The Black Rider

1990 2h 9m DE

🙌

7.5

BANGER

★7.5TMDB · 4

DramaFantasyMusic

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Inspired by the German folktale, Wilhelm, a file clerk, falls in love with a huntsman's daughter. In order to marry, Wilhelm must prove his worth as a hunter and gain her father's approval. Naive and desperate, he makes a deal with a devil named Pegleg.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Jan Moritz Steffen
Junger Kuno / Vogel / Irrenarzt / Skelett
Heinz Vossbrink
Kuno, Erbförster
Susanne Eisenkolb
Brautjungfer / Stelzfuß' Double
Jörg Holm
Wilhelms Onkel / Herzog
Monika Tahal
Zeuge / Vogel / Irrenarzt / Wilhelms Double / Skelett
Soňa Červená
Vogel / Bote / Löffelweib
Dominique Horwitz
Stelzfuß
Klaus Schreiber
Robert, Jägerbursche / Mann auf dem Hirsch / Georg Schmid

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Robert Wilson
Writers: William S. Burroughs, August Apel
Languages: German, English
Countries: Germany

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

36 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: German, English.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Robert Wilson, shot by Hans Viktor Keppler. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Tom Waits. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Helmut Schlosser shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Jan Moritz Steffen and Heinz Vossbrink and Susanne Eisenkolb carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0466363 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Robert Wilson directs. Hans Viktor Keppler behind the camera. Tom Waits scores. Helmut Schlosser cuts. Produced in Germany. Dialogue in German, English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

136 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Dialogue crosses 2 languages: German, English.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by Robert Wilson, shot by Hans Viktor Keppler. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Tom Waits. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Helmut Schlosser shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Jan Moritz Steffen and Heinz Vossbrink and Susanne Eisenkolb carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt0466363 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 4 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.