Muck and his magical adventures: A classic fairy tale returns!

Muck and his magical adventures: A classic fairy tale returns!

This week a very special chapter in film history is being reopened: “The Story of Little Muck” is coming back to cinemas. The fairy tale film written by Wolfgang Staudte, which was produced in the German Democratic Republic in 1953, enjoyed unbroken popularity at the time and still holds a viewer record with 12.9 million visitors. That reports Berlin.de.

But what is this timeless work about? The story follows a small, hunchbacked old man who is bullied by those around him. He tells the experiences of the boy Muck, whose fate is to be driven out of his home by greedy relatives after his father's death. Muck moves into the desert, where he meets a wondrous old lady. This equips him with magical slippers and a magic wand that can find treasure. Anyone who thinks that this is the end of the story is wrong. Muck uses his new skills to work as a speed runner for the Sultan. His successes soon cause envy among the courtiers, which leads to an exciting game of cat and mouse that ends with an instructive message: Happiness does not come from wealth, but from friendship and helpfulness.

The path to DEFA

The production of fairy tale films in the GDR only took off in the early 1950s. DEFA was the first film studio in the four occupation zones to receive a license after the Second World War. Since Grimm's fairy tales were considered too romantic and sometimes even violent in the Soviet occupation zone, implementing classic fairy tales was a delicate undertaking. The DEFA therefore began only hesitantly and in 1950 dared to make the first fairy tale film with “The Cold Heart”, which celebrated great success at the time Wikipedia reported.

The success of “The Story of Little Muck” in 1953 made it clear that audiences not only accepted fairy tale films, but actually loved them. On average, the subsequent productions reached between four and five million viewers, which shows that there was a keen thirst for fantastic stories in the GDR.

A look at the DEFA fairy tale films

Over the years, DEFA has produced an impressive list of fairy tale films that continue to be broadcast regularly to this day, particularly at Christmas time. Classics like “Three Hazelnuts for Cinderella” are particularly popular. The DEFA fairy tale films are accessible through the archives, including the Progress Film platform, which continues to bring these timeless works to life.

The current film evening also has visitors in mind: entry is one hour before the start, and there are special discounts for young viewers. However, there are important information to keep in mind - such as the fact that there are no discounts for film and children's screenings or special prices. So if you want to immerse yourself a bit in fairytale land, you should take the opportunity to secure one of the last tickets for “The Story of Little Muck”.