“The Golem, How He Came Into the World is a classic of horror cinema, a stunningly beautiful film (each frame is a little masterpiece in its own right) that exerted a huge influence on the genre films to come. It has an uncanny quality to it that few films of the time possessed and which a good many would kill for today.” – EOFFTV Review

Drawing on traditional Jewish folklore, German director Paul Wegener created three films based on the myth of the Golem—a humanoid creature made of clay brought to life through magic—but only one of them, 1920’s THE GOLEM: HOW HE CAME INTO THE WORLD, survives. Fortunately, the surviving film is a masterpiece of German Expressionist terror. Wegener himself stars as the titular monster, who is brought to life by Rabbi Loew (Albert Steinruck) to protect his fellow Jews after they are banished from Prague by Emperor Luhois (Otto Gebühr). Recreating medieval Prague with armies of extras, stylized painted sets that recall The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, and legendary cinematographer Karl Freund’s virtuosic camerawork, THE GOLEM anticipates later cinematic adaptations of Frankenstein, particularly in its depiction of a naturally gentle creature who turns to violence in a world he can’t quite comprehend and which refuses to understand him.

Each month, Arkadin presents a selection of FOLK HORROR AROUND THE WORLD, creepy folktales from all corner of the globe to give you the Sunday scaries.