This film is part of our TOTAL DESTRUCTION! series, where everything—mentally, physically, or emotionally—is spectacularly destroyed.
A free and surreal adaptation of the age-old Faust legend by the legendary animator Jan Švankmajer.
It is one of the most famous and infamous myths of all time: the story and downfall of the man who sold his soul to the devil in exchange for ultimate pleasure. The ancient legend resonated in the works of great writers such as Goethe and Marlowe, but also in countless traditional folk tales.
In Faust (1994), Švankmajer uses his creative freedom to give the old legend a new form. By combining live-action footage with stop-motion, clay figures, puppets, and real actors, he creates a unique, absurd, and alienating atmosphere. The result is a surreal masterpiece full of visual richness. The tone is dark, yet not without humor: macabre and playful at the same time.