Released nearly concurrently with his film Nosferatu (1922), director F.W. Murnau’s multilayered tale of simple agrarian life, class conflict, unrequited love, ambition, betrayal and greed stars Eugen Klöpfer, Werner Krauss, Lya de Putti and Alfred Abel.

This edition, originally prepared for Grapevine Video release on VHS videotape in 2001, has been mastered from an analog videotape duplicate of a video transfer of a 35mm reduction print. The full-frame transfer runs faster than natural speed, and the video duplicate (likely a PAL VHS videocassette) is of a slightly lower resolution than commonly found on DVD, causing some fluctuations in the intertitles and subtitles type.

The color-toned and color-tinted source print appears to be a restoration, as the German language intertitles have been reset in a modern type. The print is quite flecked with dust in a few shots, with a normal amount of speckling, emulsion scuffing, frame jitters, and moderate exposure fluctuations persistent throughout. Deep shadows are plugged up, but the remaining range of colortones are well-balanced with reasonably intact highlight detail.

The film is accompanied by an orchestral music score compiled from preexisting recordings.

While far from perfect, this edition of The Burning Soil is currently the only known edition on DVD home video and is acceptable viewing until a better edition comes along.

This Region 0 NTSC DVD-R disc is available directly from Grapevine Video.

Other F.W. MURNAU films available on home video.

Other GERMAN FILMS of the silent era available on home video.

F.W. Murnau filmography in The Progressive Silent Film List