I don't think Mystery Science Theater 3000 ever aired 1931's East of Borneo, a relatively entertaining potboiler starring early scream queen Rose Hobart, but they didn't have to: avant garde filmmaker Joseph Cornell beat them to it by half a century! The story of Cornell's 're-imagining' of East of Borneo is relatively well known at this point, but the result remains startling and very watchable. Samba soundtrack aside, it is simply a tremendous treat to watch the beautiful Miss Hobart parade around the screen in silence and at 'silent speed', her every action taken at a contemplative pace that lends the film a distinctly dreamlike quality. I wonder what she made of this film--or if she was even aware of it at any point in her 94 years? A fascinating, beguiling, beautiful, and groundbreaking film.
Review of Rose Hobart
