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Classic silent German cinema from the talented F.W.Murnau, 1926. “The portals of darkness are open and the shadows of the dead hunt over the earth..” opens the film with the prevailing theme of good versus evil as the devil Mephisto does a deal with alchemist Faust for his soul and potentially for dominion over the Earth - promising he will stop the plague that is rife throughout Faust’s village. Faust reneges on the arrangement choosing love - much to the delight of Archangel St. Michael. Based on the original story by Goethe. Great cinematography and effects give the film a dark foreboding and general creepiness that add to the dramatic impact of the work. This edition features orchestral soundtrack by the Olympia Chamber Orchestra.
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Stream, rent or buy via
Collection
In ACMI's collection
Credits
Collection metadata
ACMI Identifier
319053
Language
English
Audience classification
PG
Subject categories
Advertising, Film, Journalism, Mass Media & TV → Expressionism in motion pictures
Advertising, Film, Journalism, Mass Media & TV → Motion picture film - Preservation and storage
Advertising, Film, Journalism, Mass Media & TV → Motion picture soundtracks
Advertising, Film, Journalism, Mass Media & TV → Motion pictures - History
Courtroom, Crime, Espionage & Thrillers
Courtroom, Crime, Espionage & Thrillers → Thrillers
Crafts & Visual Arts → German expressionism
Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Devil
Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Satanism
Fantasy & Science Fiction → Fantasy
Feature films → Feature films - Germany
Food, Health, Lifestyle, Medicine, Psychology & Safety → Love
Literature → German literature - Film and video adaptations
Magic, Occult & Supernatural → Devil
Magic, Occult & Supernatural → Fantasy
Magic, Occult & Supernatural → Supernatural
Sound/audio
Sound
Colour
Black and White
Holdings
DVD; Access Print (Section 1)