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6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Alraune remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Alright, look, Alraune from 1929 isn’t for everyone. If you’re not into silent films, or if you need things spelled out for you with dialogue and modern pacing, you’ll probably just find it a bit of a slog. But for those who appreciate early horror, German Expressionism, or just *really* weird cinema, this one is absolutely worth tracking down. It’s a fascinating, deeply unsettling piece of work.
It’s a story about a scientist, Professor ten Brinken, who has this wild idea to basically create a human with no soul, no capacity for love. His method? Inseminating a prostitute with the, uh, *essence* of a hanged murderer. Yes, really. The whole setup is just so bizarre and morbid, right from the jump.
This film is one of those that makes you lean forward, even with its slow, deliberate rhythm. The whole premise is just so *bold* for the time. You gotta wonder what was going through the minds of those filmmakers, pushing such boundaries.
Brigitte Helm plays Alraune, the result of this unholy experiment. And she is just *mesmerizing* in every single frame. You know her from Metropolis, of course, and here she brings that same kind of intense, almost alien presence.
Her eyes often seem to hold this deep, empty knowing. It’s not just acting; it feels like she *becomes* this character who is fundamentally different from everyone else. She’s beautiful, yes, but there's always this chill about her.
The film follows Alraune as she grows up and moves through life, leaving a trail of broken men behind her. She's a siren, truly, but not one who means to be cruel. It’s more like she simply *cannot* connect on a human level. She’s driven by her own desires, utterly self-absorbed, and it’s destructive.
There's a moment when she's quite young, and she just stares blankly as someone is clearly heartbroken because of her. No malice, just… nothing. It’s chilling to see.
Professor ten Brinken, played by Albert Bassermann, is also incredible here. His transformation from detached scientist to someone obsessed, even infatuated, with his own creation is quite something. He watches her ruin lives, almost with a perverse sense of scientific validation, until it all starts to turn on him.
The visual style isn't full-blown Expressionism like some other German films of the era. But it uses shadows and close-ups in such a way that you always feel this sense of unease. The way light hits Helm’s face sometimes makes her look like a porcelain doll, beautiful but utterly devoid of warmth.
Some scenes really linger. Like when Alraune is dancing, just twirling, and you can see the effect she has on the men around her. They’re drawn in, almost against their will. It's almost hypnotic, the way the film shows her power.
The pacing might feel a little stretched at times, especially in the middle section as we see Alraune go through various relationships. But even those moments are important for building up the inevitable sense of doom. You see the pattern repeating, and you just know it won't end well for anyone around her.
When she finally learns the truth about her origins, it’s not a big dramatic scream, not really. It’s a more internal unraveling, though still very powerful. Helm communicates so much with just a look, a subtle shift in her posture.
The revenge she takes against the Professor feels… earned, in a way. Not that what she does is right, but it's the natural conclusion to such an unnatural beginning. The whole thing feels like a cosmic bill coming due.
There's a certain elegance to the horror in Alraune. It's not jump scares or gore; it's the horror of human hubris, of playing God, and the twisted consequences that ripple out. It’s the idea that you can create life, but you can’t create a soul.
This film really stuck with me. It's a reminder of how powerful silent cinema could be, how much emotion and dread could be conveyed without a single spoken word. Give it a shot if you're feeling brave and curious. You might just find yourself thinking about Alraune long after the credits roll. 🤔
IMDb 6.1
1926
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