The Life and Death of 9413, a Hollywood Extra (Short 1928)

The Life and Death of 9413, a Hollywood Extra: Directed by Robert Florey, Slavko Vorkapich. With Jules Raucourt, Voya George, Robert Florey, Adriane Marsh. This short experimental film tells the story of a man who comes to Hollywood to become a star, only to fail and be dehumanized (he is identified by the number 9314 written on his forehead), after which he dies and goes on to Heaven where the number is removed.

“This experimental short film (around 1000u0026#39;) demonstrates some clever techniques for the time. Note the crossed title sequence so that neither director has top bill.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe camera work is by Gregg Toland who would later film Citizen Kane and Wuthering Heights. Rumour has it that the half lighting so characteristic of Tolandu0026#39;s later work was achieved by accident when one of the two lights blew!u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThere is some interesting hand held camera work in there too.”