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.