Orlacs Hände (1924)
Genre: Horror / Crime
Duration: 92 minuten / 113 minuten (gerestaureerde versie)
Alternative titles: The Hands of Orlac / Die Unheimlichen Hände des Doktor Orlac
Country:
Germany / Austria
Directed by: Robert Wiene
Stars: Conrad Veidt, Alexandra Sorina and Fritz Kortner
IMDb score:
7,0 (3.834)
Releasedate: 24 September 1924
This movie is not available on US streaming services.
Orlacs Hände plot
A world-famous pianist loses his hands in a train accident. During a transplant, he gets new hands that previously belonged to a convicted criminal. These hands seem to have a mind of their own.
Actors and actresses
Paul Orlac
Yvonne Orlac
Vater Orlac
Diener
Regine
Dr. Serral
Nera
Reviews & comments
Woland
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- 4810 messages
- 3826 votes
Orlac's Hände had been planned for a while, but with these types of slow silent films it often takes a little longer before I manage to commit to it. This morning the time had come, and although it indeed turned out to be a film that was best watched during the day with a good cup of coffee, it was otherwise just fine. The first thing you notice is how beautifully everything is depicted. It's not as experimental and surreal as Caligari, but fine plays of light and shadow make it an enjoyable watch. Conrad Veidt portrays a strong Orlac, a tormented man who is close to despair and who no longer knows anything for sure, and shows this extensively in his expressions, attitude and of course his hands. It's also a nice story with a nice twist at the end although I won't elaborate on that. You can accuse Orlacs Hände of some slowness, but that is not that unusual for films from that time - perhaps I should have gone for the shorter version. Nice film that can certainly compete with the classics from that period (Caligari, Faust, Der Golem, Nosferatu, that work) and in my opinion deserves a larger audience.
Translated from Dutch · View original
baspls
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- 4118 messages
- 1673 votes
A very talented pianist disfigures his hands in an accident. The doctors manage to restore his hands with the help of grafts from an executed murderer. The pianist feels that the hands want to incite him to murder.
Orlac's Hände is perhaps a lot less expressionistic in terms of camera work than Wiene's earlier Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari, but in terms of theme and acting it all fits in seamlessly with the movement. Conrad Veidt played the torment he suffered at the murderous hands in a nice way. Complete with thick blood vessels on his head and in his hands.
Ultimately, it is primarily a film about suggestion. The pianist goes through his torment because he thinks his hands belong to a murderer, but in the end it turns out that that is not the case at all. All this time he was telling himself that the killer's hands had influence over him.
All in all, another interesting German silent film. What I personally thought was a shame was that my version had no piano music among the piano scenes. I think that would have been a lot stronger.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Noodless
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- 10053 messages
- 6185 votes
Almost 100 years ago this silent that I honestly am not eager to see. Thanks to the horror challenge, you also make time for these types of films and give them a chance. You have to be patient, but the story is actually quite enjoyable. There is even a plot twist in this film where you have an extortionist and a murderer. Or is it still different given that a plot twist follows. The sets such as the dark alleys, father's house and the pub look good for that time. The train accident at the beginning of the film is also depicted in an exciting way. But the film's strongest trump card is the striking sound that gives the film a dark, gloomy atmosphere. 6/10
Translated from Dutch · View original
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