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** This is an archived, static copy of the Casebook messages boards dating from 1998 to 2003. These threads cannot be replied to here. If you want to participate in our current forums please go to https://forum.casebook.org **
Waxworks (1923)
Casebook Message Boards: Ripper Media: Specific Titles:
Film / Movies (Fiction):
Waxworks (1923)
Author: Waxworks
Thursday, 19 November 1998 - 08:54 pm |        | Waxworks (Wachsfigurenkabinett, Das)
Silent Film, 1923 (Germany), 1924 (US)
Directed by: Paul Leni
Werner Krauß as "Jack the Ripper" |
Author: Anonymous
Thursday, 21 January 1999 - 01:13 am | | | dor leeba gott |
Author: Bob_c
Thursday, 21 January 1999 - 03:43 pm | | Hi Anonymous
Det 'Gott' mut grot 'schrieben wern.
Bob |
Author: Anonymous
Friday, 22 January 1999 - 01:03 am | | | Was ver sprache ist das? |
Author: Bob_c
Friday, 22 January 1999 - 05:57 pm | | Hi Caroline!
My bit above to Mr Anonymous was that the word 'Gott' in german has to be spelt, like most proper nouns, with a capital letter. The word 'God' in english is also so written, but the german Grammer demands it for all words like Buch, Pferd (book, horse).
I learnt the most of my german in pubs in Bremen, which is why I could say "Sch*+!!?**ch" before I could say anything decent.
Love,
Bob
Hi Anonymous
Det ist Ostfriesish Plattdeutch. Unbrigens, ich kann auch Saterfriesisch, mindestens verstehen und auch 'n bissel sprechen. (Falls das Du mich verstehen kannst). Saterfriesisch ist bei nicht mehr als ca. 1,600 Nasen gesprochen im ganzen Welt! Hat ein bischen Ähnlichkeit mit Englisch. Hauptsächlich rede Ich Hochdeutsch.
m.f.G
Bob |
Author: observer
Saturday, 23 January 1999 - 08:42 am | | | merde |
Author: Caroline
Sunday, 24 January 1999 - 11:41 am | | Hi Bob!
Danke (I'd have a go at 'shurn' but I have no German dictionary with me so I've done it phonetically!).
I should have understood really because I did know about German nouns being upper case.
I hope your last message to Anon was suitably Bob-like!
Love, Caroline |
Author: Bob_c
Sunday, 24 January 1999 - 01:38 pm | | Hi Caroline,
I wrote to Anon number ? in a mixture of Saterfriesisch, Ostfriesich Plattdeutch and Hochdeutsch and told him a mixture of things that he doesn't really want to know and doesn't care about anyway. I don't know if he can speak or read any German, but that doesn't matter either.
Interesting is the very old Saterfriesisch, so called because of the area, Saterland, where it is spoken and I used to live. It is in the Guiness Book of records as being a language spoken by the least number of people in Europe. Officially there are ca. 1.600 People who speak it. Many of my friends and their families use it daily, I use it when I feel like it. (Not very good). It is more like English than German. The reason for it existing? It's a long story...
Love,
Bob |
Author: Caroline
Sunday, 24 January 1999 - 02:07 pm | | Hi Bob,
I'd hate to play trivial pursuit with you!
Hi 'observer',
We went a bit French on Sunday at our local brasserie: Little Caz plumped for her favourite moules, followed by cuisses de grenouilles (slightly less impressive), while hubby enjoyed a huge plate of marinated saumon, and I tucked into escargots, followed by rognons. This was all washed down with a very acceptable Chateauneuf du Pape and the crepes Suzette were excellent.
No merde there then.
Caroline |
Author: Bob_c
Sunday, 24 January 1999 - 04:01 pm | | Hi Caroline,
'Observer' might have a pechance for merde, I don't know his/her habits, but I would have liked to have dined with you on Sunday. Yum!
Sadly I am fighting the flab bitterly at the moment (German beer, Kohl und Pinkel, Kasseler, Schweinshäxe,....... I must stop) but there I would have made an exception.
Love to both Cazes and regards to Hubby.
Bob |
Author: John Omlor
Monday, 11 June 2001 - 09:58 pm | | Hello everyone,
A Request.
My better half came across a discussion of this film, Das Wachsfigurenkabinett [Waxworks], in her research and preparation today for teaching a Modern Lit. class.
The plot of this film is bizarre to say the least (nothing unusual for a German Expressionist film, of course). It apparently includes a strange framing device and three stories, the last of which features Jack the Ripper.
Overall, it sounds like a very twisted film. Check out the following (slightly corrected) synopsis from the IMDB:
"The owner of a Wax museum needs for three of his wax models' stories to be told to the audience. For that reason he has hired a writer who, after one look at the owner's pretty daughter, starts writing stories featuring the models, the daughter and himself.
"In the first, he is a baker, married to the girl, who does a little bit too much flirting with the customers, among them the wezir of sultan Harun Al-Rashid, who has just ordered the baker's/author's execution because the smell from the bakery is drifting to his palace. Yet Harun Al-Rashid wants to meet the beautiful girl himself, while the angry baker is trying to get the Sultan's whishing ring to prove to his bride that he's not a weakling.
"The second story is about Tzar Ivan the Terrible who, together with his court-chemist, likes watching people die. When he orders the execution of the chemist, the chemist thinks of a nice revenge, but until the revenge plan works, a nobleman is murdered, his daughter kidnapped by Ivan and her groom tortured.
"While writing the third story about Jack the Ripper, he falls asleep and dreams he and the girl are pursued by that serial killer."
The film apparently end abruptly in the midst of the Ripper story, as if they ran out of funds or something.
QUESTION: Has anyone here seen this film or know where I might get a copy?
Thanks,
--John |
Author: Jeff Bloomfield
Monday, 11 June 2001 - 10:19 pm | | Dear John,
This is just a guess, but try to contact the
film division of the Museum of Modern Art (not
the Metropolitan Museum of Art) to see if they
can give you a lead about the film. If I can
find anything I'll let you know.
I think Conrad Veidt and/or Emil Jannings (as
Ivan the Terrible)were in the film.
Jeff |
Author: John Omlor
Monday, 11 June 2001 - 10:38 pm | | Hi Jeff,
Yes, both Veidt and Jannings are in the film. I have the cast list and the credits, etc. and a bit of background info on the movie as well. You're right about MOMA being a likely place to look (an old regular hangout of mine back when I spent serious time in the heart of the beast). And we have a trip to MOMA tentatively scheduled for the end of next month for a look at some old Hamlets on film for an article now in production. So we will certainly check out this sucker as well.
I was hoping, though, that among all the the weird and twisted people that hang out on this board, there was one who might have a copy or at least have seen a copy of it and can tell me what they thought or offer to dub one for me (booze and/or pizzas will be bought or other rewards offered). 
But thanks for the quick response. It's a nice night here and I'm a bit high on popcorn and cola and maybe a bit of percoset to take the edge off.
And Tom Waits is singing "I Wish I Was in New Orleans." And I do.
Bye for now,
--John |
Author: David Hayes
Tuesday, 12 June 2001 - 11:05 am | | John,
Hi there. Here are a few places to try. I can't guarantee things, but obscure films are sort of a specialty:
Facets in Chicago, you'll have to search under Facets Chicago for the url.
Morticia's Morgue at www.morticiasmorgue.com
Movies Unlimited at www.moviesunlimited.com (if it is still in print, they will have it)
Outside chances:
Something Weird Video www.somethingweird.com
Sinister Cinema www.sinistercinema.com
Bizarro Video www.bizarrovideo.com
Hope this helps!
David |
Author: John Omlor
Tuesday, 12 June 2001 - 11:48 am | | Thanks, David.
Serious appreciation for all of this. I am already a member of Facets, but will check out the other ones this weekend.
Thanks again,
--John
PS: Still wondering if anyone around here has actually seen this movie... |
Author: Wolf Vanderlinden
Wednesday, 13 June 2001 - 12:42 pm | | Hello John,
Waxworks is an interesting little film from the German expressionistic school, as you have stated. Wonderful sets and costumes and a who's who of early German cinema, (a young Conrad Veidt as Ivan the Terrible is particularly good). I would quibble with your point that the Jack the Ripper, Spring-heeled-Jack in the film, episode looks as if they had "run out of money or something", however.
The final sequence, the Ripper one, is indeed presented as a highly stylized dream sequence and consists of nothing more than the writer and the waxworks owners daughter running from a portly Jack, (who looks something like James Maybrick without a mustache), and when they are cornered, Jack stabs the young writer, he awakes from his dream to find that he has stabbed himself with his own pen, (oh, if I only had a doller...). The whole brief sequence seems to be complete and of it's own and not a story that was started but had to be quickly ended because of financial straights. Also, what did you mean about that "weird and twisted" crack?
Wolf |
Author: John Omlor
Wednesday, 13 June 2001 - 05:49 pm | | Thanks Wolf,
I appreciate the take. My comment about the end seeming to be cut short was only a reference to what I had seen written elsewhere about it. As I mentioned earlier, I have yet to see it but would dearly love to. Do you by any chance have a copy that you could dub?
As to the "weird and twisted" that dwell among us -- a day's reading should suffice to make that clear...
Thanks again, seriously,
--John |
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