Escape from Dartmoor: The most intense haircut you'll ever see

If you have about ninety minutes and want to see a movie that feels like a fever dream, watch this. It is perfect for anyone who likes thrillers where you can practically feel the sweat on the characters' faces. If you hate old silent films because they feel slow, this one might actually change your mind. But if you can't stand looking at a sharp razor for too long, maybe skip it. 🪒

The movie starts with a guy running through the mud. It is Escape from Dartmoor, and honestly, the prison looks like the most depressing place on earth. The fog is so thick you can barely see the actors. It reminded me a bit of the atmosphere in The Spanish Jade, but way more claustrophobic.

Joe is the main guy. He used to be a barber. He’s played by Uno Henning, who has these eyes that look like they’re vibrating. He is obsessed with Sally, the girl who works at the shop with him.

There is this one scene in the barber shop that is just... wow. Joe is shaving a man who is his rival for Sally’s love. The camera gets really close to the razor. You see the soap. You see the blade. It stays on his face for a long time.

The tension is incredible. You keep waiting for him to slip. It’s much more nerve-wracking than anything in At First Sight.

The director, Anthony Asquith, was doing some really weird stuff with the camera for 1929. He does these quick cuts that feel like modern music videos. Sometimes the screen goes dark or blurry to show Joe is losing his mind. It’s not like Mothers of France where everything is very staged and polite.

I noticed a small detail in the cinema scene. Joe and Sally go to watch a movie, and the movie they are watching is actually a talkie. You can see the characters on the screen moving their mouths, but since this is a silent film, we still can't hear them. It’s a bit meta.

The guy playing the rival, Hans Adalbert Schlettow, is perfectly annoying. He has this smug look that makes you understand why Joe wants to kill him. It’s not a complex plot, but the way it’s told is so striking.

The moors are a character themselves. They look cold. Every time someone falls in the dirt, you feel like you need a shower. It has that same heavy feeling you get from Smilin' Through, but with more dirt.

One shot lingers on a dripping tap for a while. It’s supposed to be artistic, I guess? It felt a little long, but it adds to the feeling that something bad is coming.

Norah Baring plays Sally. She’s good, but she mostly just looks worried. I wish she had more to do besides being the object of Joe's weird obsession. She looks a bit like the leads in Three Women, very classic and fragile.

The ending happens in a cottage, hence the other title this movie has. It gets very intense very fast. There’s a lot of shadows. People jumping out of windows. It’s a bit messy, but in a way that feels real.

I think the movie gets better when it stops trying to be a romance and just becomes a horror movie. Because Joe is definitely a monster, even if he thinks he’s a hero.

It’s funny how a movie from a hundred years ago can make you hold your breath. If you like seeing how directors used to play with light and shadows, this is a gold mine. It’s way more interesting than The Impersonation or some of those other dry dramas.

Also, the music in the version I watched was really loud. It didn't always match what was happening on screen. Sometimes a character would just be standing there and the violin would go CRAZY. 🎻

Don't expect a happy ending. This isn't that kind of story. It’s a movie about a man who can't let go, and it ends exactly how it should.

A few things I noticed:

• The way Joe holds the razor is actually quite terrifying.
• The prison guard looks like he hasn't slept in three years.
• There is a lot of staring. Like, a lot of staring.
• The transition from the prison back to the barber shop is really smooth.

Overall, it’s a solid watch. It’s a bit rough around the edges, and some of the acting is a bit much, but it has a soul. It’s not just a bunch of people in costumes. You can tell they really wanted to scare you. 🕯️