The best film I've seen in the year 2000

Rating: Null/10 (20 November 2000)

I am selecting this french silent film as my initial user comment contribution to the IMBD. Viewing an average of 300-400 films yearly,I seldom discover a masterwork of cinema as "The Passion of Joan of Arc". Dreyer's astounding directions, encompassing fluid camera movements and rapid editing techniques, are progressive for the era. Falconetti's intensive facial reactions appropriately convey bewilderment during the early investigation sequence, anxiety when faced with torture, and atonement in her final hour. Populated with an assortment of authentic faces, the motion picture transports one to the time period depicted. It is this documentary-like achievement which grants itself to the film's greatness. The fact that the script is based on the actual transcipts, leaves me to assume a high level of historical accuracy, something lacking from Besson's recent version. The print, seen on a videotaped TCM showing, was accompanied by an inspired music score which accentuates the imagery. I think the film is important in the history of cinema, and I look forward to viewing Dreyer's "Vampyr" and "Day of Wrath". 4 out of 4 stars