Heart Of Stone (Aka Das Kalte Herz) Limited Edition Blu-Ray

In 1950, DEFA – the state film studio in East Germany or the GDR – began a long tradition of producing films based on folk tales by Hans Christian Andersen and the Brothers Grimm, among others. German author Wilhelm Hauff provided the inspiration for the studio's first folk tale: The Cold Heart, which became Das kalte Herz or The Heart of Stone. It was the first East German production to be filmed in color and remained one of the most successful films ever produced by the GDR until DEFA's dissolution in 1992.

Peter Munk (Lutz Moik) lives in the Black Forest with his mother (Lotte Loebinger) and earns a modest living selling coal in the nearest town. He is deeply in love with the beautiful Lisbeth (Hanna Rucker) and equally jealous of the arrogant Ezechiel (Paul Esser), a wealthy merchant who often visits the local tavern. Desperate to improve his social standing, Peter asks a mischievous forest spirit, Glasnissen (Paul Bildt), for help. The imp grants Peter two wishes, but only under strict conditions that make him want more. He then turns to the famous Dutchman Michael (Erwin Geschonneck), a reclusive magician who can give Peter everything his heart desires – but only if he is willing to exchange his heart for one made of stone.

Heart of Stone is an imaginative, strange, and darkly macabre film that is a captivatingly beautiful work that set a template for DEFA's future folk tales— including a penchant for scenes that could give children nightmares – and which was quickly followed by films such as The Devil from Mill Mountain, The Singing Ringing Tree and Rumpelstiltskin. The Masters of Cinema series is proud to present Heart of Stone on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK, from a stunning 2K restoration by the DEFA Foundation.

LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES*:

Limited edition of 2000 copies | Limited edition O-card slipcase with new cover art by Carly-AF | Limited edition collector's booklet with new texts on Heart of Stone by Qinna Shen, author of The Politics of Magic: DEFA Fairy-Tale Films | Heart of Stone is presented in 1080p HD from a 2K restoration of the original 35 mmcamera negative by the DEFA Foundation | Optional English subtitles on the main film and accompanying short films, newly revised for this edition | New audio commentary by DEFA historian Seán Allan, author of Screening Art: Modernist Aesthetics and the Socialist Imagination in East German Film | Once Upon a Time in the East – new interview with Soviet film expert Claire Knight on Heart of Stone and children's media in the Eastern Bloc | Tales from the Black Forest – new video essay on Heart of Stone, folk tales, and Gothic horror by film and literature scholar Mary Going | The Bremen Town Musicians (Bruno J. Böttge, 1954) – short film in silhouette style based on a folk tale, produced by DEFA Studio for Animation Film | The Magic Ring (Bruno J. Böttge, 1957) – short film with silhouettes based on a folk tale, produced by DEFA Studio for Animation Film | Tummelisa's Adventures (Christl Wiemer, 1958) – animated short film based on a folk tale, produced by DEFA Studio for Animation Film | Original theater trailer | * All bonus material is subject to change