THE STUDENT OF PRAGUE and ALRAUNE, two cinematic adaptations of fantastic stories by Hanns Heinz Ewers, are the great masterpieces of Henrik Galeen, one of the great film authors of the 1920s. In his films, he always relied on powerful camerawork and the acting of great Silent film stars like Conrad Veidt, Werner Krauss, Brigitte Helm and Paul Wegener in their best roles. Stephen Horne as well as Sabrina Zimmermann and Mark Pogolski have composed new scores for the beautifully restored films. As a bonus, we see Henrik Galeen as an actor in the Harry Piel film DANGEROUS PATHS.
Release date: January 2025
The films
Der Student von Prag / Tha Man Who Cheated Life - Germany 1926 - Directed and written by: Henrik Galeen, based on the film by Hanns Heinz Ewers - Cinematography by: Günther Krampf - Sets by: Hermann Warm - Cast: Conrad Veidt, Werner Krauß, Elizza La Porta, Agnes Esterhazy, Fritz Alberti, Ferdinand von Alten, Erich Kober - Produced by: Sokal-Film, Berlin - Premiere: October 25, 1926 (Capitol, Berlin)
Alraune / A Daughter of Destiny - Germany 1927 - Directed and written by: Henrik Galeen, based on the novel by Hanns Heinz Ewers - Cinematography by: Franz Planer - Sets by: Max Heilbrenner, Walter Reimann - Cast: Brigitte Helm, Paul Wegener, Ivan Petrovich, Wolfgang Zilzer, Louis Ralph, John Loder, Valeska Gert - Produced by: Ama-Film, Berlin - Premiere: January 25, 1928 (Capitol, Berlin)
About the film ALRAUNE
The story "Alraune" by Hanns Heinz Ewers when first published years ago, at once became a sensation.
Even though the theme is a rather risky experiment, in which the author deals with a more or less fantastic-scientific problem, it cannot be denied that H. H. Ewers has skilfully introduced his sinister characters into suitable surroundings. "Alraune" (Mandrake) concerning which an old legend states that this "humanlike plant" grows beneath gallows, is the subject H. H. Ewers used for his story, weaving it in with a scientific significance. It is the result of a scientific experiment which is found in the daughter of a hanged criminal and a prostitute a human-being born to destroy those near to her.
Thus H. H. Ewers trod new literary paths, going where few were allowed.
Now the Ama-Film G.m.b.H. of Berlin has filmed the story, and to a certain extent succeeded with it. The director, Mr. Henrik Galeen however, is no Hanns Heinz Ewers of the screen, so that the play lacks the fantastic quality of the story. It is a play, however, which ranks above the average, and the credit for this is due to the youthful Brigitte Helm Alraune whom we remember also in METROPOLIS. In her acting she develops a talent akin to that of Ewers; she understood her part, and as far as possible gave the film new attraction, which covered up some of the faults the film had. The acting is not only artistic, it is also as realistic as can be possible in such a film.
One wonders again and again how it is possible that a girl so young as Brigitte Helm is able to play her part with such highly subtle artistry the character of the leading part needing such spiritual and inner comprehension.
Just the opposite with Paul Wegener as Prof. ten Brinken. Wegener's slightly exaggerated, yet still appealing acting, attracts less attention probably because the part of ten Brinken is more or less a fantastic one.
The other parts are played by Ivan Petrovitch, Wolfgang Zilzer, Mia Pankau and Heinrich Schroth, and they are in accord with the pervading atmosphere.
The photoplay ALRAUNE could easily become a sensation were only its name: BRIGITTE HELM!
Erich Hellmund-Waldow, Close Up 3/1928
DVD features (2-disc DVD)
DVD 1
- Der Student von Prag 1926, 133'
- Score by Stephen Horne
- Scenes from: Auf gefährlichen Spuren 1924, 15' (excerpts)
- Score by Richard Siedhoff
- 20page booklet with essays by Stefan Drössler, Henrik Galeen, Michael Farin, Felix Panten and Hanns Heinz Ewers
DVD 2
- Alraune 1927, 131'
- Daniel Semler: Brigitte Helm. Der Vamp des deutschen Films (Belleville Verlag 2008). Buch als PDF im ROM-Bereich (240 Seiten)
Edited by: Filmmuseum München
DVD authoring: Tobias Dressel, Gunther Bittmann
DVD supervision: Stefan Drössler
First edition January 2025
