Satan (1920 film)

Satan (German: Satanas) is a 1920 silent German drama film in three parts, directed by F. W. Murnau, written and produced by Robert Wiene.[2] It was one of Murnau's first directorial attempts, and along with his 1920 Der Januskopf, is today considered a lost film. The film starred Fritz Kortner, Sadjah Gezza and Conrad Veidt.[3] Karl Freund was the cinematographer.

Satan
Film poster
Directed byF. W. Murnau
Written byRobert Wiene
Produced byRobert Wiene
StarringFritz Kortner
Conrad Veidt
Sadjah Gezza
Martin Wolfgang[1]
CinematographyKarl Freund
Distributed byViktoria-Film
Release date
  • January 1920 (1920-01)
Running time
54 minutes
CountryGermany
LanguagesSilent
German intertitles

Only a brief fragment of the film is kept in the Cinémathèque Française film archive.[4] Although most of the film no longer exists, it does not seem to be a true horror film, in that allegedly only the third segment of the film deals with the Devil. Robert Wiene probably had more control over the film than Murnau did, since he wrote the screenplay. Murnau hired Conrad Veidt to work with him in his next film, the 1920 Der Januskopf (which also featured Bela Lugosi).[5]

Plot

The film is divided up into three separate short stories. The first segment involves a love triangle between an ancient Pharaoh named Amenhotep, Nouri (the girl he loves) and his young rival Jorab whom she loves. The second segment is an adaptation of Victor Hugo's Lucrezia Borgia. The third story deals with an idealistic young revolutionary named Hans Conrad, who is goaded into violence by a strange man named Grodski (Veidt), who seems to be Satan in human form. Only the third story appears to have had any supernatural overtones.

Cast

References
  1. Workman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). "Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era". Midnight Marquee Press. p. 210.ISBN 978-1936168-68-2.
  2. "Satanas". Film Portal (in German). Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  3. Workman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). "Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era". Midnight Marquee Press. p. 210.ISBN 978-1936168-68-2.
  4. "Progressive Silent Film List: Satan". Silent Era. Retrieved 3 November 2008.
  5. Workman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). "Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era". Midnight Marquee Press. p. 210.ISBN 978-1936168-68-2.
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