Faust (1925)

After seeing many Faustian tales, I was obviously very familiar watching this version of the original story. The Devil Emil Jannings makes a bet with Archangel Werner Fuetterer that he can corrupt the soul of a righteous man, Gösta Ekman’s Faust. The overly expressive acting is about what is expected from the silent film era, but director F.W. Murnau knows how to use them to great effect and they are befitting of the tale he weaves. The special effects are captivating even when compared to today’s standards: Jannings spreading plague across the land, Faust travelling the world with his devilish companion, and Faust’s love stranded during a blizzard. Aladdin’s Prince Ali scene very obviously found inspiration here.