Homunculus, 1. Teil (1916)

Part of the artificial-creature series encompassing Der Golem (1914 and 1920), Alraune (1918, 1928, 1930) and Metropolis (1926), 'Homunculus' was the most popular serial in Germany during ... See full summary »

Director:

Otto Rippert

Writer:

Robert Reinert

Stars:

Olaf Fønss, Ernst Ludwig, Adolf Paul

Cast

Credited cast:
Olaf Fønss	...	Homunculus
Ernst Ludwig	...	Prof. Ortmann
Adolf Paul	...	Dr. Hansen
Albert Paul	...	Dr. Hansen
Lore Rückert	...	Tochter Margarete Hansen
Max Ruhbeck	...	Generalprokurator Steffens
Lia Borré	...	Tochter des Generalprokurator Steffens
Friedrich Kühne	...	Edgar Rodin
Theodor Loos	...	Sven Friedland
Mechthildis Thein	...	Margot
Aud Egede-Nissen
Josef Bunzl
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Fern Andra	...	(unconfirmed)
Maria Carmi	...	(unconfirmed)
Lupu Pick	...	(unconfirmed)

Storyline

Part of the artificial-creature series encompassing Der Golem (1914 and 1920), Alraune (1918, 1928, 1930) and Metropolis (1926), 'Homunculus' was the most popular serial in Germany during World War I even influencing the dress of the fashionableset in Berlin. Foenss, a Danish star, is the perfect creature manufactured in a laboratory by Kuehne. Having discovered his origins, that he has no 'soul' and is incapable of love, he revenges himself on mankind, instigating revolutions and becoming a monstruos but beautiful tyrant, relentlessly pursued by his creator-father who seeks to rectify his mistake.

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Plot Keywords:

cautionary tale | experiment gone wrong | mad scientist | dictator | android

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Taglines:

The Perfect Man...Without Soul!

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Genres:

Horror | Sci-Fi

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Details

Country:

Germany

Language:

German

Release Date:

8 January 1917 (Denmark)

Also Known As:

Homunculus

Company Credits

Production Co:

Deutsche Bioscop GmbH

Technical Specs

Runtime:

69 min

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Followed by Homunculus, 2. Teil - Das geheimnisvolle Buch (1916)

User Reviews

Missing Its Soul

This was originally a super-serial, composed of feature-length episodes, and like Feuillade's LES VAMPIRES, was meant to play not only as a serial, but as a series. However, the only remaining copy of this is a cut-down of all six episodes, about an hour and a quarter in length, held by the George Eastman House and available at the moment for viewing on their website. My thanks to them for making this and several dozen other movies of the Teens and early Twenties more generally available.

While the are some great technical strengths to the movie, including some wonderful photography (notice the strong use of framing not by irising, as was still very common at this time, but by using structure and set decoration to change the effective frame size) and toning (a process in which the black silver nitrate is replaced by other compounds with colors, resulting in white whites, black blacks but colors instead of grays) and a good story which asks the question: is the soul born with the body, or the gift of god? Unfortunately, I find the style of acting to be rather over the top, involving a lot of rolling eyes. The net effect is very watchable, but not great.