Der Golem [DVD]

I have read so much on the internet that places this film in the context of Weimar Germany in the period that led up to National Socialism and the Nazi's crimes of genocide against the Jews, that when I watched it for the first time it was hard to suspend that thought in the back of my mind, especially when absorbed in the flaming ghetto scenes and when contemplating the pseudo-scientific, bio-political or techno-political overtones of the Golem's fabrication and deployment. On subsequent viewings I successfully put these ideas out of action and managed to submerge myself more fully into those other contexts, the eschatological plight of the Jewish faith per se, and the rich mystical heritage of the Prague Kabbalists. It is on that basis, that of losing myself in the film, of entering its silence, that I felt able to review the film. Not looking back in commemoration of a single historical confluence it may or may not have anticipated, but of what it, in the innocence of story-telling, brought to bear on mystical history as such, and through the vehicle of expressionism.Sometimes Expressionism gets accounted for as an attempt merely to disturb or dislocate by defamiliarisation or alienation of familiar forms, typically architectural and postural/gestural exaggeration. But besides this (to me) rather redundant and self-qualifying aesthetic interpretation, it is also in my opinion more honest to say that Expressionism tries to capture an external representation of what is felt and realised, what is at bottom experienced, internally and viscerally, throwing into question - and into mystery - any idea of a normative, "objectivistic" conception of community life. The organic, labyrinthine set design places us within this everyday mystery, both concealing and revealing the players, and serving as a visual metaphor for the twisting, torsional, branching fate of a private gated community confronted with an intolerant and puerile imperial context that wants to amuse itself with open spectatorship. Politically, the gothic, ogival complex of the Jewish ghetto, crisscrossing itself and interwoven with rough, laureate, almost sylvan ornamentation sets a mood of nature and innocence that the more rectilinear and finer imperial settings threaten to interfere with and expel.Trapped in the intricacies of their own law, the Prague Jews look to their elders, one of whom, in accordance with the entire labyrinthine theme, produces in secrecy a Golem, commanding the assistance of ashteroth. Intended as the guardian of the people, a noble servant, the Golem (played by director/actor Paul Wegener with a stultifying array of facial expressions) is a creature of clay given animation by the Shem, the mystical inscription of a secret word in a symbol placed on its chest. The price of the Golem's docile loyalty soon begins to betray itself, when at the Emperor's rose festival the scent of a flower and the interest of young women arouse a more human, rebellious, almost adolescent nature. Despite the (hesitant) rescue of the emperor and his court from their own effete follies, earning the Jewish people a pardon, the Golem remains as an impassive presence, its internal seething captured for our perception only in its diverse facial contortions and menacing glowers. As Uranus comes to eclipse Venus in astrological significance, and as the Golem's masters involve it in more and more emotionally complex errands, this nature becomes more and more evident, with feral facial performances by Wegener showing a nonheritable "rage to live", a different sense of nobility altogether, emerging in the Golem: its increasing resistance to human control and refusal to be "put to sleep". In the end the Golem, after having bust the gates of the community wide open, revealing the true "interior" of the film's labyrinths, is only overpowered by the powerless innocence of childhood, in the absence of suspicion or mercenary motives. In the mole-tunnels of the film a subtext is at work, setting the wisdom and laws of elders and imperial court rulers against a more fragile wisdom of naivety, curiosity, and play. This staple innocence of the mystical tradition redeems itself subtlety, almost obliquely and inconsequentially, possibilising those deep moral meditations that a good story always makes available for an open and involved mind.Many of the stylistic and narrative precedents for later gothic expressionism (and indeed cinema in general) are found here - moods are indicated by score and liberal use of tinting, lighting, gesture, etc. In fact in the absence of dialogue (the film is of course a "silent") and a minimum of inter-titles, this is almost a film about how to make a "film", or, if you like, about the creation of filmic humunculii.The film is only slightly marred by the psychology of its era, in which the women appears as a foil for the easily-swayed, swooning and fainting hysterical shadow of the bold resolute man - but this trend is also at the same time undermined by the effete, craven, decadent, and vaguely camp male characters of empire, the desperation and fervour of the rabbi Low trying to fulfil the expectations of his people, and the astonished, puzzled, horror and affectionateness of his assistant.Prior to watching this, it had been a while since I had seen a silent movie, and this film has really sparked off a liking for them. The power of the silent film today seems to me to be in revealing the wordlessness of our contemporary era, its global network of intercommunications amounting to the incessant drone of spoken silence, whilst shedding light on the ability to communicate affections and meanings as originating on that more visceral, moody level that expressionism fully exploited without constant verbiage and exposition.Included on my DVD were the original German inter-titles available through selecting an alternative angle, a gallery of publicity material, related photography and illustrations (including some from Meyrink's novel), and a simplistic but pleasing essay on the stylistic features of German Expressionism. The navigation menus are very much in keeping with the film and its reference to secret texts being read in half-light, half-underground settings; practises half-legal, half an aberration of any law: humanity.This, Wegener's third attempt at the Golem (the first being lost and the second apparently being a send-up) is a true masterpiece, a landmark film that has retained its relevance throughout the maze of 20th century history.

I have watched quite a few silent movies recently and 'Der Golem' was one that I looked forward to with keen anticipation. Many of the movies I have watched, including  Nosferatu (1922) - Two-disc set [DVD ],  Pandora's Box (Silent) [Special Edition] [DVD ],  BROKEN BLOSSOMS:NTSC==ALL REGION IMPORT..D.W.GRIFFITH.DIRECTOR..WITH LILLIAN GISH  and  The Hunchback of Notre Dame [1923] [DVD ] impressed me and I thought that they held up very well. Unfortunately, I didn't feel the same about 'Der Golem',For a movie from 1920, the sets are fabulous and the story is pretty good too with it's tale of Jewish segredation and isolation. But the main character here is The Golem and I almost hate to admit it but I found it to be funny rather than frightening. Yes of course the make up is good for a movie of this age and it is a fair representation of how The Golem looked in books. But I just couldn't get round the fact that with it's awful wig and robot like walk, well it just didn't work for me at all I'm afraid and it was almost like a comedy monster. That might be harsh but it is how I felt while watching 'Der Golem'. I also found the soundtrack, mainly violin, to be overbearing at times and not easy to listen to.I can see the influence that this movie has had but I have to give an honest review and the main character here is the main weakness, sorry.

Having recently visited Prague, and become more aware of the Golem legend, I was intrigued enough to want to learn more. This silent film from the writer, director, actor Paul Wegener supplied that extra knowledge. It is atmospheric and intriguing, an excellent example of early German cinema. The story flows well with only a minimum of intertitles. Whilst it strays from the original legend, it is fascinating to see connections to the Frankenstein story of Mary Shelley. The tinting of various scenes, such as the crimson during the burning of the ghetto, is subdued, but effective.All told a welcome addition to any collection of early German or Horror films.The extras whilst not being excessive, are a welcome addition.

This film had been recommended in a book by Simon Winder that I had recently read called "Germania". I had no idea what it was about, and therefore had a completely open mind. It centres around the resurrection of a 'creature' called the Golem, called upon to save the Jews from banishment from Prague. Very similar creature to Frankenstein's monster, and in a similar way it goes berserk at the end of the story.As this was the oldest film I had ever seen I had to make many allowances. Being made in 1920 the camera work was very different from today with scenes not seeming to last more than 15 - 30 seconds at a time. The reconstruction and restoration have made it highly watchable, with the film speed slowed down to normal. As an historic piece of film I would recommend it.

For it's time, an excellent and innovative piece of cinema. Well worth watching

This is one of the not so well known 'old' films that seem to crop up in various history books on the subject. It's a part of the German Expressionist movement ( seen in 'The Cabinet of Dr. Cabileri' and 'Nosferatu' and to some extent in 'Metropolis'). I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the reproduction. Not wildly enthusiastic about the musical sound track ( I am not sure that this has anything to do with what must have been the original score?). It has a sort of Frankenstein story about it ( as some of the later Frankenstein movie is almost a copy of episodes within this tale). I have no regrets about buying this. If you have not seen it before, I recommend it.