Der Golem DVD Review

Rabbi Loew (Albert Steinrueck), an astrologer and community leader in 16th century Prague, sees dire portents for his people in the stars. His anti-Semitic prophesies are realised when the Roman emperor (Otto Gebühr) orders the Jews to leave the ghetto. The Rabbi sets about fashioning a Golem (Paul Wegener) out of clay to act as a protector for his people. With his occult knowledge, he conjures forth the Demon Astaroth and learns how to bring the Golem to life by placing the magic word ”Aemaet“ in an pentagram amulet upon the Golem's chest. The Emperor summons Loew to the palace to perform a feat of magic, but as the Rabbi manifests a vision of the Exodus of the Jews, the building suddenly begins to collapse. The Golem manages to support the weight of the falling palace in his hands, saving all within. The grateful Emperor cancels his edict and the Jews are saved. The Rabbi knows that the Golem will turn against him so lays the creature to rest. His daughter Miriam (Lyda Salmonova) is in love with the knight Florian (Lothar Muethel), but the Rabbi's assistant Famulus (Ernst Deutsch) is jealous and so revives the Golem to scare off Florian, but the seemingly unstoppable Golem goes on a rampage.

The Golem is a archetype of Jewish mythology and the subject of many stories. Der Golem is the third film Paul Wegener made about the legend, and the only one that survives to this day. Although not as well known as the Cabinet of Dr. Caligari or Nosferatu, it is a fine example of the golden age of German expressionist cinema, an important and fascinating period of experimentation and innovation. The cinematography was by the influential leading light of the expressionist era, Karl Freund, who went on to work on Metropolis. 16th century Prague is recreated as a fantastic city of winding cobbled streets, leaning towers, and strangely formed buildings with curving walls and spiraling staircases. Made in 1920, Der Golem is an enchanting film on many levels, with it's occult symbolism and portrayal of an intriguing aspect of Jewish folk law, and as an early milestone in the evolution the horror film. S.J.T.

Der Golum. 1920

Directed by Paul Wegener