Faust (1994)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Jan Svankmajer

Writers:

Johann Wolfgang Goethe (play)
Christian Dietrich Grabbe (novel)

Release Date:

7 April 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Drama | Fantasy

Plot:

A very free adaptation of Marlowe's 'Doctor Faustus', Goethe's 'Faust' and various other treatments...

Plot Keywords:

Clay | Surrealism | Deal With The Devil | Magic Realism | Puppet Theater

Awards:

6 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Petr Cepek	...	Faust
Jan Kraus
Vladimír Kudla
Antonin Zacpal
Jirí Suchý
Viktorie Knotková
Jana Mézlová
Miluse Straková
Josef Fiala
Martin Radimecký
Ervín Tomendál
Frantisek Polata
Josef Chodora
Karel Vidimský
Petr Meissel

Also Known As:

Jan Svankmajer's Faust (Australia)
Lekce Faust (Czech Republic)
Lesson Faust

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

Czech Republic | France | UK

Language:

Czech | Latin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | UK:12

Company:

Athanor

Quotes:

Faust: How comes it then that thou art now out of hell with me?
Mefistofele: Why, this is hell, nor am I out of it. Thinks thou that I, who saw the face of God and tasted the eternal joys of heaven, am not tormented with ten thousand hells in being deprived of everlasting bliss?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in How I Created Doctor Faustef (2008) (V)

100% Amazing to the Max

This is the first and only Jan Svankmeyer movie I have ever seen, and after viewing it I can't wait to see his others. 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 flik, or only pretentious snobs will enjoy it? I work at a video store. We played FAUST on our TV just tonight, and at least ten customers were intrigued enough to stop what they were doing and watch it for a little while--far more people than when we played JERSEY GIRL the other day. 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.