Lesson Faust by Dustin Stratton

Title/Year

Lesson Faust

Director/Birth Country/Year Born

Jan Svankmajer/Czechoslovakia/1934

Budget

No Info

Gross

No Info

Synopsis

Faust is an everyday man in a surreal world. After he finds a strange map and follows it, he finds himself in a weird puppet theatre where he must watch the play (which is what the movie is based off of) acted out in front of him by clay models and giant puppets. As he becomes the Dr. Faust of the story, selling his soul to the devil in exchange for magical powers.

Narrative and Visual Keywords

eerie, dark, surreal, disturbing

Characterization/ Dialogue

The character of Faust is a very normal man who almost is able to ignore or go along quite fine with the weird world around him. When this is juxtaposed with the crazy elements of the film it makes for a very disturbing contrast. There is very minimal dialogue througought. 

Camera/lighting/editing technique

Very dark and contrasty lighting, even and consistent editing which makes for a pleasant pace until something crazy happens.

Political/ Social Commentary 

Svankmajer believed that there was not difference between the manipulations of a totalitarian government and one based on capitalism, this was very evident throuought. 

Historical Relevance/ Recognition

The Brothers Quay says that Svankmajer was a big inspiration to them, that is easy to see.

Notable Collaboration 

Didn't see any.

Random fact, Etc.

None

1. What are the characters’ attitudes toward work/ What is their work ethic like? 
1. Faust seems like a very normal man at first with normal work ethic, though when temped by the devil, he takes the easy way out and bargains.
2. Were you able to distinguish the use of symbols/ What story elements seemed surreal?
1. It is easy to pinpoint the surrealism in this film when you mix stop motion clay and marionettes (sometimes with people in them) with live action. The whole thing seems a bit off and makes it delightful to watch. Svankajer never says who the puppet masters are as Faust becomes more and more like one, instead he uses images and situations to lead u
   s to make our own conclusions.
3. Does the main character seem in control of his/her own destiny? In relation to the individualist vs. the communist perspective? Does the character have a viewpoint concerning the divine or "God"?
1. It seems like Faust could have stopped if he had wished, but then again he was being manipulated by something. Perhaps he was just not smart enough to take on the forces 
   that were at work against him. Faust is tricked into thinking that he should do this for himself which is the capitalist way, but ends up being sucked into the collective in the 
   end, which is the communist way. Either way, he's screwed.