Paracelsus Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.0

Paracelsus Blu-ray Movie Review

Featuring an impressive performance by Werner Krauss.

Paracelsus is a compelling drama starring the beloved Werner Krauss. The feature-film explores the important historical figure Paracelsus. Paracelsus was a Swiss scientist and someone who had an understanding of alchemy and the skill set of a doctor. Directed by the great German filmmaker Georg Wilhelm Pabst (Don Quixote), Paracelsus is worth a watch.

As the story unfolds in Paracelsus, the feature-film explores how Paracelsus (Werner Krauss) is tasked with helping to prevent a plague. The mission is on – can the great Paracelsus save the people from the dangers of the upcoming plague? Can science save the people? Paracelsus is put to the task to find out and an epic odyssey begins.

The film features a strong performance by Werner Krauss. While a less capable actor might have had difficult conveying the depth of the character, Krauss manages to imbue his performance with great nuance and dramatic heft. The role was perfect for Krauss and the actor performed admirably in the part. An exceptional performance.

The production design by Gerbert Hochreiter (The Comedians) and Walter Schlick (Was will Brigitte?) surprised with its delicate delights. The designs were effective and managed to make the craftsmanship seem more rewarding throughout the feature-film. The efforts were certainly commendable and made the film even more compelling to watch unfold. A good effort by those involved.

The music score composed by Herbert Windt (Strong Hearts in the Storm, Fight of the Tertia) gives the filmmaking an extra layer of depth. The score manages to highlight the performances and the drama in good measure. There is so much to appreciate about the effort and the way in which the music helps enhance the storytelling.

"Now THAT's a Blu-ray!"

The cinematography by Bruno Stephan (City in the Fog, Mist on the Moors) is another impressive element. The black and white cinematography gives the filmmaking a nice aura of mysticism that has a remarkable effect on the storytelling. The style works wonders.

The costumes by Herbert Ploberger (The Mad Bomberg, Waltz King) are effective, too. Each character seems well-dressed (whether it be gowns or robes). The efforts of Ploberger help to make the film all the more remarkable.

Edited by Lena Neumann (First Spaceship on Venus, You Only You), Paracelsus is well-cut with a nice pace and rhythm. The film flows well and has a nice dramatic backbone. The final act of the film is so well edited that it perfectly accentuates the drama.

The screenplay by Kurt Heuser (To New Shores, One Too Many on Board) is unfortunately one of the weaker elements of the filmmaking. The storytelling is decent – but it jumps around (sometimes becoming confusing). Even so, Paracelsus still manages to have great dialogue and that is easily the best element of the script.

Georg Wilhelm Pabst (Don Quixote, The Comedians) capably directs Paracelsus. The film takes flight with the exceptional craftsmanship of Pabst. A renowned German auteur, Pabst brought forth the best from his cast and delivered a poetic style of filmmaking that still holds up to this day. Paracelsus is compelling entertainment.

Paracelsus Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, Paracelsus is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.37:1 (full frame). The release comes from a 2K scan. The digital master is a bit inconsistent. The print looks a little faded and there are thin scratch marks throughout the print. The scan shows occasional dirt on the print as well. Even so, Paracelsus looks generally solid. The presentation quality showcases the visuals well-enough and the scan looks quite sharp. An imperfect but decent presentation.

Paracelsus Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a German uncompressed PCM mono track. The audio is fine for enjoying the film but is a far cry from a pristine restoration of the film elements. The track isn't too crisp and there are occasional moments where the audio sounds a bit thin. The track has slight hiss occasionally (though it is never too distracting). All in all, a decent audio track, but far from perfect.

Optional English subtitles are provided.

Paracelsus Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary by Film Historian Samm Deighan

Paracelsus Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Paracelsus is worth a watch. The film has exceptional production merits and the lead performance by beloved actor Werner Krauss is compelling. The Blu-ray from Kino Lorber features a 2K scan of the film. Fans of director Georg Wilhelm Pabst (Don Quixote) should take a look. Recommended.