Der Student von Prag (1913)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Directors:

Stellan Rye
Paul Wegener

Writers:

Hanns Heinz Ewers (writer)
Edgar Allan Poe (story)

Release Date:

22 August 1913 (Germany)

Genre:

Drama | Horror

Plot:

A poor student rescues a beautiful countess and soon becomes obsessed with her. A sorcerer makes a deal...

Plot Keywords:

Doppelganger | Haunted

Cast

Paul Wegener	...	Balduin
John Gottowt	...	Scapinelli
Grete Berger	...	Komtesse Margit
Lyda Salmonova	...	Lyduschka
Lothar Körner	...	Graf von Schwarzenberg
Fritz Weidemann	...	Baron Waldis-Schwarzenberg
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alexander Moissi

Also Known As:

A Bargain with Satan (USA)
The Student of Prague (International: English title)

Runtime:

85 min | 41 min (Alpha Video)

Country:

Germany

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Filming Locations:

Prague, Czech Republic

Company:

Deutsche Bioscop GmbH

Trivia:

This is often considered to be the first horror film ever made.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Kingdom of Shadows (1998) (V)

Decent

Student of Prague, The (1913)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

A poor college student (Paul Wegener) falls in love with a rich woman so he makes a deal with a sorcerer. The sorcerer pays him 100,000 gold pieces for anything in the student's room. The sorcerer decides to steal the student's soul. This is a pretty good horror film that manages to have a few very creepy scenes including the first scene where the soul is taken. The rest of the film is pretty weak working itself up towards the very good ending. This is still a very important film for horror fans to seek out.

You can check my review of the remake here as well.