Schatten - Eine nächtliche Halluzination (1923)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Arthur Robison

Writers:

Arthur Robison (writer)
Rudolf Schneider (writer)

Release Date:

27 April 1925 (Finland)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

During a dinner, given by a wealthy baron and his wive, attended by four of her suitors in a 19th century German manor...

Plot Keywords:

Expressionist | Expressionism

Cast

Alexander Granach	...	Shadowplayer
Max Gülstorff	...	2. Kavalier
Lilli Herder	...	Dienstmaedchen
Rudolf Klein-Rogge
Fritz Kortner	...	The count
Karl Platen	...	2. Diener
Fritz Rasp	...	Diener
Eugen Rex	...	A servant
Ferdinand von Alten	...	3. Kavalier
Gustav von Wangenheim	...	Her lover
Ruth Weyher	...	His wife

Also Known As:

Warning Shadows

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

Germany

Language:

German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Certification:

USA:Unrated

Company:

PAN Film

Movie Connections:

Featured in Kingdom of Shadows (1998) (V)

An Odd Dream

This is an unusual, very different sort of film, completely visual as it has no intertitles, in keeping with the original German version. About a man who is full of anxiety (his eyes continually popping out in jealous rages) over the attentions his woman has been paying to a handsome youth and several other male admirers (meanwhile, though she likes to flirt, she actually seems more interested in gazing at herself and posing in front of mirrors). The action all takes place at a house dinner party one evening, where our beautiful and alluring peacock lady is busy enticing the man, the youth, and three gentlemen, then all are "entertained" by a strange traveling entertainer and his shadow puppet play, who causes all to hallucinate a vision of "things to come".

This film is very interestingly photographed, full of sharp shadows against brightly lit walls that set some of the action, plus lavish period costuming and well-draped sets that look like they belong on a stage. The action is mostly slow and dreamlike, a bit too slow at times as this drags just a little through parts. Still, very interesting to see. The print on the DVD, tinted in sepia/yellow, pink, and bright lavender tones, looks quite nice. The music score is excellent and suits this very odd silent film quite well.