Faust (Blu-ray Review)

Faust 
Directed by F.W. Murnau
Blu-ray Review
Released by Kino Classics

Oh dem gods and demons that always be battling for man's soul! The Earth is a pretty sorrowful place if you think about it and the angels are about fed up with it! So an archangel and Mephisto, a demon, place a bet on whether one man can redeem his species: Faust. The archangel holds him up to be what is best in man, learned and wise and a lover of knowledge. Mephisto thinks he knows better. He says that Faust just needs to be tempted by the right thing. If Mephisto gets the better of Faust, he is promised rule over our world.

The first thing the demon does is send down a plague on Faust's town and people begin dying left and right. Faust, being a nice guy, wants to help, but finds it beyond his skills to cure. Enter Mephisto who promises him the power to end the plague IF he signs his soul away. Reluctantly, Faust agrees, but ironically, when the townspeople learn his healing abilities are from dark forces, they reject him!

Things really start going south when Mephisto makes Faust young again. One moment he's an old crusty man, the next he's in his sex-starved prime of youth. It's the beginning of a truly dark path.

This was my first time watching Faust. Of course,  I know the basic plot though Marlowe's and Goethe's plays (This version of Faust is based on Goethe). There is also an opera based on the tale. It's basically a myth or cautionary folktale of what happens when man lusts to know things he is not meant to know. Or to wield power he was never meant to wield. So it wasn't like I was entering the movie blind.

The thing that really blew me away were the special effects. From the opening shots of Mephisto's minions flying zombie horses across the sky, and the appearance of Mephisto in a winged bear suit and an archangel looking like an aryan Valkyrie, I knew I was in for a treat. I was actually creeped out by the luminescent eyes of the demon when he first appears to Faust. I was actually scared by a 100 year old movie. That's how well the scenes were shot. There were also effects that I only noticed a second time of viewing. I would look at one part of a frame and wonder how Murnau did it and then notice something ELSE that would make me go WHOA HOW DID HE DO THAT? I was in awe of and laughing because I'm like, this movie is so cool!

While Faust was the main protagonist, I was much more interested in two other characters: Mephisto and Gretchen. Mephisto was played by Emil Jannings and whenever he was in a scene he stole every one. He played it so over the top that it could be comic at times but then next shot he was devilish and menacing. Camilla Horn also did a great job in a tragic role as Gretchen, a young and innocent girl Faust falls in love with and who might even offer him a ray of hope for redemption.

Murnau's Faust is a masterpiece in every way. Its first act is laden to the hilt with technical wizardry that still holds a century later while the second focuses more on character interaction and story. The director is equally at home in both styles. You truly should not miss watching this film. I'm so glad I discovered it.

This 2 disc edition has two different versions of the Faust The original 1926 version of the film is on Blu-ray and in HD. There is also a DVD of a longer alternate cut made by UFA studios in 1930. I have only watched the original so have nothing to offer about the 1930 version. I wonder why they didn't touch that up as well and have both versions in HD? I'll get back on here sometime after I watch the alternate version to talk about the differences.

My Grade: A+