Faust

I gave a five star rating for the following reasons:1. Scholarship: I own have read the original stories that this movie was based on and I think the film adaptation is very powerful and accurate. Jan Svenkmajer also used all of the most appropriate images and ceremonial rites from The Lemegetton. The adaptation of Mephistopheles from the original story is done well, and dialog is very gripping.2. The use of images: Faust as a marionette is a strong image that lends itself to the critique of free will in European theology. Faust donning the stage before an audience before important parts of the story creates an image that could be similarly interpreted.3. The incorporation of surrealist art: The stop-go animation, the clay baby, the marionettes, the heads rolling downhill, the play - all of these do an outstanding job of incorporating surrealist art without being over the top. When I see something like Matthew Barney, it doesn't seem to have a whole lot of direction and I get the impression that some guy is just throwing as much eccentric imagery as possible onto a screen in hopes that people will assume it has meaning or that it possesses surrealist value. On the contrary, this interpretation of Faust uses deliberate images to communicate specific ideas about the unconscious and add depth to the story.4. Story: The characters and flow of the story are very digestible and lovable. There are also a few very well placed comic reliefs. I feel like the punch at the ending is an outstanding crescendo and message in and of itself.

Here, Svankmeyer basically juxtaposes a staged showing of the play FAUST with the story of the man who is kidnapped into playing Faust. As the film rolls on, the character's story and the actor's story become more and more indistinguishable. There are also a bunch of insane devil marionettes and the whole thing has the vibe of a medieval Punch and Judy show.Probably the main thing I liked about FAUST was the fact that, although it is a fairly surreal film, it doesn't go out of it's way to be strange for strangeness's sake [like the Czech film DAISIES or the Georgian REPENTANCE, though those are okay movies]. Sure, you have bizarre goings-on like a stop-motion fetus in a jar growing old and turning into a skull, but many of the details you thought were unrelated to the story all wrap up in a very pleasing manner.Of course, not all of your questions will be answered. I still don't understand the significance of the theater sets versus real scenery, or why Faust sometimes appears in his costume and sometimes in his regular trench coat. But I'm glad I don't completely get it--I like a movie to provoke thought rather than explain everything outright.Also, man, what's with the other comments saying this is an art-house flick, or only pretentious snobs will enjoy it? Sure, FAUST is not for everybody, because not everybody likes unusual or even minorly challenging movies. Don't let the reverse-snobs scare you away

A flyer passed out by some innocuous stranger on the street containing a roadmap to a location circled in red, an egg unexpectedly found hidden in the middle of a loaf of bread followed by sudden darkness and a fowl wind when cracked open. Are these events sure signs of the calling of the "Infernal One", or nothing more than random occurrences adding a little unexpected disruption in an otherwise dull, mundane afternoon?So begins Faust's journey into darkness, his encounter with Mephistopheles and his deal with the Devil. I guess this is the painful lesson mankind is doomed to learn over and over again, is it better to blindly embrace the Church and all its inherent ambiquity, or seek to understand the mysteries of the universe by whatever means at our disposal? One thing is certain, "Knowledge gained is far from bliss."`Faust; released in `95 is a immensely original and highly inventive re-telling of the demonic tale that has long captured the European consciousness. Svankmajer's incorporation of puppetry and clay model animation works well overall, especially the puppet sequences in the theatre during the evocation sequence, but eventually becomes a little redundant and tiring towards the end. Definitely for a select audience, especially appealing for the magickcally inclined.

I purchased this title on a bit of a whim, and after viewing it for the first time I put it on my shelf thinking I would never watch it again. Faust sat on my shelf for about a year. After a year of new experiences and enlightnments I was again ready for faust after a long ensightful nite with my mushy friends. I was up at 6am and wanted to watch a flick and bam there was faust looking me in the face, how could i deny it. During this second viewing I got it and Faust has become my go to movie. This movie is so deep and can be interpereted in a multitude of ways depending on what type of mood you are in while viewing. I find that this movie gets better the more times you watch it, so keep this in mind when purchasing. Again for the record I watched it the first time and did not like it, one year later it is my favorite movie, aint life strangly beautiful. Long live Dr. Faust

Ok

[Lekce] Faust von Jan Svankmajer, ist eine äußerst gruselige und groteske Umsetzung des Fauststoffes; eine Kunst, die für Svankmajer das Alpha und Omega ist. Wer von ihm schon die Filme Alice oder Little Otik gesehen hat, kennt seinen Stil: Monströses und surreales mit Stop-Motion Animationen.Genauso funktioniert auch Faust. Die Geschichte: Ein Mann in Trenchcoat mit tristen Zügen, lebt einen bedeutungslosen Tag nach den anderen, bis ihn zwei dämonisch anmutende Männer eine Karte unterjubeln. Diese führt den Namenlosen in einem Hinterhof eines kleinen Bezirkstheaters in einer Garderobe hinein, wo er sich wie ferngesteuert ein Alchemistenkostüm anzieht und beginnt aus Goethes Faust zu zitieren. Anfänglich sich davor sträubend, zieht es den Mann mehr und mehr in diese Rolle, während er die lebendig gewordenen und lebensgroßen Marionetten begegnet. So mehr er sich der Rolle als Faust nähert, desto näher kommt er den Pakt mit den dämonischen Marionetten. Sein Schicksal ist es, in einen von Dämonen geschaffenen Opferzyklus unterzugehen.Der Film strotzt vor künstlerischen Details in Bild und Skript. Der namenlose Mann spricht nie, außer die Zitate aus Goethes oder Marlowes Faust, und meist nur dann im Dialog mit Mephistopheles. Die Stop-Motion Animationen sind je nach Figur sehr flüssig bis sehr abgehackt, besonders bei Mephistopheles, der das Gesicht des Faust assimiliert und sich durch die geringe Bildfrequenz, noch dämonenhafter artikuliert. Auch die großen Marionetten sind Bildgewaltig. Zwar wird nie geklärt, was es mit dieser ominösen Hand auf sich hat, die die Marionetten lenkt, doch kann man nachvollziehen, dass die Marionetten technisch von Menschen in Kostümen gespielt werden, die die Bewegungen der Puppen perfekt nachahmen. Nur geringfügig, werden die Marionetten in Stop-Motion animiert. Auch sind die tristen Kulissen des Hinterhoftheaters und das graue Großstadtbild von Prag sehr perfekt.Die Ausstattung der Kino Video DVD ist nicht üppig, aber das ist auch nicht schlimm, weil der Film für sich alleine schon große Kunst ist. Die Bildqualität ist nun mal nicht mehr aufzuwerten, denn wir sprechen von einem Film der gegen Mitte der 90er raus kam und mit alten Kameras abgedreht wurde. Da Lekce Faust vergriffen ist, wäre eine Neuauflage oder restaurierte Reproduktion gefragt.Jeder der sich für den Fauststoff interessiert sollte sich Svankmajers Faust anschauen. Er mischt Marlowe, Goethe und Simrock zugleich. Auch beweist es das leider seit 60 Jahren unbeachtete Talent des tschechischen Films.

Having first seen this on TV in the 90's and been utterly captivated by it, it's wonderful to finally find the film on DVD. Alternately funny, eerie, beautiful and extremely creepy, this is one of the all time greats. A truly unique piece of film making.

An absolutely unique surreal, bizarre dark dream/nightmare film, using actors, stop-motion animation, props of all shapes and sizes to tell the tale of Faust. For fans of Tim Burton, Dali, dark animation, surrealism, fantasy and horror. Unlike anything you have ever seen possibly.

good