Blu-ray Review: Faust – Eine Deutsche Volkssage (1926)

By Karolina Gruschka

The importance of Faust to German culture is comparable to that of Hamlet to the British. All Germans encounter the tragedy at some point in their lives, mainly via the educational system. It is interesting that F.W. Murnau chose this material to be the content of his last German film before his emigration to the US. A celebration of his ‘Heimat’s’ culture, Murnau also regarded Faust as his admission ticket to the American film industry.

In the beginning was the word…

Murnau’s Faust starts with a bet between archangel Gabriel and the Demon Mephisto (the great Emil Jannings). In exchange for succeeding at corrupting Dr. Faust’s soul, Mephisto will become Earth’s sole ruler. Quite a risky bet for Heaven (and humanity!) considering that Faust is a dissatisfied scholar rummaging in alchemy.

In order to give Dr. Faust a motivation for joining the dark side, Mephisto sends the Plague to his hometown (this is an invention of the scriptwriter H. Kyser). Seeing everyone die around him without being able to help, Faust denounces science and religion as one big lie. While burning all volumes in his study he discovers a book about conjuring and binding demons. The instructions send him to a crossroad – the betwixt and between – where Dr. Faust carries out the ritualistic invocation of Mephisto. The deal is a trial day – ain’t that nice of the Devil! Yet, soon Faust’s original motive of healing the sick turns to the desire of catching up on his youth (which he wasted burying his head in books). As the trial day runs out, the rejuvenated Faust is about to have sex with the gorgeous Duchess of Parma. The thought of turning old again and remaining unsatisfied is reason enough for Faust to denounce God and to irrevocably agree to the pact with the Devil. Travelling the world and having a great time, Faust starts to develop a nostalgia for his Heimat and decides to journey home. And this is where the real tragedy unfolds…

Faust – from charlatan to Devil’s ally

The historical Faust lived in Germany during the first half of the 16th century. He referred to himself as Master, Doctor and Philosoph, whilst priding himself in astrology, alchemy and magic. Locally apparently as famous as Paracelsus, Faust, however, often got in trouble with the law and was accused of charlatanry and deception.

Since astrology and magic were condemned by Luther, some Protestant pastors started using the figure of Faust as an example of a magician who was in league with the Devil. Combined with existing tales surrounding him, the legend of Faust was published as Historia von D. Johann Fausten in a ‘Volksbuch’ (chapbook) in 1587 by Johann Spiess. Three further reworked editions were published between then and 1725, the final one being a cheap and shortened version that Goethe read as a boy.

Already in its early stages, the Faustian myth traveled across Europe. Based on an English translation of the first ‘Volksbuch’, Christoper Marlowe wrote the poetic drama The Tragic History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus in 1588. It tells of a Faust who, out of an unsatisfied thirst for knowledge, gives in to the dark arts. For 24 years of power and the services of the Devil, Faust sells his soul by signing a contract in blood. Marlowe’s play also reached Europe in the early 17th century, where it eventually ‘condescended’ became material for ‘Wandertruppen’ (a touring theatre which entertained common folk by means of parody and farce) or puppet plays. This is also how Goethe encountered Marlowe’s drama before actually reading the translation of the play in 1818.

Starting to work on Faust in 1772, it took Goethe 36 years and the course of two literary epochs (‘Storm and Stress’ and ‘Classicism’) to complete the first part of the tragedy (the second part takes off after Gretchen’s death). A typical subject for ‘Storm and Stress’ was that of infanticide; Goethe added the tragic destiny of Margarete to his play after encountering the – in his eyes debatable – execution of a woman who claimed that she had been drugged and raped and then told by the Devil to kill her baby.

Die Gretchentragoedie

In the movie production of Faust, Murnau, too, incorporated the tragedy of Gretchen (played by an unknown dancer – Camilla Horn – who had been a foot-double in Murnau’s Tartuffe 1925). Faust returns to his village and sees the young, beautiful and pious Margarete. He immediately decides that he wants her and orders Mephisto’s help. As soon as Faust gets into her pants, he practically abandons her. While he is having a good time with the Devil, Gretchen is going through Hell: no family (Mephisto killed her mother and brother), no home, no money, pregnant out of wedlock, a tainted reputation. Deep winter arrives and nobody takes pity on Gretchen or her baby. As the newborn freezes to death, Gretchen is accused of infanticide and sentenced to burn at the stake. Almost too late, Faust remembers Gretchen and feels remorse after realising what he had done to her. Together with Mephisto, Faust sets off to rescue his love (yes, maybe he did love her after all). Unlike in Goethe’s Faust (part 1) there is a happy ending for the both of them. Gretchen and Faust experience true love and find redemption in their joint deaths.

A masterpiece in its prime shape

The special effects in Murnau’s Faust are fantastic. Mephisto’s glowing eyes feel more sinister and menacing than any computer generated effects. For scenes where the camera is flying across a landscape, Murnau had his art department create a 35m model; the camera was being moved over tracks. Equally unforgettable is when Mephisto’s contract appears magically on the parchment. The accompanying performances are also worthy of notice. Horn (Gretchen), for instance, really did suffer; in great heat (caused by the lighting) she was dragged across the floor over and over again, chained to a wall and not given any food for hours. Hence, despite the silent film acting style which seems theatrical these days, the performances feel genuine and real.

Eureka! Entertainment’s label Masters of Cinema are releasing this gem in its original domestic cut on DVD and Blu-ray on 18th August 2014. Murnau would repeat takes over and over again with changes in lighting, tone, composition, pacing, angles, framing and content until they were perfect. Using two cameras, he produced this abundancy of material, which went into at least seven negatives. The best takes became part of the German cut, however, it was the export version that was circulated until recently. Thanks to Luciano Berriatua (for Filmoteca Espanola), who reconstructed and restored the German domestic cut, cinephiles have now access to a premium version of Faust. Let me tell you, the image quality is so top notch, you would not think Faust – Eine dt. Volkssage is almost 90 years old. Keep your eyes also open for the bear: in one of the scenes a real bear appears, whereas in the export cut a man is dressed in a bear suit.

The disc features the German domestic cut of Faust with a score to chose from three options (orchestral, harp and piano), an audio commentary by film critics D. Ehrenstein and B. Krohn, the export version of Faust, ‘The Language of Shadows’ – a documentary about the production of Faust, critic Tony Rayns discussing the film and a comparison of the two versions (domestic and export).

Faust will be released on DVD and Blu-ray by Eureka! Entertainment on August 18th 2014.