F.W. Murnau (director of such films as Nosferatu (1922), Sunrise, and Der Letzte Mann 're-imagines' the tale of Dr.Faustus.
Unlike Nosferatu, it's most comparable film by Murnau, Faust clearly had a much higher production values, which can be seen with some eye-popping special effects such as the entrance of Mephisto, or even Mephisto's stabbing, or even the scene of Faust and Mephisto flying. You might consider these dated by today, but on looking back you'll wonder how they did these effects in the 1920's, making them incredible. Other noteworthy items are the sets, and backgrounds and sets which stand strong today.
The main character, Faust is played well both by Gösta Ekman (playing both the young and old Faust), but it is Emil Jannings who truly steals the show as Mephisto who can works just as well as being the embodiment of all evil, to the funny scenes (read: intentionally funny scenes) such as the church scenes where Mephisto covers his ears from the church music, to a woman trying to seduce Mephisto.
If there is a problem with Faust, is that it drops into Melodrama (specifically with the tagged on happy ending) between the middle and the end which drags the film down to a pace at time, but this hardly is much to complain about because Faust is one of the best Fantasy tinged Tragedies, and still holds up today as fine filming even if you don't think you could stand through a film made over 75 years ago.
9/10. A must see!
Unlike Nosferatu, it's most comparable film by Murnau, Faust clearly had a much higher production values, which can be seen with some eye-popping special effects such as the entrance of Mephisto, or even Mephisto's stabbing, or even the scene of Faust and Mephisto flying. You might consider these dated by today, but on looking back you'll wonder how they did these effects in the 1920's, making them incredible. Other noteworthy items are the sets, and backgrounds and sets which stand strong today.
The main character, Faust is played well both by Gösta Ekman (playing both the young and old Faust), but it is Emil Jannings who truly steals the show as Mephisto who can works just as well as being the embodiment of all evil, to the funny scenes (read: intentionally funny scenes) such as the church scenes where Mephisto covers his ears from the church music, to a woman trying to seduce Mephisto.
If there is a problem with Faust, is that it drops into Melodrama (specifically with the tagged on happy ending) between the middle and the end which drags the film down to a pace at time, but this hardly is much to complain about because Faust is one of the best Fantasy tinged Tragedies, and still holds up today as fine filming even if you don't think you could stand through a film made over 75 years ago.
9/10. A must see!