Faust
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Movie Reviews of Faust
Movie Review: A Most Unpredicatable Journey
Summary: 5 Stars
Familiarity with neither Marlowe's "Tragedy of Doctor Faustus" nor Goethe's "Faust" will prepare you for this Murnau masterpiece. It is a film that truly surprises, clearly echoing its protagonist's own journey from greatness to aimless indecision, unintended disaster, and finally a strong resolution. This insanely brilliant yet highly uneven work is a clear and beautiful transition from the fantastic expressionistic horror of Murnau's "Nosferatu" to the dark and stunningly beautiful tragic romance of "Sunrise." It is almost schizophrenic in its scope, but it pays off masterfully in the end.
"Faust" begins as a stylized satanic horror film, rife with the most absolutely jaw-dropping special effects that would not be outdone for decades to come. At the heart of this first act is (unsurprisingly) Faust, a spiritual, saintly man who is forced to play Job to a quarreling Angel and Devil. Unfortunately, Faust has his breaking point and descends, brilliantly, into the world of the damned. For the first hour of the film, we are subjected to cinematic wonder after cinematic wonder as Murnau and crew constantly manage to top each and every visual that they throw at you. Even when Faust signs away his soul and seems to lose all of his dramatic potential, the visuals keep you glued to your seat.
About an hour into the film, though, the film takes an abrupt turn. Just as Faust becomes bored and indecisive with his newfound powers, Murnau seems to become bored and indecisive with the direction of his powerful film. It descends into a black comedy which, although humorous at points, feels highly tedious and out of place. Fortunately, as this chapter wraps up after approximately 30 minutes, it's purpose becomes clear.
The film then transitions into a gritty tragedy about Gretchen, Faust's love interest introduced in the previous act. Like the previous one, this dark and depressing act seems to come out of nowhere, not even featuring Faust and seemingly having little to do with the story begun in the first act.
However, just as Gretchen's fortunes take an even greater turn for the worse, the film makes a stunning transition, leaping to life with brilliant action, drama, effects, camera work, and acting. For the rest of my life, I doubt that I will ever forget Gretchen's primal cry for Faust, visually transcending distance and the boundaries of Hell itself. The film ends soon after, but not before delivering gorgeous, dramatically saturated moment after moment. The end leaves you with a feeling of elated sorrow -- something I never would have expected from what began as an expressionist horror film.
In the end, Faust is a wonderfully cruel love tragedy, soaring with emotion even higher than it ever soared with the best cinematic imagery of its day. "Faust" is a must see for anyone that shares an equal love for satanic horror and divine tragedy. You'll get both in equal measure, here.
Regarding the transfer itself, Kino does an adequate job, but there's certainly room for improvement. The transfer has its share of jumps, scratches, imperfections, and minor over-all graininess, all while suffering from seemingly poor contrast. It's absolutely watchable, but I'd love to see the Murnau Foundation take this film to the next level, making it shine in the way that it deserves to. I do have to say that the score on Kino's release is incredible, though, absolutely complimenting and nurturing every aspect of Murnau's masterpiece with a Wagner-inspired energy. I'd hate to watch this film without it.
**Note: This review pertains to the 2001 Kino release. Kino has since released a newly remastered edition with a different score.
Movie Review: Try This Even if You Don't Usually Like Silent Films
Summary: 5 Stars
This film is ripe for reassessment as among the best silent films ever made and a true work of art. Unfortunately, most silent films are rarely seen outside of a small group of silent film enthusiasts. Murnau's earlier film "Nosferatu" is an exception, mainly because horror genre fans brought it to the attention of a wider audience. So "Nosferatu," a relatively immature low-budget work, receives all the attention, while "Faust," in every way beyond it, is not nearly so well-known simply because it doesn't fall neatly into a genre. "Faust" features a stylish dream-like atmosphere punctuated with stunning special effects and lush visuals. Of course, this will not be to everyone's taste. Those looking for realistic straightforward storytelling may find it tedious or silly. I would say that "Faust" will appeal to fans of surreal "cult" films, ones that create their own unique allegorical world, such as "Brazil," "Dark City," "The City of Lost Children," "Being John Malkovich," "Metropolis," and the films of Jean Cocteau. In fact, the general atmosphere of Faust is most similar to Cocteau's "Beauty and the Beast" -- the young version of Faust reminds me of the Prince the Beast becomes. On a slightly lighter note, "Faust" should also appeal to fans of cult television shows like "The Avengers," "The Prisoner," and "Twin Peaks." I would even expect it to appeal to fans of classic Disney animation.
For a silent film of its day, the picture quality on "Faust" is very good. There is some slight unrepaired damage early on, but the picture quality becomes increasingly pristine as the film progresses. Of course, its certainly not as good-looking as a modern film nor those few silent films where the original negatives survive, but its certainly far better looking than "Nosferatu," where only a single so-so print survived. I think most people will be pleasantly surprised at just how good this looks. If the film ever finds the audience it deserves, enough to justify a thorough clean-up with modern digital techniques, I imagine that this film could look even more spectacular. The soundtrack consists of an excellent orchestral score.
Silent films being a cult in themselves, its doubly hard when their subject is also of mainly cult appeal. I hope "Faust" can break out of the straightjacket of silent films. It deserves to be ranked not just as among the best silent films, but as a classic film period.
Movie Review: Fantastic Silent.
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this without having previously viewed it, because so much has been written about the visuals and atmosphere. I'm no film expert, but I can tell that this film is something very special. Its like David Lynch only good. Murnau basically keeps a theme while being an expressionist; something modern "art" film makers can't seem to do. Murnau has done the impossible: told a full length story with a beginning and end using only images and feelings. You feel every one in your bones and if you're like me, you'll appreciate every frame of the movie. There seems to be not one shot in the whole movie that doesn't have meaning on its own.
All this being said, what is the film about? I was not previously familiar with Faust except for knowing he was the "guy who made a deal with the Devil" thing. Devil makes deal with archangel (stunning depictions by the way), Devil in part of deal tries to corrupt long-bearded Faust. Faust is a pompous academic whose piety and devotion to God you always doubt from the beginning (probably from his alchemist background). The Devil easily entices Faust to make a 24 hour pact in which time he successfully introduces Faust to all the things he normally reserves for those who either have good looks, youth, riches or all three and Faust; about to partake of a beautiful woman for (what we assume) his first time, is forced to either lose his newly found youth or make the pact eternal in the face of end of the 24 hour pact immediately impending. The rest is a spoiler so I won't ruin it except to say that there is much joy and sorrow the rest of the way.
The acting by Faust and the Devil is first rate. The rest of the acting is good. Gretchen is fun to watch, especially when she shuffles around her house. The movie itself lives on its own. The ending seems abrupt upon first watching, but upon subsequent watchings it seems to make far more sense.
Favorite moment: I have two, when Mephisto makes a scary face at Gretchen when she is going to church, and when the archangel raises his flaming sword in judgement against the Devil.
Greatest wonderful surprise: The orchestral score that plays with the movie is fantastic. Better than any I've ever heard with a silent.
Extras: Not many. Just some production photos and a hard copy of an essay written about the movie by some guy.
Movie rating: 9 out of 10. Some may say the middle part drags a little, but I think that was intentional in order to bring out some thematic ideas.
Movie Review: F.W. Murnau
Summary: 5 Stars
I think of Murnau's Faust as a masterpiece not only of cinema, but of the human imagination. I understand that reviews at the time of its premier were lukewarm, but I honestly can't imagine not feeling grateful for the opportunity to see this film today. Moments and images from it are so powerful, they are vivid in the mind years after seeing them -- two hours in a dream world.
The flying sequence has been commented-on more than once, and with good reason. It is a spectacular series of shots wherein the camera tracks through long miniature sets which gradually change from a dense cluster of medieval rooftops and steeples, to a tortuous countryside of mountain peaks and snake-like rivers, twisted trees, deep gorges with plunging waterfalls and stone cliffs, rapids, a field of long grass, elaborate renaissance architecture and an Italianate palace. Along the way there is an encounter with grotesque elongated black birds in the sky, their wings flapping in unison. The sets incorporate running water (with little bits of smoking material floating in the rapids to simulate splashes and spray), an illuminated moon, and smoke to simulate clouds and fog. The whole sequence can't be much more than a couple of minutes long, but the effort to design, construct and coordinate the sequence must have been staggering. The following palace scene is set on a huge multi-level set with female dancers stretching off into the distance. They are there for no better reason than to establish an atmosphere of sumptuous decadence, and young Faust arrives in the middle of this riding between two enormous elephants, which seem to be entirely artificial and crafted of fabric, wire, etc. So it goes throughout the production. Almost every scene is a feast for the eyes, and the darker scenes are vividly expressionistic in design.
The acting is the old-fashioned silent-movie variety of big operatic gestures and vivid facial expression. It may seem odd to those not used to it, but it is NOT an example of ham actors overdoing it. This was a legitimate style of acting in its time, and offers genuine artistic beauty to those who can manage to appreciate it.
Movie Review: Faust
Summary: 5 Stars
Cinematic brilliance in scope, production design, and execution define F.W. Murnau's "Faust." The film is a must see by all especially those who appreciate cinema as an art form. Murnau's legacy resides in company with the most visual filmmakers. He wastes little cinematic time with generic images of actors heads, and instead focuses on conveying his ideas through the moving image.
The film draws the viewer in with opening shot of skeleton death riders moving through smoke and wind on their demon horses. The images are both surreal and tactile allowing the viewer to access them as a dream and as reality. This balance of fantasy and tangibility is rarely seen in contemporary films due to the reliance on computer generated images.
The stylized low key lighting adds great contrast. The light and dark does much to emphasize the divinity of heaven and the cursed prince of darkness. Faust himself is heavily back-lit with a halo rimmed around his disheveled hair. This halo signifies his and man's connection to God and gives the viewer hope in Faust's eventual redemption.
An image that catches one's attention is the image of the prince of darkness gleaming over a bed that contains the young Faust and a princess. Faust has given himself over to the lust of youth. Here the devil gleans over a canopy bed and triumphantly closes the curtain on Faust and the princess.
The film is not without flaws. The strong visuals slow up in the middle and the brilliance of the first forty minutes molds into a theatrical display of humor and plot as the devil flirts with Gretchen's Aunt Marthe. The reading of these events seem better suited for the theater and less suited for cinema.
Despite this setback, "Faust" should be regarded as one of the best films ever committed to the screen in both philosophical text and pure cinematic strength.
Perhaps, a better restoration of the film could reawaken audiences' interest, as it did with "Metropolis."