Rübezahl – Herr der Berge (1957)

Rübezahl – Herr der Berge (1957). 1h 13m

“Rübezahl is a likable, red-bearded giant who wanders in the region of the Sudeten Mountains and, using his magical powers, rewards people he meets who are honest and hard-working, and punishes those who mistreat animals, are greedy or gluttonous, or are bad in any other way. The film is a series of such encounters, and has appropriately a number of simple story-lines. The stories are interlaced with beautiful panoramas of the mountainous area, and equally captivating sequences of the local fauna.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe slow pace of the film fits well with the stories of the various encounters and with the rural setting. Indeed, I think it could possibly have been made even slower without becoming boring, particularly since the mood-setting sequences were so well done.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThere is no great characterisation. This would hardly be possible within the framework chosen. Indeed, apart from the glass-maker Steffen, each person that Rübezahl met demonstrates one particular facet of his character, and is either rewarded or punished, and always in a surprising and entertaining manner. It is particularly satisfying that the method chosen is always just.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIn addition to the stories themselves, and the landscapes and wildlife, the dance sequences are also well worth watching.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eBecause of the age of the film, many of the special effects seem rather clumsy, but one has to make such allowances when watching films of this era.”