Based on the German folk legend, Faust is the story of a wager between an archangel and a demon over the soul of the titular character to see if he can be corrupted or stray from corruption. Directed by F.W. Murnau and screenplay by Hans Kyser, the film is a simple tale of good versus evil as it relates to a man at the center of this wager. Starring Gosta Ekman, Emil Jannings, Camilla Horn, Wilhelm Dieterle, Frida Richard, and Yvette Guilbert. Faust is a rapturous and eerie film from F.W. Murnau.
The film revolves around a wager between the demon Mephisto (Emil Jannings) and an archangel (Werner Fuetterer) similar to the story of Job about a man’s devotion to his faith where they bet on the soul of an elderly alchemist and the decisions he would make in his life. It’s a film about a man who has good intentions of wanting to help people but in making a deal with Mephisto, the titular character (Gosta Ekman) would put himself into trouble. Hans Kyser’s screenplay follow Faust as someone who is trying to create a cure for this growing plague that is happening in this town with the locals turning to Faust for help. Faust struggles to come up with a cure where he struggles with his faith until he finds a passage in the Bible about a pact made with Satan that could give him the power and glory to help others. Upon making the deal with Mephisto, he is given a one-day trial to see what he can do as well as become a young man again where Faust accepts this pact where he later pursues an innocent young woman named Gretchen (Camilla Horn).
F.W. Murnau’s direction is definitely stylish as it play into that period of precised framing devices and compositions that is common with German Expressionist cinema of the 1920s. Shot at a studio in Germany, Murnau would use the full-frame aspect ratio to great lengths where he would employ wide shots to get a look of the setting including a lavish wedding sequence involving a duchess. Much of Murnau’s direction emphasizes on medium shots and some close-ups to play into the choices that Faust makes as it also include some dazzling visual effects shot of superimposed objects or things onto another shot which was considered groundbreaking for its time. Notably as Murnau would create these shots and compositions that play into the drama including moments in the third act where Gretchen’s affair with the young Faust would lead to trouble. Even as its aftermath would have Murnau create these precise compositions as well as elements of fantasy through these effect shots that add to the despair that Faust would endure. Overall, Murnau crafts an intoxicating yet haunting film about a man selling his soul to a demon.
Cinematographer Carl Hoffmann does excellent work with the film’s black-and-white cinematography to play into the interiors of the buildings including Faust’s library early in the film as well as family home that Gretchen lives in and the streets at night. Editor Elfriede Bottrich does terrific work with the editing in creating rhythmic cuts and montages for some of the dramatic moments including a few moments in the wedding and fantasy sequences. Art directors/costume designers Robert Herlth and Walter Rohrig, with additional contributions on costumes by Georges Annenkov, do brilliant work with the look of the sets as well as the exterior streets and the costumes that characters would wear including ceremonial robes for the people carrying the dead. The film’s music by Jean Hasse from its 2007 restored edition is superb for its piano-based score that play into the drama and suspenseful moments in the film as it adds a richness to the visuals.
The film’s wonderful cast include some notable small roles from Hanna Ralph as the Duchess of Parma, Eric Barclay as the Duke of Parma, Werner Fuetterer as the archangel, William Dieterle as Gretchen’s brother Valentin, Frida Richard as Gretchen’s mother, and Yvette Guilbert as Gretchen’s aunt Marthe who creates potions as she falls for Mephisto unaware of who he really is. Camilla Horn is fantastic as Gretchen as an innocent young woman who is devoted to God until she is given a necklace that would later put her in trouble due to her affair with the young Faust that would bring her to ruin. Emil Jannings is brilliant as Mephisto as the evil demon who coerces Faust to make a pact as he would do everything Faust wishes for with a lot of trouble as it’s just a charismatic performance from Jannings. Finally, Gosta Ekman in an amazing performance as the titular character as an old alchemist who is struggling with his faith until he makes a deal with Mephisto where he becomes young again and given all of the things he wants until he deals with the chaos that he creates pondering about the decision he made.
Faust is a phenomenal film from F.W. Murnau. Featuring a great cast, gorgeous visuals, a riveting story of faith and desire, and a hypnotic music score, the film is definitely a gorgeous silent horror film that play into these grand visuals with a story that play into the faults of man. In the end, Faust is a sensational film from F.W. Murnau.
© thevoid99 2018
Based on the short story The Excursion to Tilsit by Herrmann Suderman, Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans is the story of a man who falls for a woman from the city as he is tasked to kill his wife and run away to the city. Directed by F.W. Murnau and screenplay by Carl Mayer, the film is an exploration into the idea of love as it’s presented as a silent film with sound effects and music. Starring George O’Brien, Janet Gaynor, and Margaret Livingston. Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans is an exquisite and enchanting film from F.W. Murnau.
The film explores the life of a simple farming couple whose marriage is on the rocks when the man falls for a vacationing woman from the city who urges him to kill his wife and move to the city with false promises. It’s a film that isn’t just about a man torn into what he has to do but it’s also a film where a man and wife try to salvage their marriage in their situation. Especially where they embark on an adventure through the city to see what it’s really like as it’s one of confusing and excitement. Carl Mayer’s screenplay does have an odd structure where it’s about not just the man (George O’Brien) and the wife (Janet Gaynor) going through struggles as the man is embroiled into an affair with the woman from the city (Margaret Livingston).
The script shows the man and wife in happier times which is a sharp contrast to where they’re at as the man is with the woman from the city who would seduce and charm the man into a plot where she has a much bigger motive. The second act would be about the man doing the act but things don’t go well where he and the wife go on this adventure in the city. An adventure that isn’t just about what they would encounter but also to see if there is still something between them.
F.W. Murnau’s direction is definitely spellbinding not just in some of the simplicity in his direction but also in some of the visual language that he creates. Especially in the way the city is portrayed as some fantasy world that is enthralling and decadent from the view of the woman of the city that is very different from the simple farm life that the man and wife live in. Murnau’s presentation of the farm world does have some bits of stylistic shots yet much of it simple in its medium and wide shots along with a few close-ups. By the time the film moves into the city, it is presented as a world that is just chaotic and lively where the usage of dissolving images and slanted camera angles that are part of the Murnau’s trademarks in the world of German Expressionism.
At times, the images are dizzying but it would play into moments that can be perceived as fantasy that includes a shot of the couple walking in the very busy streets of the city. It is among these images that are just astonishing to watch as Murnau would also employ some lively and comical moments into the film. Even in little moments where a man is trying to fix a woman’s dress while watching a dance where the results are funny. By the time the film moves into the third act which has the protagonists return to the countryside, it does become about what the man and wife had endured and see if there is a possibility of reconciliation or will the man be tempted by this other woman. Especially in what he had seen in the city as well as what is really important to him. Overall, Murnau creates a mesmerizing and evocative film about a man torn between two women and two possible worlds.
Cinematographers Charles Rosher and Karl Struss do amazing work with the film‘s black-and-white photography with its unique approach to lighting for some scenes at night as well as creating gorgeous images for some of the scenes set in the day including in some of the interiors such as the photo studio. Editor Harold D. Schuster does fantastic work with the editing with its stylish usage of dissolves, rhythmic cuts, and transitions to not play into the drama but also in capturing the exuberance of the city. Art director Rochus Gliese does brilliant work with the set design from the look of the fair to the design of the home of the husband and wife and the places they go to in the city.
The special effects work of Frank D. Williams does excellent work with some of the film‘s minimal visual effects which were primitive for one of its famed sequences but still has an air of beauty that is effective. The film’s music by Hugo Riesenfeld and Erno Rapee is superb for its orchestral-based score filled with some sound effects to play into the world of the city as well as somber yet lush string-based pieces to play into the drama and romance.
The film’s incredible cast include some notable small performances from Ralph Sippery as a barber, Jane Winton as a manicure girl, Gibson Gowland as an angry driver, Arthur Housman as an obtrusive gentlemen who got in trouble with a lady, Bodil Rosing as the man and wife’s maid, and J. Farrell MacDonald as the photographer who would take a photo of the man and wife. Margaret Livingston is brilliant as the woman of the city who is vacationing at the small town where she seduces the man to kill his wife and present him with this fantasy of city life. Janet Gaynor is amazing as the wife as a young woman who feels hurt and upset over what is going on as she wonders why her husband hasn’t been so loving towards her. Finally, there’s George O’Brien in an excellent performance as the man who is torn between these ideas of city life but also the life he already has with a wife and child where he becomes lost in these decisions where he tries to ponder the choices he is making.
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans is an outstanding film from F.W. Murnau. Armed with gorgeous visuals, lush music, and a phenomenal cast, the film is truly one of the finest films in the silent era. Especially as it manages to find ways to use sound effects in an imaginative presentation without the need for dialogue or other elements of sound to create a story that has so much to offer. In the end, Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans is a spectacular film from F.W. Murnau.
© thevoid99 2015
Based on the novel Dracula by Bram Stoker, Nosferatu is the story of a real estates agent who meets a mysterious count who starts to haunt the agent’s wife and claim her for himself. Directed by F.W. Murnau and screenplay by Henrik Galeen, the film is a stylish take on Stoker’s tale that is told in the form of expressionist images as the titular character/Count Orlok is played by Max Schreck. Also starring Gustav von Wangenheim, Greta Schroder, Alexander Granach, Ruth Landshoff, and Wolfgang Heinz. Nosferatu is an entrancing and riveting film from F.W. Murnau.
The film is a simple story about a real estates agent who travels to Transylvania to finalize a deal for a mysterious count who is revealed to be a vampire as he goes after the agent’s wife and haunts her. While it is a different interpretation of the vampire story by Bram Stoker, the film does play into the many mysteries that goes on in relation to Count Orlok and Nosferatu as he is someone that is eager to haunt a small German town by buying a house through its real estate employer. For the agent Thomas Hutter (Gustav von Wangenheim), he has no idea what he has gotten himself into as he barely survives his encounter while realizing that Nosferatu is going to go after his wife Ellen (Greta Schroder) who is waiting anxiously for Hutter to return.
The film’s screenplay does have a simple plot but it is more about the motivations of Nosferatu and his desire for Ellen through Hutter’s picture of her as it would have him doing things to reach his destination. Adding to that sense of turmoil for Hutter and the anguished Ellen is Hutter’s employer Knock (Alexander Granach) who is revealed to be working for Nosferatu. Upon Hutter’s disappearance and his attempts to return, the arrival of Professor Bulwer (John Gottowt) would have him examine Ellen while being the one person who can understand what is happening as he is the only one that knows the power of Nosferatu.
F.W. Murnau’s direction is quite mesmerizing for the way he captures every moment in the film while using some stylish editing to create some tricks about how Nosferatu would appear through his vampire powers. Much of the compositions are simple yet very effective in the sense of drama and terror that occurs. There aren’t a lot of movements in the cameras but Murnau does manage to use a lot of wide shots to capture some of the unique effects that occur as well as the eerie presence of Nosferatu whenever he is going after Ellen. Much of the direction has Murnau use the full-frame aspect ratio where he gets a lot of coverage in the scenes as well as playing into Nosferatu’s presence with its use of shadows which becomes very prevalent in the film’s climax in his meeting with Ellen. Overall, Murnau creates a very intoxicating and ominous film about a vampire stalking his prey.
Cinematographers Fritz Arno Wagner and Gunther Kampf do excellent work with the film‘s grainy photography style with dashes of color filters from sepia-yellow, blue, and red to play into the different moods of the film. Art director/costume designer Albin Grau does fantastic work with the set/costumes from the look of Count Orlok‘s home as well as the clothes that he wears in the film. The film’s music by James Bernard, from its 1997 restoration/reissue edition, is amazing for its flourishing orchestral score to play into the sense of drama and terror that looms in the film.
The film’s marvelous cast features some notable small roles from Ruth Landshoff as Ellen’s friend Annie, Georg H. Schnell as Annie’s husband Harding, Wolfgang Heinz as a first mate who would discover the mysterious cause of the deaths in the ship, Max Nemetz as the ship’s captain, and John Gottowt as the eccentric Professor Bulwer who seems to know what Nosferatu is. Alexander Granach is excellent as the very strange Knock who instructs Hutter to take part on the journey to Transylvania as he is revealed to be a servant of Nosferatu. Greta Schroder is fantastic as Ellen as Hutter’s wife who is eager to wait for him as she begins to act strangely as it relates to Nosferatu’s arrival. Gustav von Wangenheim is brilliant as Thomas Hutter who travels to Transylvania unaware of what he is embarking as he becomes a prisoner of Nosferatu and tries to escape to save his wife. Finally, there’s Max Schreck in a phenomenal performance as Count Orlok/Nosferatu as this very odd yet creepy vampire who is very secretive but also scary as it’s definitely a performance for the ages.
Nosferatu is a remarkable film from F.W. Murnau that features an incredible performance from Max Schreck in the titular role. The film is definitely a must-see for fans of horror films as well as vampire films. Even as it plays to the idea of what vampires are and what they should be without any kind of compromise. In the end, Nosferatu is a sensational film from F.W. Murnau.
Related: Nosferatu (2024 film)
© thevoid99 2014
