George O’Brien and Janet Gaynor in Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927). Image: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

In celebration of Oscar’s 90th anniversary, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will present the premiere of a newly struck 35mm preservation print of Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927).

In June 1926, German filmmaker F.W. Murnau (1888-1931) traveled to Los Angeles under contract to producer William Fox, who offered the highly coveted artist complete creative and financial independence to direct Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927). Shot at the peak of silent cinema, the film was inspired by a short story written by Hermann Sudermann and adapted by frequent Murnau collaborator Carl Mayer.

The story is centered on the life of a married couple from a rural town (George O’Brien and Janet Gaynor), whose apparent perfect love is stirred by the arrival of a city woman (Margaret Livingston). Considered a masterpiece of American-German cinema, Sunrise’s striking visual imagery combined filming on location (including Coronado Beach and Lake Arrowhead) with intricate artificial sets built with expressionistic set design techniques at exorbitant expense by production designer Rochus Gliese at Fox Hills in West Los Angeles), and shot by cinematographers Charles Rosher and Karl Struss. Although it is a silent film, Sunrise featured a synchronized Movietone soundtrack with a musical score and sound effects.

The film was awarded three Oscars during the first Academy Awards ceremony, which was held in 1929, and honored films released in 1927 and 1928.

Read full article and purchase tickets at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences website.

Speaking of the Academy…
Did you happen to read the recent post about Professor Rinaudo at the Oscars, along with photos of Laura Dern and Gary Oldman cranking the projector?