Schatten - Eine nächtliche Halluzination (1923)

A wealthy man invites the local wealthy bachelors over for a puppet show about men who covet another man's wife. The puppeteer is actually a witch and gives the men nightmares about what could happen if they date the lady of the house.

Director:

Arthur Robison

Writers:

Arthur Robison, Rudolf Schneider

Stars:

Alexander Granach, Max Gülstorff, Lilli Herder

Cast

Credited cast:
Alexander Granach	...	Shadowplayer
Max Gülstorff	...	2. Kavalier
Lilli Herder	...	Dienstmaedchen
Rudolf Klein-Rogge
Fritz Kortner	...	The count
Karl Platen	...	2. Diener
Fritz Rasp	...	Diener
Eugen Rex	...	A servant
Ferdinand von Alten	...	3. Kavalier
Gustav von Wangenheim	...	Her lover
Ruth Weyher	...	His wife

Storyline

During a dinner, given by a wealthy baron and his wive, attended by four of her suitors in a 19th century German manor, a shadow-player rescues the marriage by giving all the guests a vision what might happen tonight if the baron stays jealous and the suitors do not reduce their advances towards his beautiful wife. Or was it a vision?

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Plot Keywords:

expressionism | looking at oneself in a mirror | suitor | 19th century | germany | 

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Genres:

Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Mystery | Romance

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

Germany

Language:

German

Release Date:

29 November 2016 (Germany)

Also Known As:

Sombras

Company Credits

Production Co:

PAN Film,Pan-Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

When the ShadowPlayer asks the servant (Fritz Rasp) to get the sheet for his shadow show, he pulls off the middle button on the left side of his vest. For the remainder of the movie, the button is back on.

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Connections

Featured in Die Sprache der Schatten - Murnau: Die frühen Jahre und Nosferatu (2007)

User Reviews

German over-expressionism?

Have you ever gone to a country where you don't know the language and sat and listened to what was going on around you? If so, then you might have some idea what it's like watching "Warning Shadows". All sorts of things happen on the screen but the viewer is left wondering what this all means--and there is no explanation nor context nor any intertitle cards explaining anything. While I noticed a lot of people gave this one 9s and 10s, I just can't see it as the film seemed boring and incomprehensible.

Normally in a review I talk a bit about the plot, but in this one I have no idea WHAT is going on. There are a lot of men wearing early 19th century clothing and they all hang about a woman in a strange mansion. Periodically, they amuse themselves with shadow plays projected on sheets. What else is occurring? I dunno.

"Warning Shadows" has been described as an example of German Expressionism--the same odd sort of style typified in "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari". However, "The Cabinet" is a wonderful film and uses it's odd surreal look to the fullest. Here in "Warning Shadows" the sets just come off as simple or cheap. Additionally, I'd prefer to think of it as German OVER-expressionism because the acting is so overdone. Characters roll their eyes, stare and make a billion and one expressions using their eyes as well as wildly gesticulating to show emotions. Arty? I dunno--it just looks bad.

Aside from some nice costumes, I cannot find much of anything to admire about this film. While I have seen and reviewed hundreds (if not thousands) of silents and greatly appreciate them, this film seems like an artsy-fartsy mess--and a dull one to boot.