Available on Blu-ray November 17th with special features including a documentary on the making and restoration of the film, test footage from Ernst Lubitsch’s abandoned film version of the story, and a bonus DVD featuring an alternate, longer cut of the film
Kino Lorber is proud to announce the Blu-ray release of F.W. Murnau’s silent film masterpiece Faust, starring Emil Jannings (The Last Laugh, The Blue Angel) in one of his finest performances. Considered one of the crowning achievements of German silent film, Murnau’s adaptation of the Goethe play about a young alchemist’s pact with a devil is an epic, visually sumptuous production that harnessed the full resources of Germany’s Ufa Studios to create an unforgettable cinematic experience. This Kino Classics Blu-ray edition contains the meticulous restoration of the original German release version of the film, as well as a DVD of the lengthier alternate cut prepared by Ufa Studios in 1930.
Digitally restored in HD from 35mm archival elements from the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung, Faust comes to Blu-ray on November 17 in a 2-disc set, with a SRP of $29.95. This edition includes a choice of two musical scores: a piano score by Javier Pérez de Azpeitia, adapted from the 1926 orchestral arrangement by Paul Hensel, and an orchestral score by The Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra, compiled from historic photoplay music. The set comes packed with bonus features, including The Language of Shadows: Faust, a 53-minute documentary by film restoration expert Luciano Berriatúa, about the making and restoration of the film, test footage of Ernst Lubtisch’s abandoned production of Marguerite and Faust, preserved by the Library of Congress, and a bonus DVD featuring the alternate 1930 cut of the film, featuring an original score by Timothy Brock, performed by the Olympia Chamber Orchestra.
Synopsis:
Mobilizing the full resources of Ufa Studios, F.W. Murnau (Nosferatu, Sunrise) orchestrated a colossal adaptation of Goethe’s Faust that ranks alongside Fritz Lang’s Metropolis as the greatest achievement of German silent cinema. Gösta Eckman stars as the titular alchemist who, struggling with his faith amidst a devastating plague, is offered the power to cure and the gift of youth…in exchange for his soul. As the diabolical Mephisto, Emil Jannings (The Last Laugh) delivers a performance of operatic intensity, by turns charming, comical, and horrific.
FAUST (1926)
Street Date: November 17, 2015
SRP: $29.95
UPC: 738329201913
Directed by F.W. Murnau
Produced by Erich Pommer
From the play by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Photographed by Carl Hoffmann
With Emil Jannings, Gösta Eckman, Camilla Horn, Wilhelm Dieterle
Restored by Luciano Berriatúa on behalf of Filmoteca Española (Ministerio de Cultura),
coordinated by Catherine Gautier.
Scan and Digital Restoration: L’Immagine Ritrovata, Bologna
1930 version produced for video by David Shepard
Technical Specs:
Germany | 1926 | 107 min. | B&W | 1920x1080p (1.33:1) | Stereo 2.0 | German intertitles with optional English subtitles
Special Features:
Piano score by Javier Pérez de Azpeitia,
adapted from the 1926 orchestral arrangement by Paul Hensel
Orchestral score by The Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra,
compiled from historic photoplay music
The Language of Shadows: Faust, a 53-minute documentary by Luciano Berriatúa
on the making and restoration of Murnau’s film
Test footage of Ernst Lubitsch’s abandoned production Marguerite and Faust,
preserved by the Library of Congress
Bonus DVD featuring the alternate 1930 cut of Faust, with original score by Timothy Brock,
performed by the Olympia Chamber Orchestra
About Kino Lorber:
With a library of 1,000 titles, Kino Lorber Inc. has been a leader in independent art house distribution for over 30 years, releasing over 25 films per year theatrically under its Kino Lorber, Kino Classics, and Alive Mind Cinema banners, including five Academy Award® nominated films in the last seven years. In addition, the company brings over 70 titles each year to the home entertainment market with DVD and Blu-ray releases under its five house brands, distributes a growing number of third party labels, and is a direct digital distributor to all major platforms including iTunes, Netflix, HULU, Amazon, Vimeo, Fandor and others.
