Hard to Believe the Film was Made in 1928

Rating: 8/10 (29 April 2004)

While director Carl Theodor Dreyer is probably religiously motivated, the persistent usage of Joan of Arc's and the evil judges' Close Ups, which must be exceptionally innovative and progressive at the time, suitably conveys Joan of Arc's emotional intensity. Towards the end, several incredible external panning/tilting shots from extreme angles culminate the audience's emotion to the apex. It is hard to believe that the film was made in 1928.
The version I watched is scored by Richard Einhorn, who blends the Middle Ages-esque melisma with a contemporary post-minimalism taste. The score is composed in 1985 and performed by Anonymous 4, and is impossible to exist as a soundtrack back in 1928, but for the contemporary audience it appropriately accompanies the film.