Alraune (1928)

Anytime someone plays 'God' in the movies, it's always sure to take a turn for the worse. Our 1928 tale is no different. In the German film "Alraune", Paul Wegener plays a professor who not only believes he can use the legend of the Mandrake plant to make a human being, but that he can turn its inherently evil traits good by placing the creation in a controlled environment. The breathtaking Brigitte Helm plays the title character, known as 'Mandrake' to American audiences, in this more traditionally photographed film by frequent collaboraters Wegener and writer-turned-director Henrik Galeen (The Student of Prague, Nosferatu). Listen to the Phantom Erik and Lester Reaper as they recount this classic tale that combines the miracles of creation with the horrors of eugenics. Perhaps it'll make you think twice before you start splicing genes in your petri dish!
 
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