Continuing my 100 Year Project, I found an Austrian silent horror picture from 1924.
“Orlacs Hände” or “The Hands of Orlac” was based on the novel “Les Mains d’Orlac” by Maurice Renard. The film was directed by Robert Wiene, best known for “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari,” which we loved. Sadly, Wiene’s career, and life, were cut short by the Nazi’s seizing power.
I won’t pretend “The Hands of Orlac” is enjoyable by today’s standards. Its 100 years old, totally silent, and narrated with placards in a language I don’t read. But the passion for horror flows through the entire production, and, as a student of old-world cinema, I thoroughly enjoyed that.
1924
Paul Orlac (Conrad Veidt) is a famous pianist who loses his hands in a railroad accident. He receives a transplant – the hands of a recently executed murderer. It’s a trope that would be replicated many times in varying forms since. Orlac is driven to madness at this revelation, and we wait to see if the new hands will guide him to kill again.
The film includes very creepy imagery that’s unsettling to witness. The train wreck was particularly visceral and effective, not inhibited by the lack of modern flare. Orlac is haunted by apparitions and again, the cinematography is excellent. There’s also the unintentional chills by the way the characters look and act. Specifically, Orlac’s wife (Alexandra Sorina) who was just 25 years old at the time, looks 70, and has the perfect face for horror.
Horror Pioneer
Robert Wiene makes a capable horror film. I would love to see what he could produce with modern amenities. You can watch “The Hands of Orlac” for free. Check it out as a study in old foreign cinema. Have it play in the background of a Halloween party.
