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The second of a series of articles
about films g en erally 1·egarded
as classics w hich are available
on 9.5mm.
Classics on
9.5 wm.

by David Gunston

No.2

l!e THE
BLUE LIGHT~~

THE Blue Light has strong traditional legend of Junta, the
claim to being the most outcast girl, and the dangerous
beautiful film ever to be issued blue light that glowed from the
on 9.5mm. in this country. It is peak of the Monte Cristallo, the
certainly by far the most beau- Crystal Mountain. The glow ac-
tiful of all the German mountain tua lly emanated from a cave full
films, of which it is one of the of a crystal deposit, but none
last, and even the hardest-to- of the local men could scale the
please critic cannot fail to be peak to it without mishap. Only
both moved and impressed by Junta knew the secret.
its visual splendour and power. L eni Riefenstahl was so im-
As a writer in that fascinating pressed by the tragic simplicity
compendium, "Experiment in the of the age-old legend that she
Film" has said, it is "a film of decided to translate it onto cel-
extraordinary beauty, pictoria l luloid. The Blue Light is the
power and of a rare rhythmic memorable and brilliant, if not
continuity". And more to the wholly successful, result of that
practical point, it is still in the intention. Fratilein Riefenstahl,
Pathescope Catalogue. then only 25, had already had
The guiding force behind this eight years' experien,ce in films,
production is the director and most famously in The White
leading lady, Leni Riefenstahl. H ell of Pitz Palu, but was per-
Known hitherto as an actress haps over-ambitious about her
in the Alpine films of Dr. Arnold idea, since she decided not only
Fanck, whence she turned from to direct and star in the film,
the ballet, she launched out on but also to have a third share
an independent career of her in its actual production. The
own with this film, made in the year before, 1931, she had
spring and early summer of 1932 completed Fanck's delightful
and released later the same year. comedy The White Flame, (also
It all began earlier when available on 9.5mm.), and after
FraUlein Riefenstahl was on a completing The Blue Light in
walking-tour in the Dolomites. Italy she was to go north to
Local peasants had told her the Greenland later the same year
twenty-three