History Film / TheGolem

''Der Golem, wie er in die Welt kam'' (''The Golem, How He Came into the World'') is a 1920 [[GermanExpressionism German]] silent horror film, co-written, co-directed, and starring Paul Wegener, about the origins of the [[KabbalicGolem Golem of Prague]]. It is one of the earliest and most influential Expressionist films and is considered a masterpiece of the German silent cinema. Wegener had produced two earlier films using the character, ''Der Golem'' (1915), a mostly lost film telling a somewhat similar story, and ''Der Golem und die Tänzerin'' (''The Golem and the Dancing Girl'') (1917), in which an actor (clearly Wegener playing an {{Expy}} of himself) puts on the make-up of his monster role as a prank on a dancing-girl whom he is interested in.

* KabbalicGolem: The main subject of the film is Mr. Prague himself!

''Der Golem, wie er in die Welt kam'' (''The Golem, How He Came into the World'') is a 1920 [[GermanExpressionism German]] silent horror film, co-written, co-directed, and starring Paul Wegener, about the origins of the [[{{Golem}} Golem of Prague]]. It is one of the earliest and most influential Expressionist films and is considered a masterpiece of the German silent cinema. Wegener had produced two earlier films using the character, ''Der Golem'' (1915), a mostly lost film telling a somewhat similar story, and ''Der Golem und die Tänzerin'' (''The Golem and the Dancing Girl'') (1917), in which an actor (clearly Wegener playing an {{Expy}} of himself) puts on the make-up of his monster role as a prank on a dancing-girl whom he is interested in.

* {{Golem}}: The main subject.

The film would influence later horror films profoundly, in particular James Whale's ''Film/{{Frankenstein 1931}}'' and ''Film/BrideOfFrankenstein'' (as, for instance, the monster's playing with an innocent little girl).

* WizardBeard: The Rabbi has oe. Also, his hair would pass as EinsteinHair, had the trope existed at the time.

* TheEndOrIsIt: The magical star that awakens the Golem (and, if the book text is to be believed, can be used to reanimate the dead) was last seen in the hands of a little girl, who may still have it after the end of the story.

* ShoutOut: Astaroth is ArsGoetia demon #29.

''Der Golem, wie er in die Welt kam'' (''The Golem, How He Came into the World'') is a 1920 [[GermanExpressionism German]] silent horror film, co-written, co-directed, and starring Creator/PaulWegener, about the origins of the [[{{Golem}} Golem of Prague]]. It is one of the earliest and most influential Expressionist films and is considered a masterpiece of the German silent cinema. Wegener had produced two earlier films using the character, ''Der Golem'' (1915), a mostly lost film telling a somewhat similar story, and ''Der Golem und die Tänzerin'' (''The Golem and the Dancing Girl'') (1917), in which an actor (clearly Wegener playing an {{Expy}} of himself) puts on the make-up of his monster role as a prank on a dancing-girl whom he is interested in.

'''''Der Golem, wie er in die Welt kam''''' (''The Golem, How He Came into the World'') is a 1920 [[GermanExpressionism German]] silent horror film, co-written, co-directed, and starring Creator/PaulWegener, about the origins of the [[{{Golem}} Golem of Prague]]. It is one of the earliest and most influential Expressionist films and is considered a masterpiece of the German silent cinema. Wegener had produced two earlier films using the character, ''Der Golem'' (1915), a mostly lost film telling a somewhat similar story, and ''Der Golem und die Tänzerin'' (''The Golem and the Dancing Girl'') (1917), in which an actor (clearly Wegener playing an {{Expy}} of himself) puts on the make-up of his monster role as a prank on a dancing-girl whom he is interested in.

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* [[TechnoBabble Astro Babble]]: Some of the astrological instructions in the Rabbi's book ("When Uranus enters the house of the planets...") are nonsense (there is no "house of the planets").

* {{Golem}}: Duh.

* MundaneUtility: The Rabbi claims that the Golem's aim is to save the Jews, but the first task we see that stupendous achievement of the occult arts do is chopping wood.
** And the second is going shopping.

* SuperStrength: The Golem again.
* [[TomeOfEldritchLore Tomes Of Eldritch Lore]]: The books that teach the Rabbi how to create the Golem.
* [[TurnedAgainstTheirMasters Turned Against His Masters]]: The Golem does not like being deactivated.

* UrbanSegregation: The Ghetto. The massive gate is always closed, and anyone passing in or out of the Ghetto is a cumbersome procedure each time. See Reality Subtext.

* WizardBeard: The Rabbi again. Also, his hair would pass as EinsteinHair, had the trope existed at the time.

* HowDoYouLikeThemApples: The little girl [[HeartwarmingMoment offers the Golem an apple.]]

* BilinguialBonus:

* BilinguialBonus: Not the the hebrew in the film is very accurate, but it is surprisingly lotyal to the kabbalic roots of the tale. The word "Aemaet" - אמת, which is used to give the Golem life means "Truth". Once the first letter is erased, it creates a new word, "Met" - מת, which means "dead".
** Also, the word "Golem" itself means ''cocoon'' or ''pupa'' in Hebrew. In both contexts, the word represents an unknown potential of life.

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* RealitySubtext: It's not too daring to assume the Golem mirrors the Jews' status as outsiders and their quest for societal acceptance.

'''''Der Golem, wie er in die Welt kam''''' (''The Golem, How He Came Into The World'') is a 1920 [[GermanExpressionism German]] silent horror film, co-written, co-directed, and starring Creator/PaulWegener, about the origins of the [[{{Golem}} Golem of Prague]]. It is one of the earliest and most influential Expressionist films and is considered a masterpiece of the German silent cinema. Wegener had produced two earlier films using the character, ''Der Golem'' (1915), a mostly lost film telling a somewhat similar story, and ''Der Golem und die Tänzerin'' (''The Golem and the Dancing Girl'') (1917), in which an actor (clearly Wegener playing an {{Expy}} of himself) puts on the make-up of his monster role as a prank on a dancing-girl whom he is interested in.

This film is in the public domain. It is currently available [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTEN9JL1A_g on YouTube here]].

* OrIsIt: The magical star that awakens the Golem (and, if the book text is to be believed, can be used to reanimate the dead) was last seen in the hands of a little girl, who may still have it after the end of the story.

* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman The Rabbi has no qualms about turning the Golem on and off at his will, and ultimately, destroying it. The Golem eventually takes offense at it.

* UnspokenPlanGuarantee: The Rabbi [[StepThreeProfit never explained how the Golem was supposed to save the Jews]], and the Golem eventually fulfilling this task appears more like a result of random events. This leaves room for three interpretations:

* DumbMuscle: The Golem.[[hottip:*:Wait, does a Golem actually ''have'' muscles?]] Demonstrated nicely when the Golem breaks the massive bar of the Ghetto gate to burst it open -- instead of just lifting it by the appropriate handle.

'''''Der Golem, wie er in die Welt kam''''' (''The Golem, How He Came Into The World'') is a 1920 [[GermanExpressionism German]] silent horror film, co-written, co-directed, and starring Paul Wegener, about the origins of the [[{{Golem}} Golem of Prague]]. It is one of the earliest and most influential Expressionist films and is considered a masterpiece of the German silent cinema. Wegener had produced two earlier films using the character, ''Der Golem'' (1915), a mostly lost film telling a somewhat similar story, and ''Der Golem und die Tänzerin'' (''The Golem and the Dancing Girl'') (1917), in which an actor (clearly Wegener playing an {{Expy}} of himself) puts on the make-up of his monster role as a prank on a dancing-girl whom he is interested in.

The film would influence later horror films profoundly, in particular James Whale's ''{{Frankenstein}}'' and ''The Bride of Frankenstein'' (as, for instance, the monster's playing with an innocent little girl).

* DumbMuscle: The Golem.[[hottip:*:Wait, does a Golem actually ''have'' muscles?]] Demonstrated nicely when the Golem breaks the massive bar of the [[spoiler:Ghetto]] gate to burst it open -- instead of just lifting it by the appropriate handle.

* MadScientistsBeautifulDaughter: Played with. The learned Rabbi's only child, beautiful Miriam, falls promptly in a forbidden love with the Christian knight Florian. However, Florian is not exactly a hero, and the romance is cut short by [[spoiler:Florian's death.]] Also, the Rabbi is neither mad nor evil, even though his creation runs out of control.

* OpenSaysMe: The Golem breaks open both the door to Miriam's room and in the end, [[spoiler:the Ghetto gate.]]

This film is in the public domain. It is currently available [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5mSzcR3KcA on YouTube here]].

* UrbanSegregation: The Ghetto. The massive gate is always closed, and anyone passing in or out of the Ghetto is a cumbersome procedure each time. See Subtext.

* {{Subtext}}: It's not too daring to assume the Golem mirrors the Jews' status as outsiders and their quest for societal acceptance.

!! This movie provides examples of: