Austria-Hungary, 1918
80m
35mm film, black and white, 1.33:1
silent
An Austro-Hungarian science fiction film directed by Michael Curtiz (using his birth name, Mihály Kertész) and Edmund Fritz.
Plot Summary
A mad scientist uses a mandrake root – said to have magical powers because of its resemblance to the human body – to create a beautiful young woman who turns out to be fatally flawed – she has no conscience and is unable to understand why it’s wrong to kill.
Credits
Crew
Director: Mihály Kertész [real name: Michael Curtiz], Edmund Fritz
Script: Richárd Falk
Based on characters from the novel Alraune by Hanns Heinz Ewers
Cast
Géza Erdélyi
Gyula Gál (Alraune)
Kálmán Körmendy
Margit Lux
Rózsi Szöllösi
Jenö Törzs
Alternative Titles
Mandrake
References
Books
- Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Horror (2nd edition) edited by Phil Hardy p.21 – credits, review
- Cinematic Vampires by John L. Flynn p.16
- English Gothic: A Century of Horror Cinema by Jonathan Rigby pp.17, 291
- Euro Gothic: Classics of Continental Horror Cinema by Jonathan Rigby p.35
- Horror and Science Fiction Films: A Checklist by Donald C. Willis p.21 – credits
- Horror and Science Fiction Films II by Donald C. Willis p.6 – credits
- The Illustrated Frankenstein Movie Guide by Stephen Jones p.16 – credits, review
- Reference Guide to Fantastic Films by Walt Lee p.10 – credits
- Vintage Science Fiction Films, 1896-1949 by Michael Benson p.133 – credits
