''Hypnose: Sklaven fremden Willens'' () is a 1920 German

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, when ...

directed by

Richard Eichberg Richard Eichberg (27 October 1888 – 8 May 1952) was a German film director and producer. He directed 87 films between 1915 and 1949. He also produced 77 films between 1915 and 1950. He was born in Berlin, Germany and died in Munich, Germ ...

. It was the first German production actor

Bela Lugosi Béla Ferenc Dezső Blaskó (; October 20, 1882 – August 16, 1956), known professionally as Bela Lugosi (; ), was a Hungarian and American actor best remembered for portraying Count Dracula in the 1931 horror classic ''Dracula'', Ygor in ''S ...

made in Germany, following Bruno Declari leaving Eichberg-Film to form his own production company. ''Hypnose: Sklaven fremden Willens'' premiered at Schauburg-Lichtspiele in Berlin on January 3, 1920. Two weeks following its premiere, the film's title was cut down to just ''Sklaven fremden Willens'' due to the similarity of the film titled ''Hypnose'' starring Austrian mentalist and clairvoyant

Erik Jan Hanussen Erik Jan Hanussen, born Hermann Steinschneider (2 June 1889, in Vienna – 25 March 1933, in Berlin), was an Austrian Jewish publicist, charlatan and clairvoyant performer. Acclaimed in his lifetime as a hypnotist, mentalist, occultist and astr ...

Cast

Production

Actor

arrived in Berling in September 1919. According to Lugosi biographer Gary D. Rhodes and Bill Kaffenberger, Lugosi transitioned into the German film industry with ease as he had lived in the Hungarian and German side of his homeotwn Lugos. Several of Lugosi's Hungarian film were shown in Germany previously as well, including '' Az Ezredes'' (1918) and ''

Az élet királya ''Az élet királya'' () is a 1918 Hungarian film directed by Alfréd Deésy. It is an adaptation of ''The Picture of Dorian Gray'' by Oscar Wilde. The film premiered in Budapest January 21, 1918 and was described as an "almost unprecedented ...

'' (1918). Director

who headed Eichberg-Film created films with actor Bruno Declari. As Declari had screated his own film company in mid-1919, Eichberg required a new star. In the 1920 German publication ''Film Magazin'', Lugosi's brief biography states that Declari leaving opened the door to Lugosi. Lugosi's first film for Eichberg was ''Hypnose: Sklaven fremden Willens''.

Release and reception

''Hypnose: Sklaven fremden Willens'' premiered at Schauburg-Lichtspiele in Berlin on January 3, 1920. A review in ''Film-Kurier'', a critic stated the film is "totally suspenseful and reflects the most outstanding film technology using all the means at its disposal." while "it would be helped by applying the 'editor's scissors,' reducing the 6 acts to just 5." The review went on tot praise

Lee Parry Lee Parry (born Mathilde Charlotte Benz, 14 January 1901 – 24 January 1977) was a German film actress of the silent era. She appeared in more than 40 films between 1919 and 1939. Biography Lee Parry was born Mathilde Charlotte Benz on 14 Jan ...

who "performs exquisitely and her dress is refined in taste" and Lugosi who "is a welcome newcomer - he possess decided talent, but must guard against exaggeration." Within two weeks of the films premiere, the film's title was changed to just ''Sklaven fremden Willens'' due to the similarity of the film titled ''Hypnose'' starring Austrian mentalist and clairvoyant

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