Der Golem
1920
With his third version of THE GOLEM, director, writer, and actor Paul Wegener is credited with creating the first horror movie series, and historians consider THE GOLEM AND THE DANCER (his 1917 follow-up to the 1914 original) to be the first sequel in cinema history. Based on a legend in Jewish mysticism, in 16th-century Prague .. Read more
| Starring | Paul Wegener, Ernst Deutsch, Albert Steinruck, Lyda Salmonova |
|---|---|
| Director | Paul Wegener |
| Genres | Horror, Horror |
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Der Golem
With his third version of THE GOLEM, director, writer, and actor Paul Wegener is credited with creating the first horror movie series, and historians consider THE GOLEM AND THE DANCER (his 1917 follow-up to the 1914 original) to be the first sequel in cinema history. Based on a legend in Jewish mysticism, in 16th-century Prague community leader and astrologer Rabbi Loew (Albert Steinruck) foresees doom for the Jews. When the emperor decrees a pogrom of the Jewish ghetto, Loew molds a forbidding clay golem (Wegener) to save his people. Loew invokes a demon spirit to retrieve a magic word that he places in an amulet on the creature's chest. Once the word is positioned, the giant wedge-haired automaton lives. Danger ensues, however, when Loew's assistant, Famulus (Ernst Deutsch), uses the golem to settle a score with Florian (Lothar Muthel), a knight who has stolen his sweetheart, Miriam (Lyda Salmonova). THE GOLEM's influence on future horror films was significant, particularly James Whale's FRANKENSTEIN. Wegener's distorted sets and chiaroscuro lighting, complemented by Karl Freund's expert photography, make the film an excellent example of German Expressionism and an important contribution by German mega studio UFA to the golden age of Weimar cinema.
| Starring | Paul Wegener, Ernst Deutsch, Albert Steinruck, Lyda Salmonova |
|---|---|
| Director | Paul Wegener |
| Studio | CORNERSTONE MEDIA |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 8 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Horror, Horror |
| Released | DVD: 05 Oct 2009 Production year: 1920 |
| Format | DVD |
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Most helpful member's review
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6 out of 6 people found this review helpful
Visual feast
I've picked this film up in hmv several times and wondered if it was as good as better known expressionist horror titles like nosfertu and cabinet of dr kaligari... and it is, okay so its not very frightening and the acting as with a lot of silent era films is a bit laughable in places, but this film has stunning set design and some great special effects, it also has a great featurette on expressionist cinema as an extra, so if you want to see the film that influenced horror classics like frankenstein then watch this!
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Most recent members' review
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3 out of 4 people found this review helpful
A rewarding film to watch if you have any interest in the history of film and specifically the horror genre. By modern standards its not that scary, but all the German expressionist hallmarks are here, the angular gestures, the crooked sets and the wild expressions. Dialogue is employed sparsely, and the main atmosphere is derived from the excellent packed crowd scenes and the use of tinting to express moods. Check out the Essay on expressionism included in the DVD with clips from Faust, Metropolis, The Student of Prague and Nosferatu. Educational and a nice reflection on the German psyche in the period between world wars.
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Der Golem
With his third version of THE GOLEM, director, writer, and actor Paul Wegener is credited with creating the first horror movie series, and historians consider THE GOLEM AND THE DANCER (his 1917 follow-up to the 1914 original) to be the first sequel in cinema history. Based on a legend in Jewish ...
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