Lekce Faust / Faust - by Jan Svankmajer (1994)

×

Lekce Faust / Faust - by Jan Svankmajer (1994)

Close

Lekce Faust / Faust - by Jan Svankmajer (1994)

A very free adaptation of Marlowe's 'Doctor Faustus', Goethe's 'Faust' and various other treatments of the old legend of the man who sold his soul to the devil. Svankmajer's Faust is a nondescript man who, after being lured by a strange map into a sinister puppet theatre, finds himself immersed in an indescribably weird version of the play, blending live actors, clay model animation and giant puppets.

The story commences on the streets of Prague on a grey morning with commuters bustling about. We are introduced to the figure of an Everyman, played by Petr Čepek, a colourless figure emerging from a metro station. On his way home, the man encounters two men handing out flyers. It is a map of the city with a location marked in. He shrugs and discards it, returning to his lodging. As he opens the door, a black cockerel runs out. The man sits down to eat, cutting himself a slice of bread. He discovers an egg concealed inside the loaf. He cracks it open but it is empty. Suddenly the lights go out and the wind rises. Objects are thrown about the room. The commotion ceases; the man goes to the window and looks down to where the two men from earlier are staring up at him. One of them holds the cockerel. The man closes the blind and returns to the table, where he finds the map and, using his own map of the city, traces out the location marked.

The next day, he goes to the spot indicated and enters a dilapidated building from which just a man rushes in fear. The man presses on into the interior and descends to a dressing room, where he finds a charred script, a robe embroidered with sigils, greasepaint, a wig with beard and a cap. Sitting down he addresses himself as Faust and speaks to himself (the first words spoken in the film) Faust's opening declaration of intent to follow black magic.

×

Lekce Faust / Faust - by Jan Svankmajer (1994)

Close

×

Lekce Faust / Faust - by Jan Svankmajer (1994)

Close

×

Lekce Faust / Faust - by Jan Svankmajer (1994)

Close

×

Lekce Faust / Faust - by Jan Svankmajer (1994)

Close

×

Lekce Faust / Faust - by Jan Svankmajer (1994)

Close

×

Lekce Faust / Faust - by Jan Svankmajer (1994)

Close

×

Lekce Faust / Faust - by Jan Svankmajer (1994)

Close