts to end like it does. Again, I won't ruin anything but the ending certainly makes one think as there are several things that might have happened and it's up to the viewer to make up their own mind. I think it's fair to say that this Edison film was trying to copy the work of D.W. Griffith as it certainly has a political message about the poor but it also has the view that happiness can be found in the country, which are two things that the Biograph director made a lot of films about. For the most part I found this piece to be interesting for a number of reasons. One is the before mentioned ending. Another is how it shows the poor living and the effect on Joe after seeing the country, which is seen as a much more pleasant and safe place. I also enjoyed the rather surreal nature of how the film told the "story" of Joe in such a way where it really did seem like a fairy tale. Fuller is very good in his role as the poor boy who dreams of something better.
