The Haunted Castle (1921, B&W): The sinister Count Oetsch scandalizes the aristocratic social gathering at Castle Vogelod as he announces his intention to "crash" the festivities. Baroness Safferstätt is expected shortly, and the guests are well-aware of the rumors that Count Oetsch murdered the baroness' late husband. Oetsch refuses to leave, vowing that he will reveal the identity of the real killer. Before the weekend is through, the Count and Baroness will reveal secrets too shocking to be believed!
F.W. Murnau directed his first motion picture in 1919. His greatest achievement is Nosferatu (1922), the ground breaking vampire epic which is still studied today.
Starring Arnold Korff, Lulu Kyser-Korff, Lother Mehnert, Paul Bildt, Olga Tschechowa, Paul Hartmann; Original Score Skip Heller With Marc Kaplan; Directed by F.W. Murnau.
Wolf Blood (1925, B&W): Foreman Dick Bannister is severely injured in a logging accident and close to death. With no one around for miles, the camp surgeon gives the dying man a transfusion of wolf blood, in a desperate attempt to save his life. Dick recovers but fears that his nature has been irrevocably altered by that of the wolf. Wild rumors circulate the camp that Dick has become a wolf man. When a man is found murdered with his throat torn out and Dick cannot recall how he spent the night, he fears that he has totally lost his mind.
Starring George Chesebro, Marguerite Clayton, Ray Hanford, Roy Watson; Directed by Bruce Mitchell and George Chesebro.
Great Find and Great Music
Movie Lover: Jeremy Weinstein from
Walnut Creek, CA -- August, 27, 2008
Great find by Alpha of this early Murnau.
The print is a smeary video transfer of a late generation duplicate, with laughably translated intertitles, but it is fully watchable because not only is the plot compelling, but ALpha did a terrific job with the music- this Skip Heller score is the best I've heard on an Alpha silent, and as good as I've heard with any silent, and it really adds to the enjoyment of the picture.
Interesting direction by Murnau and set design by Hermann Warm well convey the ways in which people separate themselves from each other, which is a theme of the movie; Warm did the set design for Caligari, Student of Prague, Vampyr and, of course, The Head. The movie also shares Caligari's writer, Carl Mayer.
Murnau's direction went on to dramatically improve- the camera is stagnant here, in contrast to the briliant fluidity in Sunrise just six years later- but this is still well worthwhile for fans of Murnau or fans of psychological drama.
Film Collectors & Archivists: Alpha Video is actively looking for rare and
unusual pre-1943 motion pictures, in good condition, from Monogram, PRC,
Tiffany, Chesterfield, and other independent studios for release on DVD. We
are also interested in TV shows from the early 1950s. Share your passion
for films with a large audience.
Let us know what you have.
