The Adventures of Prince Achmed

After watching this animated film from 1926, which was completely new to me, I knew that I had seen a true work of art. Yes, it has great historical importance -- but it's also wonderful entertainment. There's no dutiful drudgery here! Lotte Reiniger's silhouette animation is indeed a marvel of intricate, delicate technique & detail. There are moments that startle me with their beauty & obvious skill. But in the end, what matters is that she's just as gifted a storyteller as she is an artist.Something that struck me immediately was the use of unexpected humor. For example, when the Caliph demands to know if Prince Achmed understands how to return from his flight on the magic horse, the Evil Magician simply shrugs his shoulders with a sly, mocking smile -- perfect! No director could ask for more from a living actor. The characters may be silhouettes, but they possess a lot more personality than you'd expect.And how much of that smile do we actually see, as opposed to imagining it? That's part of the film's strength -- while providing us with remarkable images, the silhouettes enable us to use our own imagination, so that we project a good deal of emotion into the characters. Much of what's emoted, we "see" in our own mind's eye. Modern CGI couldn't do this sort of storytelling justice, to be honest.The use of color tinting for the backgrounds also adds to the magic of the story, with vivid shades of yellow, blue, red. Ten years before Disney, here's the multiplane camera used to superb effect in creating subtlety & depth. And again, while the technique is impressive, it's always in the service of the story, used to evoke a specific mood.The story itself? A joyful mish-mash of the Arabian Nights, with amazing set-pieces such as the duel between the Evil Magician & the Witch, who continually change forms as they fight one another; or the tranquil poolside scene with the lovely Peri Banu, complete with shimmering reflections in the water. The story never lingers too long on one scene, leaping to another new setting every few minutes. Breathtaking!You don't have to be a fan of vintage animation to enjoy this film. I happily recommend it anyone who loves a good story, told in gorgeous images with real panache. And if that isn't enough, the DVD also includes a fascinating documentary about the life & work of creator Lotte Reiniger, which includes tantalizing samples of her other silhouette films. All we need now is for the British-only collection of those films to be released in America -- Image Entertainment, are you listening?

The creator, Lotte Reineger, was a genius in stop-motion animation, using her own, painstakingly created silhouettes. "Prince Achmed" was the first, full-length, animated, feature film ever made. Tales from "Arabian Nights" are mesmerizing Magic.

This animated movie was one of the first full-length animated features, and is filmed exclusively utilizing the silhouette technique: that is, the characters and their actions are rendered in black, while the backgrounds are carefully illustrated in vibrant color. I bought this movie and found it so inspirational, both in a different way of seeing the world around me, and to my work as an artist. Like the title says, it is a feast for the senses, and you are drawn into the tale immediately. The backgrounds are so carefully and lovingly depicted, you can't help but be enthralled; and the story itself draws you right in! Buy/rent/see this movie - you will be captivated.

For once there is no ambiguity: "The Adventures of Prince Achmed" is definitely the first feature length animated cartoon. Working in a converted garage, Reininger and her two assistants (one of whom specialized in magical soap bubble effects!) took three years to complete "Achmed." The film was a success, but for whatever reason Reininger spent the rest of her long career making shorts and advertisements (that I've never seen-hint, hint, Milestone). You might think, Hoo boy, an hour of nothing but black silhouettes on white. But give the film half a chance (especially in this magnificently colored restoration, with wonderful musical accompaniment) and I guarantee you'll be hooked. The complex tale of Achmed, his beloved, the wicked Magician, the kindly and powerful Ogre, the magical flying horse, and all the other characters are animated in a fantastically expressive manner, and the film moves at a breathless but comprehensible pace. This is one you'll come back to.

Lotte Reiniger's epic adventure classic is so good and so mesmerizing that you will soon forget that you are only looking at stop-motion silhouettes. Fans of "The Thief of Bagdad" (1924 and 1940), "The Thief and the Cobbler," "Aladdin" and any other Arabian adventure are sure to love this beautifully animated silent German forgotten classic. It is considered the first full-length animated feature (beating "Snow White" by a good decade) and since the style remains so alien even today it maintains its strange magic after all these years. It's a shame this movie is not more well-known because it is one of the greatest and most visually striking and original adventure fantasies I have come across.

This is a great animated film from 1926. It is from Germany. I happened to catch it on TCM and immediately searched for a copy.The entire film is done with intricately cut (paper?) characters and scenery, similar to a shadow play, and is filmed in stop action format, where the pieces are ever so slightly moved by hand as each frame of film is shot. (Like Gumby) The technique is very well done and the movement is generally very smooth.The story is like something from The Arabian Nights. It even has Aladdin and a genie. This film is great for kids or adults. It's just over an hour long.I highly recommend it!

Milestone should be given high praise for this project. Most viewers will have seen nothing like Ms. Reiniger's silhouette animation, which seems as remarkable today as it must have in 1926. Jean Renoir had a hand in getting this film exhibited in Paris, and then became a lifelong creative friend of the animator and her husband. On the DVD, the English subtitles seem less distracting to the music score than the voiceover track, but viewers have that option. The companion documentary is a glimpse into the director's life and art for those who are unfamiliar with Ms. Reiniger and want to learn more. "The Adventure of Prince Achmed" is a fascinating film most viewers will want to watch more than once.

The BFI edition is a beautifully restored version of this first ever feature length animated film. First shown in 1926, the film will soon be 100 years old. And how utterly enchanting it is. The story is a 1001 Nights style fairy tale about an Oriental prince who encounters all sorts of adventures and romance after mounting a magical flying horse. It is a silhouette animation in which the images are created by photographing incredibly intricate black cutout silhouettes in front of brightly coloured luminous backgrounds and the result is stunning.The story is a fairy tale for adults, and the film is a miracle of artistry. The comparatively crude cover image of the prince on his flying steed is merely a hint of the wonders to behold once you watch the film in its entirety (66 mins). Some of the images are truly breathtaking.The film is a silent film with an underlaid orchestral score which has been re-recorded for this DVD edition. Also included is a 60 min documentary about Lotte Reiniger and her work on this and other silhouette films which features short excerpts from other films by her. Excellent DVD, well worth owning.

Excellent, and good extra's too !

very good animation

This certainly lived up to expectations. If you've an interest in early cinema, and animation, then this is a fantastic watch. Not only is the main story brilliant, but there's plenty of good extras showing Lotte Reiniger's other works, and the write up booklet is packed full of information, as you'd expect from the BFI.

What a beautiful film! the artistry in the silhouette work is incredible, not only in itself, but that the figures move with such fluidity, its astonishing, everyone should see at least one Lotte Reiniger film in their life to absorb the magic these films conjure up.