PDA

View Full Version : Der Golem


Gojira
01-26-2005, 11:46 PM
This is a movie that I alwayswanted to see and I had the chance about a year ago. This movie titled Der Golem was made in 1914 and went under the title Monster of Fate here in the USA. The movie was directed by Paul Wegener. Wegener not only directed but he produced and co wrote the movie. On top of that Paul Wegener played the part of the giant clay Statue whos name was Teuton. Der Golem had 2 sequels and Paul Wegener played the part of Teuton in all 3 movies. He also directed all 3 movies in 1914 1917 1920. The 2nd movie in 1917 was titled Der Golem und die Tanzerin. This 2nd Goem movie in 1917 is also important in the history of horror movies seen that it was the 1st horror movie sequel made. And in 1920 the 3rd of the Golem movies was made titled Wie Er in die welt Kam ( How he came into the World) If someone were to ask me how to discribe Golem to them I would say its like a Jewish Frankenstien movie. German director Paul Wegener became the first film maker since film maker Georges Melies to specialize in the Supernatural. The last Golem movie came to the USA 3 years after it was made in 1923.

phantomstranger
01-27-2005, 05:25 PM
Wow, your dragging up some oldies here. I saw the original Golem about 25 years ago at a Historical film society. It was very impressive. You can see were the later Frankenstein films got some of there influence.

Gojira
01-27-2005, 08:09 PM
Hi Phantomstranger I agree Der Golem is in my book a very good horror movie. I really like its historic fact that it was the 1st horror movie to have sequels. I know Thomas Edison made Frankenstien in 1910 and Golem was made 4 years later in 1914. But maybe the 2nd Frankenstien movie in 1915 titled Life without a Soul may have been influenced by Paul Wegeners Der Golem movie the year before. Some horror fans think that the reason Universal made sequels to Frankenstien in 1931 is because of the Golem movies. I dont know if thats true or not but Golem no doubt was influence on many future horror movies.

phantomstranger
01-28-2005, 02:05 PM
To be honest with you, I think the main reason Universal made sequels was simply Because, the originals made a lot of money

ClassicHorror
01-28-2005, 03:44 PM
I like The Golem (1920). Paul Wegner is quite astonishing when you make him do monster movies. The 1915 version I havn't had the chance of seeing, is it possible to get this on dvd, if yes its mine.

His first film was in 1913 was Student of Prague, he made Der Golem in 15', Der Yoghi in 1916, also in 1916 Old Nip's Wedding. In 1917 he makes two more films: Hans Trutz im Schlaraffenland, and The Golem and The Dancing Girl. In 1918 he makes the Pied Piper of Hamelin. In 1919 Der Galeerensträfling. He makes his most famous film in 1920: The Golem. In 1922 he makes Herzog Ferrantes Ende. In 1924 Living Budhas, in 1934 The Girl Friend of a Big Man. Also in 1934: A Man Wants to Get to Germany . He makes 4 films in 1936: Moscow Shanghai, Stunde der Versuchung Die, Row and Joy About Kunnemann, and Kind August The Strong. His last film was in 1937 Unter Ausschluß der Öffentlichkeit.

Gojira
01-28-2005, 09:03 PM
Hi Classic DerGolem was made in 1914 but it came to the USA in 1915 titled The Monster of Fate and the movie bombed. Golem may have showed up in later years in Le Golem a French verion of Paul Wegeners movie. The movie was made again using the same title in 1966. Also in 1966 a movie made in London titled IT had the Golem in it this movie also stared Rodney McDowell. And in 1951 a Czechoslovakian movie was made titled The Emporer and the Golem.

MrShape
01-28-2005, 09:20 PM
As far as I'm aware, the 1914 version of DerGolem is a lost film. Some stills of Werger in his orginal make up exist, but no one has been able to unearth a print of it. Werger himself prefered the later version. The 1920 version is one of my favorite silents along side Lang's Metropolis, Murnau's Nosferatu and Faust, and Christiansen's Haxan (Witchcraft Through The Ages).

Gojira
01-28-2005, 09:33 PM
I hate it when old horror movies are lost and no longer exist. It would be great to see Life without a Soul 1915 the 2nd Frankenstien movie to be made 70 minutes long and compare it to the 1931 Karloff Frankenstien movie thats 75 minutes long.

ClassicHorror
01-29-2005, 03:01 PM
I would like to see Devils Castle, and all the other films early horror films Melies made.

Gojira
01-29-2005, 03:12 PM
Well Classic thats a novel idea but keep in mind the 1st horror movies made were not very long. Or any movies at the time were not long so remaking them today would only be remaking very short movies. But maybe a remake of Golem would be cool today or not. I think the only other movie series that has a statue that comes to life besides Golem is Daieis Majin movies. Majin is a giant samurai statue that comes to life and Daiei made 3 Majin movies in the 1960s.

ClassicHorror
01-29-2005, 04:59 PM
I love Daiei, especially the Zatoichi films.

Gojira
01-31-2005, 08:50 PM
If I am not mistaken the Zatoichi movies started being produced in 1965 by Daiei studios. The same year Daiei first started making Gamera movies. I think miramax is no involved with Zatoichi the Blind swordsman/Samurai. But back to Golem wasnt Golem in an old Abbott&Costello tv show?

MrShape
02-03-2005, 11:25 AM
Originally posted by Gojira
I hate it when old horror movies are lost and no longer exist. It would be great to see Life without a Soul 1915 the 2nd Frankenstien movie to be made 70 minutes long and compare it to the 1931 Karloff Frankenstien movie thats 75 minutes long.

I believe the Edison Frankenstiens is lost, too. I have seen a few seconds of footage of Charles Ogle in his Mosnter make up but I think that's all that exists.

Red Dragon
02-03-2005, 10:55 PM
Isn't this movie, the first one I mean, available on DVD? I thought I saw it somewhere. This is the most I've read/heard about the film. Sounds interesting.

MrShape
02-04-2005, 06:16 AM
The one that' s on video is the second film. Werger was unhappy with the 1914 version which was set in the then current year and so he remade it, filming the story exactly the way he'd originally heard it. This is the one that's on DVD now. Like I said, the first one is lost.

Gojira
02-04-2005, 07:57 AM
Lets not forget it was when Paul Wegener was in Prague filming a new movie that he heard of an old Jewish Legend that the Jews told him that it inspired him to make his next film using the legend as it basis for the movie. That next movie in 1914 was Der Golem.