The Student of Prague (1913 film)

The Student of Prague (1913 film) is a German silent horror film directed by Stellan Rye and Paul Wegener, and written by Hanns Heinz Ewers. It is considered one of the first art films, and a significant early example of German Expressionism.

Synopsis: The film tells the story of Balduin, a poor student in Prague, who is tempted by a mysterious figure, Scapinelli, to sell his reflection for wealth. Balduin signs a contract allowing Scapinelli to take the reflection, which then detaches and becomes an independent double. This doppelgänger follows Balduin, engaging in increasingly destructive and malevolent acts that ruin Balduin's life, including killing Balduin's fiancée's aristocratic fiancé in a duel. Driven to despair and hunted by his own double, Balduin eventually shoots and kills the reflection, which in turn results in his own death.

Historical Significance: The Student of Prague is notable for its innovative use of special effects, particularly in the scenes depicting the double. It explores themes of identity, alienation, and the dangers of unchecked ambition, themes that would become central to German Expressionist cinema. The film is also considered a significant precursor to the doppelgänger motif that would appear in numerous later works of literature and film. It influenced subsequent horror films and set a new standard for cinematic storytelling.

Cast:

• Paul Wegener as Balduin
• Grete Berger as Countess Margit Schwarzenberg
• Lyda Salmonova as Lyduschka
• John Gottowt as Scapinelli
• Lothar Körner as Count von Schwarzenberg

Alternate Versions: The film was remade several times, including in 1926 and 1935. The 1926 version was directed by Henrik Galeen, who had also written the screenplay for Nosferatu, and starred Conrad Veidt.