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The Damnation of Faust

Original title: Faust aux enfers
  • 1903
  • 6m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
512
YOUR RATING
The Damnation of Faust (1903)
FantasyShort

Scenes. 1. The Route to the Depths of Perdition (a Dazzingly Sensational New Effect.) 2. The Fantastical Ride. 3. The Gloomy Pass. 4. The Stream. 5. The Entrance to the Lower Regions. 6. The... Read allScenes. 1. The Route to the Depths of Perdition (a Dazzingly Sensational New Effect.) 2. The Fantastical Ride. 3. The Gloomy Pass. 4. The Stream. 5. The Entrance to the Lower Regions. 6. The Marvelous Grottoes (tableau with six dissolving Scenes.) 7. The Crystal Stalactites 8. Th... Read allScenes. 1. The Route to the Depths of Perdition (a Dazzingly Sensational New Effect.) 2. The Fantastical Ride. 3. The Gloomy Pass. 4. The Stream. 5. The Entrance to the Lower Regions. 6. The Marvelous Grottoes (tableau with six dissolving Scenes.) 7. The Crystal Stalactites 8. The Devil's Hole 9. The Ice Cavern. 10. The Goddesses of Antiquity (a Superb Fantastical Bal... Read all

  • Director
    • Georges Méliès
  • Writers
    • Hector Berlioz
    • Georges Méliès
  • Star
    • Georges Méliès
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.2/10
    512
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Georges Méliès
    • Writers
      • Hector Berlioz
      • Georges Méliès
    • Star
      • Georges Méliès
    • 3User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    Top cast1

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    Georges Méliès
    Georges Méliès
    • Mephistopholes
    • Director
      • Georges Méliès
    • Writers
      • Hector Berlioz
      • Georges Méliès
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews3

    6.2512
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    Featured reviews

    Cineanalyst

    Falling through Hell

    "The Damnation of Faust" is a relatively weak entry among the story films of Georges Méliès, whose oeuvre includes such early cinema classics as "Bluebeard" (1901), "A Trip to the Moon" (1902), "The Kingdom of the Fairies" (1903) and "The Impossible Voyage" (1904). It does contain one original "trick"--that is, I haven't seen it in any earlier films--but it's a theatrical effect. John Frazer ("Artificially Arranged Scenes") says this was the third of four films Méliès made from the Faust legend. It was also one of many films that Méliès made involving Mephistopheles or another version of the Devil.

    There are six scenes, or tableaux, with dissolves transitioning between every scene (per usual of Méliès). Scene three involves removing layers of scenery to reveal the main set, which was a theatrical means to simulate movement that Méliès had become increasingly fond of and used in several of his story films from around this time. The new trick, at least to me, is in scene five when Faust and Mephistopheles fall through a tunnel into the depths of Hell. This tableau was achieved by lowering the hanging actors and raising the wall scenery that occupies the sides of the frame. There's no camera movement or cinematic trickery to it. It's something that can and has been done in live theatre, as well, as opposed to the filmic tricks of substitution splices and multiple exposures that Méliès also relied on throughout his career. As anyone who has seen a few of the cinema magician's other pictures could guess, you should also expect to see a posed theatrical tableau finale and seemingly irrelevant episodes of dancing girls. Yet, "The Damnation of Faust" lacks the comicality of much of Méliès's earlier oeuvre and sets the stage for his even more serious effort, "Faust and Marguerite" (1904).
    5planktonrules

    Hitchcoc was right...Méliès loved putting the Devil in his film as well as dancing girls (for no apparent reason)

    I notcied in his review that user Hitchcoc mentions that Georges Méliès sure seemed to love putting Satan into his movies! He also loved putting dancing girls into his films and they'd start dancing for no apparent reason whatsoever! I love the films of this master filmmaker but must admit that he did have a tendency to repeat himself...which isn't surprising since he made over 500 films in only about a decade and a half!

    In this film, Faust is taken to Hell by the Devil and Old Scratch takes him on a tour of the place. This is where the dancing girls appear...with ballerinas dancing about as if they are having a recital. It makes no sense at all...and you wonder why all these ballerinas end up in Hell and why they can't help but dance! Following this nonsense, the tour continues and all sorts of things appear and disappear.

    In so many ways, this film uses so many techniques and images he used in other films. As a result, it sure felt familiar and dare I say a bit boring. Well made for 1903, but very far from the director's best work.
    5Hitchcoc

    It Could Have Been Worse/The Could Have Been Insurance Salesmen

    As I've said in the past, Melies has this thing for Satan and Hell in general. Poor old Faust made a deal with the devil for his soul. So the day of reckoning comes and he has to pay the piper. One of the devils gives him a tour of his new digs. There are ballerinas left over from the last two features. There are men in white tidies running through flames. More dancing and finally the devil has had enough. A very strange and unsatisfying feature.

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      Included in the "Georges Melies: First Wizard of Cinema (1896-1913)" DVD collection, released by Flicker Alley.
    • Connections
      Featured in The Babadook (2014)

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • December 12, 1903 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • France
    • Language
      • None
    • Also known as
      • Faust in Hell
    • Filming locations
      • Montreuil, Seine-Saint-Denis, France
    • Production companies
      • Georges Méliès
      • Star-Film
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      6 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Silent
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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