Faust (1926)

Based on the folk legend and dramatised by Christopher Marlowe and J.W. Goethe, this film tells the story of the scholar Faust who is tempted by Mephisto. During an argument with the archangel Gabriel, Mephisto declares that he can lead any man astray from the path to God. In order to tempt old Faustus, Mephisto has the earth ravaged by a plague. The dying people beg Faustus for help. When, despite his prayers, he receives no help from God, he seeks the devil's advice. With light and shadow photography, special effects and wild camerawork, Murnau founded the cinematic storytelling style that made this film a classic. The first film version was subjected to massive criticism and protests even before shooting began. Adapting a German "national treasure" for the new and artistically underappreciated medium of film was considered sacrilegious. However, after the premiere, the doubts of the audience and the trade press gradually disappeared. In the 1970s, Eric Rohmer hailed the film as a cinematic masterpiece and it is still considered a classic of German film history.

One of the premiere performances at this year’s Silent Nights festival is the band accompanying this film: Olaf Olafsonn and the Big Bad Trip – a Czech instrumental psychedelic band regarded as a leading exponent of neo-psychedelic music in the Czech Republic. Although rooted in psychedelic music, they often draw on influences from other genres, such as metal. The band uses masks, projections and other visual techniques to enhance the experience. They collaborate with several Czech visual artists, such as Simona Krausová (Sikra), the designer of their masks, and the Weird Visuals collective, which specialises in so-called ‘liquid light shows’ – at Edison Filmhub, however, the band will be accompanied visually by this gem of early film special effects .