one of the most important artistic movement in the history of cinema be without a doubt german expressionism and the highly atmospheric style of film making develop during the 20 in berlin . classic movie like das cabinet de dr. caligari . ( 1920 ) and nosferatu and eine symphonie de grauens ( 1922 ) be the most famous direct result of this movement and and while the movement do not have a long life and it enormous influence over cinema can still be felt today and specially in the horror genre . one of the key figure of this style would be director paul wegener and director of 1920 der golem and wie er in die welt kam and a in his debut a a filmmaker and seven year before the making of that classic and he be already make experiment with expressionism in film . that early prototype of german expressionism be incidentally and another horror film represent der student von prag . der student von prag ( the student of prague ) and be the story of balduin ( paul wegener ) and a student with the reputation of be the best fencer in prague and but who always find himself with financial trouble . one day and balduin rescue the beautiful countess margit ( grete berger ) from drown in a lake after her horse drop her by accident . balduin fall immediately in love with her and try to see her again and but soon he discover that he will have to compete with her rich cousin and graf von schwarzenberg ( lothar körner ) and who also want to marry her . know that he can not offer her much and balduin wish to be wealthy and and this be where a sorcerer name scapinelli ( john gottowt ) enter the scene . scapinelli offer balduin infinite wealth in exchange of whatever he find in his room . balduin accept the proposal and only to discover in horror that what scapinelli want be his reflection in the mirror . loosely inspire by edgar allan poe short story william wilson and the classic legend of faust and the story of der student von prag be conceive by german writer hanns heinz ewer and a master of horror literature and one of the first writer to consider scriptwriting as valid a any other form of literature . write at a time where cinema in germany be still be develop a an art form and der student von prag show a real willingness to actually use cinema to tell a fully developed story beyond a camera trick or a series of scene . like most of the scriptwriter of his time and ewer screenplay be still very influence by theater and although der student von prag begin to move away from that style . while a bit poor on it character development ( specially on the support character ) and ewer manages to create an interesting and complex protagonist in the person of balduin . while d student von prag be paul wegener directorial debut and stellan rye second film a a filmmaker and it very clear that these two pioneer have a very good idea of what cinema could do when do properly . give great use to guido seeber cinematography and the two young filmmaker create a powerful gothic atmosphere that forecast what the german filmmaker of the following decade would do . wegener would learn many of the technique he would employ in his golem series from seeber and rye . despite have very limited resource and rye and wegener manage to create an amazing and very convincing ( for it time ) visual effect for the scene with balduin reflection ( play by wegener too ) . already an experienced stage actor at the time of make this film and wegener direct the cast with great talent and also attempt to move away from the stagy style of previous filmmaker . a balduin and paul wegener be very effective and probably the best in the movie . it certainly help that his character be the only one fully develop by the writer and but one can not deny that wegener be very good in his role a the poor student who lose more than his mirror reflection in that contract . john gottowt play the sinister scapinelli with mysterious aura that suit the character like a glove . few be say about scapinelli in the film and but gottowt make sure to let u know that he be a force to be fear . the rest of the main cast be less lucky and with grete berger be pretty much average a countess margit and and lothar körner make a poor graf von schwarzenberg . however and it must be say that lyda salmonova be pretty good in her expressive character and fritz weidemann make an excellent baron waldis schwarzenberg and show the dignity that lörner character should have have . consider the movie that be be do in those year in other country and the fact that it remake ( make 13 year after this film ) be superior in every possible way and it not difficult to understand why der student von prag hasn not stand the test of time as well a other early film . the movie main problem be definitely it extremely low budget and a it result in the film be considerably short than what ewers story need to be fully develop . this make the plot feel a bit too vague at time and or even incomplete and a if there be something miss in the narrative ( of course and there also the possibility that the exist print be really incomplete ) . however and der student von prag be a very interesting early attempt at a complex tale of horror and suspense in film that and while inferior to what other filmmaker be do at the time and leave a powerful impression in history . a the direct predecessor of the german expressionist movement and it hard to deny the enormous importance that der student von prag have in the history of german cinema and probably in the history of cinema in general . it may look date even for it time and but consider the limited resource it director have and it truly well than most film from that era . a the movie that start paul wegener career and and with that german expressionism and der student von prag be a must see for everyone interested in this slice of film history . positive .