The Fascinating Ghost of Faust is Still Wandering Around the World

When we traveled in the Rocky Mountains lately we saw an ad in the local newspapers:

“F. Murnau’s 1926 film classic FAUST -with live piano score by Robert Bruce.

Cultural classic aficionados will be thrilled with F. Murnau’s silent film masterpiece FAUST , with live piano score by renowned composer Robert Bruce on Sunday, October 23, 2011 at the Edgewater Community Hall.

The Edgewater performance is part of a 14-date tour of Western Canada. Robert Bruce is a celebrated, self-taught composer/pianist from Hamilton, Ontario. He has had a long career writing music for young children, piano repertoire for students, music for film, television and animation, music for meditation, piano works and music for his performing ensemble, Classical Nouveau, His travels around the world have allowed him to perform with some of the finest musicians, singers and dancers in the world.”

See the poster and the image of Faust of 1926 here.                                                

By the way, what is this all about Faust? What kind of legend?

The story itself tells:

“The demon Mephistopheles has a bet with an Archangel that he can corrupt a righteous man’s soul and destroy in him what is divine. If he succeeds, the Devil will win dominion over the earth.

The Devil delivers a plague to the village where FAUST, an elderly alchemist, lives. Though he prays to stop the death and starvation, nothing happens. FAUST then makes a trial, 24-hour bargain with the Devil. Faust will have Mephistopheles’ service till the sand runs out in an hourglass, at which time the Devil will rescind the pact. At first, FAUST uses his new power to help the people of the village, but they shun him when they find out that he cannot face a cross.

Later, FAUST makes a further deal with Satan, who gives FAUST back his youth and offers him earthly pleasures and a kingdom, in return for his immortal soul. Mephistopheles then takes to the Walpurgisnacht celebration on “Bald Mountains”, to finish his tryst with an Italian Duchess. FAUST seals the deal permanently; he is Mephistopheles’ forever.

FAUST soon grows weary of debauchery and yearns “Home”. Here FAUST falls in love with an innocent girl, Gretchen, but he is later framed for the murder of her brother by Satan and must flee with Satan’s encouragement). The girl has a child (by FAUST) but is cast out into a blizzard where the child dies, and she is sent to the stake as a murderess. FAUST sees what is happening and demands Satan take him there. FAUST arrives just as the fire has been started to burn his lover. FAUST wishes he had never asked his youth back and runs through the assembled mob towards Gretchen; Mephistopheles gleefully grants FAUST his wish and it is as an old man that FAUST throws himself onto the fire to be with his beloved.

Gretchen recognizes FAUST and sees him in her heart as a young man again as the fire consumes them together. The angel reveals to Mephistopheles that he has lost the bet because love has triumphed over all.”

Now we know what Gothe wrote about FAUST.

Really, to deceive Satan is not a sin.

An interesting theme, isn’t it?

Kalderone de La Barka, Pedro (1600-1681), a Spanish playwright, wrote a play “Fairy Magician” which reminds us a lot about the legend of FAUST.

In 2004 British musician and composer, Geoff Smith, composed a new soundtrack to the film for the hammered dulcimer, which he performed live as an accompaniment to the film.

In 2006, a DVD version of the film was released with a new soundtrack performed on the harp by Stan Androse.

Nowadays Alexander Sokurov, a Russian film producer, made a new film “FAUST” and won the highest prize “GOLDEN LION” at the International Film Festival in Venice this year.

This is a presentation of the movie.

Movie “Faust” by A. Sokurov (2011)

Who said that his “FAUST” does not have the positive emotions? Sure, it does.

The main feeling is that the artist SOKUROV is free of self-expression, free of choice of artistic tools, the staff even if this movie is in German. So what?

The sujet is well-known and if you like beauty, watch it, please.

At the end, listen to : Sokurov is telling his Dream

Everybody has dreams and especially before or at the Christmas time. To open the dreams to the public isn’t it wonderful?

Watch:

Merry Christmas and a Happy New 2012 Year, dreamers!