A milestone gets its well-deserved home theater upgrade: the new adaptation “Alraune”, widely regarded as the first German horror film of the post-war era. The announcement of the film already caused a stir in the early 1950s – especially among the Catholic Church. Upon completion, “Alraune” received an FSK rating from the age of 18 and faced continued outrage throughout its theatrical release.
Since then, the film has proven how values and viewing habits have changed: in the course of new releases, the sensual horror classic was only released uncut from the age of 16, then even from the age of twelve (!) – meanwhile , it has lost none of its fascination. On January 27, 2023, “Alraune” will be released for the first time on Blu-ray – as a limited media book in a stylish design:
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No matter which cover you choose, the editions are identical in content and, in addition to the HD world premiere of “Alraune”, include two audio commentaries and a 28-page booklet by film scholar and horror expert Dr. Rolf Giesen.
“Mandrake”: What is the root of horror?
Years ago, Professor Jacob ten Brinken (Erich von Stroheim) removed the ejaculate of a hanged double murderer and introduced it to a prostitute. The result of this artificial insemination has since evolved into a young woman named Alraune (Hildegard Knef), who turns men’s heads.
Alraune is at the center of a lengthy research by the scientist: he wants to prove that evil and perversion are hereditary. When Jacob’s cousin Frank Braun (Karlheinz Böhm) falls in love with Alraune, he is initiated into the experiment – and then has to make serious moral decisions…
Released in 1952, the film became a scandal at the time for a number of reasons. For several years after World War II, large segments of the population and politicians were unwilling to tolerate horror as entertainment. In addition, church voices resented the subject of artificial insemination and the sensuality already inherent in Hanns Heinz Ewers’ novel.
While the filmmakers tried to do justice to the cultural sensitivities and subject matter, they didn’t quite manage to avoid the cliffs: no matter how outraged the film was received in this country, many contemporary international critics were cautious, if benevolent, and often noticed a lack of willingness to take risks.
However, Arthur Maria Rabenalt’s directorial work has since achieved classic status. It’s true that he and screenwriter Kurt Heuser are often accused of missing the bleakness of some previous film adaptations. However, Böhm, von Stroheim and Knef vividly convey the tangled web of emotions between their characters. and both the film’s chilling tragedy and smoky, classy sensuality proved timelessly popular.