In 1924, director Robert Wiene reteamed with his
Cabinet of Dr. Caligari star Conrad Veidt for another
expressionist horror. In the much imitated The Hands of Orlac, Veidt plays a pianist who loses his hands after surviving a train crash.
When he receives the hands of an executed murderer, it seems they have a
murderous will of their own.
The Hands of Orlac makes its UK blu-ray on June 14th courtesy
of Eureka Entertainment.
Bonus features include a new feature length audio commentary with author Stephen Jones and
author/critic Kim Newman; a new video essay by filmmakers David Cairns and Fiona Watson; a version of
the movie featuring alternate takes with a musical score by Paul Mercer; scene comparisons highlighting some of the
differences between the two versions of the film. The first 2000 copies come
with a limited edition slipcase and collector's booklet.
Check out Eureka's new trailer and artwork below.
The official synopsis reads:
Reuniting the star and director of Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari, The Hands of Orlac [Orlac’s Hände] is a deliciously twisted thriller that blends grand guignol thrills with the visual and performance styles of German Expressionism.
Based on a novel by medical-horror novelist Maurice Renard, it charts the mental disintegration of a concert pianist (Conrad Veidt) whose hands are amputated after a train crash, and replaced with the hands of an executed murderer. When Orlac’s father is murdered by the dead man’s hands, Orlac begins a steady descent towards madness.
