DELUGE (1933)
Article #68 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing date: 5-23-2001
Posting date: 10-06-2001

An eclipse of the sun causes the destruction of most of the earth. Afterwards, the survivors face the challenge of trying to rebuild civilization.

Watching foreign movies is always a bit of a problem. Having subtitles with the movie is the preferable way, though it does tend to divert your attention from the visuals. Dubbing allows you to keep your eyes on the screen, but tends to be distracting to the ears. So imagine, if you will, the experience of watching a movie that is both subtitled and dubbed, which is perhaps the only way you can see this movie, despite it having been an English-language film. The only known print had been dubbed into Italian, and for American release on video, English subtitles were added. Given the situation, I think I would have preferred that this movie be redubbed.

Nonetheless, I think this is a very good early sound science fiction epic. The destruction of New York by tidal wave is a great special effects sequence, and is the highlight of the film. The second half settles into a kind of post-apocalyptic soap opera, but because the characters and situations are handled with a certain amount of honesty, this sequence is also quite good. This is definitely a movie worth catching even with having to watch it in its current condition.