7.9 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
God and Satan war over earth; to settle things, they wager on the soul of Faust, a learned and prayerful alchemist.
Starring: Emil Jannings, William Dieterle, Camilla Horn, Frida Richard, Gösta Ekman (I)Foreign | 100% |
Drama | 45% |
Horror | 18% |
Fantasy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.26:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.33:1
English: LPCM 2.0
English
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Summoning the fury of Heaven and Hell to make a movie about the operatic nature of sin and salvation, F.W. Murnau’s “Faust” is a stunning example of silent film technique and vision. The 1926 production, an expensive effort in its day, showcases remarkable helming precision, with Murnau leaving blood and sweat on the frame as he creates a specific vision of suffering that demands emotional extremes to help create a level of cinematic beauty.
The AVC encoded image (1.26:1 aspect ratio) presentation will likely be pulled apart and studied frame-by-frame by silent film and Murnau enthusiasts, but for casual fans and first-time viewers, the disc handles the complexity of the visual language quite well. Stitched together from various sources, "Faust" isn't cleanly represented, with plenty of scratches, jumpy frames, and damage to contend with, but clarity is surprisingly available. Detail varies throughout, but passages of the film look fresh, permitting admirers to survey depths, facial reactions, and complex use of special effects. Contrast is generally secure, with encouraging delineation for a feature of this age.
Listeners are offered a choice between a piano score by Javier Perez de Azpeitia, and an orchestral score by The Mant Alto Motion Picture Orchestra. The 2.0 LPCM tracks are sturdy creations with strong instrumentation, providing an intriguing difference in intensity and atmosphere.
Blu-ray:
"Faust" is an enormous production, crashing from side to side with ferocity, but still tending to softer moments involving the human characters as they struggle with their unique challenges and persecution. While dramatic depth remains, it always comes in second to Murnau's directorial dominance, presenting a journey into another, more biblically minded world that's frequently spectacular.
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