Product Description

Frau im Mond is: (a) The first feature-length film to portray space-exploration in a serious manner, paying close attention to the science involved in launching a vessel from the surface of the earth to the valleys of the moon. (b) A tri-polar potboiler of a picture that manages to combine espionage tale, serial melodrama, and comic-book sci-fi into a storyline that is by turns delirious, hushed, and deranged. (c) A movie so rife with narrative contradiction and visual ingenuity that it could only be the work of one filmmaker: Fritz Lang. In this, Lang s final silent epic, the legendary filmmaker spins a tale involving a wicked cartel of spies who co-opt an experimental mission to the moon in the hope of plundering the satellite s vast (and highly theoretical) stores of gold. When the crew, helmed by Willy Fritsch and Gerda Maurus (both of whom had previously starred in Lang s Spione), finally reach their impossible destination, they find themselves stranded in a lunar labyrinth without walls where emotions run scattershot, and the new goal becomes survival. A modern Daedalus tale which uncannily foretold Germany s wartime push into rocket-science, Frau im Mond is as much a warning-sign against human hubris as it is a hopeful depiction of mankind s potential. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present for the first time in the UK the culmination of Fritz Lang s silent cinema, newly restored to its near-original length. SPECIAL FEATURES: Brand new film restoration by F. W. Murnau-Stiftung, Original German intertitles with newly-translated optional English subtitles, 36-page booklet which includes a newly revised analysis by Michael E. Grost on the film, and on Fritz Lang's body of work as a whole and more!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11431 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-01-21
• Rating: Universal, suitable for all
• Formats: Black & White, PAL
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: German, English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 163 minutes

Synopsis
In FRAU IM MOND, Fritz Lang (METROPOLIS, M., THE BIG HEAT) used a scenario about a trip to the moon to continue his early investigations into science and technology--focusing much of his attention on creating the rocket launch as well as the lunar landscapes in keeping with his many scientific advisers' advice. The resulting film offers many images and artifacts that would prove to be extremely accurate when space travel became a reality. The human struggles with greed, jealousy and idealism are played out against a stunning backdrop of rockets and white lunar landscapes, and the tender moments between the protagonists are some of the most touching in any of Lang's films.

Customer Reviews

Frau im Mond (1929) sophisticated for its time
Poor penniless Professor Georg Manfeldt has a theory that the moon has gold, lots of it, and why not? His rich friend Wolf Helius owns a rocket factory and it seems that he has sent everything up but people. Turns out his friend Wolf has a problem; the girl Friede that he secretly loves had no idea that he felt that way and married their mutual friend and head engineer Windegger in the factory. A sophisticated criminal element gets involved and wants to control the moon gold flow.

List off occupants:
Professor Georg Manfeldt (Klaus Pohl)
Wolf Helius (Willy Fritsch)
Hans Windegger, Ingenieur (Gustav von Wangenheim)
Friede Velten, Student astrologer (Gerda Maurus)
Gustav, Child stowaway (Gustl Gstettenbaur)
Der Mann, Criminal element (Fritz Rasp)
The Mouse (uncredited)

Everything is going along swimmingly until the obligatory lack of water, oxygen, and life.

This is not your run of the mill love on a rocket that "misfires" movie. Maybe because they took the time to flesh out the movie and not rush the story it turned out to be very sophisticated. There had time for intrigue and subterfuge as even the bad guys were well organized and believable.

Top writers and top director and UFA studios can only produce a masterpiece.

The models are very good and many of the real problems with space are anticipated and depicted, unlike some cheap remakes. I was disappointed to find that all they found on the moon is gold and not Louise Brooks; the title is misleading.

A silent sci-fi great
This is the only Fritz Lang film that I feel entirely happy with. Its depiction of a flight to the moon is both forward-looking and revealing but also quaint in its historic art, and the silent acting is of a very high order with quite a lot of depth in the characters. This film is great fun and perfectly excellent.

NOT A REVIEW, JUST A WARNING. BEWARE!!!!!
I have just received a defective copy of Frau im Mond (Masters of Cinema). Although the packaging is of the item I ordered and even the picture on the disc is of Frau im Mond, surprisingly the actual movie is Alexander Korda's The Four Feathers (Network edition)!!!! Good classic perhaps, but not what I expected. To me this looks like a mistake in the mastering that could affect a whole batch of DVDs. I have asked Amazon for a replacement of course, but I also thought it could be helpful to place this warning here.

UPDATE (19/2/2008): I have been sent a replacement of my defective disc and hopefully this time it will be the right film and another fine release in this great series.

UPDATE (9/4/2008): Yes, the right film and a worthy addition to this fine series.