Waxworks (Das Wachsfigurenkabinett) – Eureka Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Germany, 1924
Director: Paul Leni
Writer: Henrik Galeen
Cast: Emil Jannings, Conrad Veidt, Werner Krauss, William Dieterle, Olga Belajeff, Paul Biensfeldt, John Gottowt, Georg John, Ernst Legal

Release Date: November 9th, 2020
Approximate Running Time: 81 Minutes 31 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: U (UK)
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 With English Intertitles, DTS-HD Stereo With English Intertitles
Subtitles: French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic, Mandarin, Russian
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: £14.99 (UK)

"The three separate episodes of ​Waxworks ​are united by the character of a young poet (William Dieterle), who is hired by the owner of a wax museum to create backstories for a trio of the museum’s figures: Caliph Harun al-Rashid (Emil Jannings), Ivan the Terrible (Conrad Veidt), and Jack the Ripper (Werner Krauss). The stories are depicted in succession (one per episode), the poet casting himself—as well as the daughter of the wax museum’s owner—at the center of each tale. Though the poet and the daughter play different characters in the corresponding plots, they are always lovers whose relationship is threatened by the personages of the wax figures." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information given about the transfer, “As there is no surviving original negative of ​Waxworks​, this newly restored edition—a joint effort by the Deutsche Kinemathek and Cineteca di Bologna, L’Immagine Ritrovata (with funding from the German Commission for Culture and the Media)—is composed of contemporary prints and additional film materials from archives around the world. The elements, including English intertitles, were scanned in 4K resolution and then restored in 2K.”

Waxworks (Das Wachsfigurenkabinett) comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 31.3 GB

Feature: 22.3 GB

Considering the limitations of the sources used for this transfer, it looks extremely good. Image clarity, contrast, and black levels look strong throughout, and there are no issues with compression.

Audio: 5/5

There are two new scores to accompany the film: one by the Ensemble Musikfabrik (commissioned by ZDF/ARTE), and the second by composer Richard Siedhoff. Each score comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix with English intertitles and a DTS-HD stereo mix with English intertitles. All audio tracks sound excellent. Included are removable French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic, Mandarin, and Russian subtitles.

Extras:

Extras for this release include Paul Leni’s Rebus-Film Nr. 1-8 – Courtesy of Kino Lorber, these Leni-helmed cinematic crossword puzzles were originally screened in 1920s German cinemas as featurettes accompanying the main film, each of these animated shorts was split into two parts—a clue and an answer—and presented before and after the visual presentation (15 minutes 24 seconds, DTS-HD stereo with English intertitles, no subtitles), an interview with journalist, film critic, and fiction writer Kim Newman titled Kim Newman on Waxworks (17 minutes 14 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Julia Wallmüller (Deutsche Kinemathek) based on her presentation after the premiere of the restored film at Il Cinema Ritrovato festival in Bologna 2020 titled In search of the original version of Paul Leni’s ​‘Das Wachsfigurenkabinett’ (20 minutes 29 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with film and arts critic Adrian Martin. a limited-edition O-Card slipcase (2000 copies) and a 32-page booklet with cast & crew credits, an essay titled Paul Leni: A Career Cut Sadly Short written by Phillip Kemp, an essay titled Waxworks: Three Times a Romance written by Richard Combs, Waxworks: The Restoration written by Julia Wallmüller and information about the transfer titled Notes on Viewing.

Summary:

Directed by Paul Leni, whose other notable films include The Man Who Laughs, The Last Warning, and The Cat and the Canary (1927).

Content-wise, Waxworks (Das Wachsfigurenkabinett) is a fantasy/horror hybrid film that has all the elements that have become synonymous with German expressionism. And nowhere is this clearer than when it comes to architecture and sharp visual angles that contrast reality.

Structurally, Waxworks (Das Wachsfigurenkabinett) narratives consist of three stories (actually two when you factor in the third story’s connection to the wrap-around moments). That said, the first story that revolves around Caliph Harun al-Rashid has a whimsical tone that’s in contrast to the other two stories, which have a sinister tone. Also, the first story is the longest of the three; its running time is longer than the other two stories combined. The last story that revolves around Jack the Ripper is the most satisfying of the three. Ironically, the last story is the shortest of the three.

Performance-wise, the cast is very good in their respective roles, especially Emil Jannings (Varieté, Tartuffe) in the role of Caliph Harun al-Rashid and Conrad Veidt (The Man Who Laughs, Casablanca) in the role of Ivan the Terrible. Emil Jannings and Conrad Veidt were two of German silent cinema’s biggest stars, and with Waxworks (Das Wachsfigurenkabinett), they both delivered commanding performances.

Waxworks (Das Wachsfigurenkabinett) has gained a reputation as one of silent cinema’s best horror films. Calling Waxworks (Das Wachsfigurenkabinett) a horror film actually does Waxworks (Das Wachsfigurenkabinett) a disservice since it lacks most of the elements that one now expects from a horror film. There are no jump scares, even when it comes to the third story, the most menacing part of the Waxworks (Das Wachsfigurenkabinett). That said, despite its lack of menacing moments, Waxworks (Das Wachsfigurenkabinett) is a visual feast for the eyes that fans of German expressionism should thoroughly enjoy.

Waxworks (Das Wachsfigurenkabinett) gets an exceptional release from Eureka Video that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer