The Damnation of Faust (1898)
A lost film. Georges Méliès also directed a film entitled Faust aux enfers in 1903 that is frequently confused with this one, but it has little to do with the story of Faust.
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It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.
I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.
It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.
Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.
The version that I saw of this was dark, nearly completely blacked out in some instances. Méliès' version of the tale of Faust, being snatched up by Satan and dragged off to Hell. After impressive effects (for their day) of the ground opening up, and caves giving way to more caves and , eventually, Hell itself, he is forced to watch various horrors, as people dance in firey caves, and a bizarre head with many limbs floats about, in this strange, hallucination-like short film from 1898.At times, this looks like solarised black-and-white photography, which both helps it and hinders it, giving it a unique, and even creepier look than it would have already- yet it also makes it difficult to figure out a lot of Méliès wonderful trick photography and gimmicks.
Damnation Of Faust, The (1903) *** 1/2 (out of 4) aka Faust aux enfersThe story of Faust has been told many times but leave it to Melies to bring his own magic to the familiar story. Right from the start Satan grabs Faust and forces him into hell where he is made to witness strange dances, fiery pits and a seven headed monster. This film runs just under 7-minutes and Melies spends the majority of the time showing us the downfalls of Hell and this includes a terrific looking monster, which is made up as a big head with seven, snake like heads coming out of it. This create is certainly one of the better examples of the young horror genre. Another highlight in the film is a great sequence where Satan and Faust fall down a large cave into the pits of Hell. The full power of the magic of Melies is on display here making this one of the better films from the master. A narration track is included.