the fear.

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Ahh yes The Phantom Carriage 

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Here is a Wikipedia link to the Phantom Carriage if you want to brush up on it. 

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Death! This is from my next venture in horror. The Phantom Carriage is one of the most influential silent horror films of all time... well its no Caligari but its up there. The film is by Victor Sjostrom who also appears in the movie. You can watch it on Hulu if you have Hulu+ otherwise, just wait for me to talk about it.

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The Haunted Castle by F.W. Murnau

Aren't these old pictures so weird? 

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Der müde Tod/Destiny (1921) - Fritz Lang

Destiny from 1921 is the first successful film by Fritz Lang. Since I am doing this in chronological order, this is the first Horror movie to be made this well. Fritz Lang takes into account every aspect of the film. He weighs the contrast of the lighting with the mood in the scene. He gets these wonderful HUGE shots outside and the film is still visible. He actually spent the time experimenting with film to get the actual science behind successful cinematography. Sure, Robert Wiene had some fantastic sets in Caligari. However, Lang is successful with both artistic set design and beautiful cinematography. 

The story is deeper than most horror films up to this point. The title suggests that Death might be the "Destiny" of every man, or I should say that every man's destiny is Death. However, I believe that it actually shows that bringing souls out of the living is the Destiny for Death. 

Death in this movie is quite well portrayed, perhaps the most well portrayed version of Death. His character, although the antagonist, is quite sad and full of moroseness. He challenges our leading lady to a game; if she can stop Death with love in three trys then she can win back the soul of her fiancee. Thus the movie is broken up into three tales. 

The three tales all feature our characters in different roles, in different places, in different times. The first takes place in old Arabia, the next is a renaissance era piece, and the final is a comedy that takes place in China. Each are beautifully sculpted pieces of cinema. However, they are all very involved. This isn't just a casual silent picture. Every scene has been carefully crafted by Fritz Lang. This is a film that is very deep and involved. It is not light. 

That being said I am going to have to condemn this film on the basis of being a weak horror film. I can't really say that the movie was scary but it was great under so many different aspects. Death was portrayed here by, quite possibly, the best actor to take the role at the time. The other choices were disposable. This is a great film but it is just an okay horror movie. 

Brandon

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The Stranger - Fritz Lang's Destiny from 1921. 

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Fate chained me to evil - for that I must pay my penalty

- Blizzard (Lon Chaney)

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The Penalty (1920) - Wallace Worsley

The Penalty from 1920 just might be the most demanding role that Lon Chaney has ever had to take on. This role called for him to play Blizzard, a gangster that has not had legs for most of his life. They were amputated. To preform this role Lon Chaney had to literally tie his legs behind his back so that he could appear as an amputee for the film. This proved to be extremely painful for Chaney who would only be able to film scenes for about 5 - 10 minuets at a time. This was about when the pain would become excruciating. This role actually left the great actor with permanent damage to the muscles in his legs. Now, that is going out on a limb (or two) for your role.

The Penalty is nothing more than a gangster picture. Wikipedia and the sources that I use to research horror movies says otherwise. They classify this movie as a Cime/Horror film. However, there isn't a scene in the entire movie that makes a hair stand vertical on my neck. That being said the movie is really interesting. The lengths that Chaney went through for his role should at least give the movie some credit. It's a fine movie too, the timing is just fine, the acting is spectacular. This just isn't scary.

The movie introduces us to Blizzard, the perspective kingpin of San Francisco. Blizzard has huge visions for his city. Visions of chaos and carnage that would leave him sitting as king of the city. The police are wise to him though and they get a young girl to infiltrate his lair. She is witness to the various abuses that he puts people through including cold-blooded murder.

Chaney is frightening. He describes himself in the film as the closest thing to the devil himself. He is coldblooded and maniacal, yet strangely sad. He "befriends" a young sculptor that uses him as a muse for sculpting a bust of Satan. Through these modeling sessions the two grow close, but how close is too much for this young innocent.

If you agree that Lon Chaney is a master of the silver screen and a father of horror, then I would suggest looking this movie up. You can probably find it on YouTube (its Public Domain). It is a great movie if only for Chaney's performance. Watching himself put it all into a role is really a great treat. Also, try watching this movie with the Nine Inch Nail's album Ghosts on. It kinda fits.

Thats it for now...

Brandon

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Lon Chaney had to have his legs tied to his back so that he could appear as an amputee for the film, The Penalty. It was extremely painful and caused permanent damage to his legs. 

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The Golem: How He Came Into the World (1920) - Paul Wegener

This movie is among the greatest silents to have ever graced a silver screen. Der Golem is truly superior work, it shows that famous brand of expressionism almost better than Dr. Caligari. The effects alone are enough to make you fall in love with it and beg for more. 

The story, shows the Jews who are under persecution from the kingdom of Prague. Rabbi Lowe, the main character in this story, has enough of the persecution. He creates a giant Golem out of clay to protect his Ghetto. Then he brings the Golem to life by placing a star of David, emblazoned with a 'magic word' on it. The Golem does the Rabbi's bidding and helps rid the kingdom of its evil emperor and evil citizens. 

Its not enough for the Rabbi's right hand man though. Who is jealous that the Rabbi's daughter is dating some shiksa! Furious the Rabbi's buddy sicks the Golem on the shiksa and all hell breaks loose. The only way to stop the Golem now is if there is some little girl who will rip the star from the Golem's chest! Whats that? Oh there is!? Well, i guess you'll have to see it to see if that happens.

So not only does Paul Wegener direct this classic of the silver age of horror, he also directs it! He is a friggin' powerhouse that is batting 1000. He really hits it out of the park with this one though. The Hero/Antagonist Golem is a very, very imposing force. His expressions are great, it makes the movie worth watching just for the expressions. I was thoroughly impressed with this gem and you should all see it. Top 100 movies to see before you kick the bucket! I think so. Excellent film, all be it a little Anti-Semite. Take it and love it Sid

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Genuine: Tale of a Vampire (1920) - Robert Weine

So I started a new hobby in 2008. Watch every horror movie ever made. I start in the beginning of cinema and will watch every horror movie up to the present day. This will most likely span my entire life, as I don't watch movies all that often. However, I wanted to document this as well. So I started Horror Movie Project. (horrormovieproject.blogspot.com) It eventually just evolved into www.horrormovieproject.com. Now it is back to its cheaper and easier blogspot address. 

Genuine: The Tale of a Vampire from 1920 was the first movie to inspire me to take this path. Unfortunately the version that I watched was presented as a special feature on my Cabinet of Dr. Caligari DVD. That meant that I only got the condensed version that is absent of about 5 or 6 minuets of footage. 

This movie is one of the most interesting takes on Vampirism. The Vampire in the movie is named Genuine (Fern Andra). She is more of a savage succubus rather than a Vampire. This is where this movies whole Vampire take is really interesting. Genuine feeds on men that she has a sexual allure over. She uses this allure to have the unsuspecting men do her bidding.

This is really a great movie that could definitely be on par with Caligari. If it could only be cleaned up and presented in that way. The art of this movie is just non-stop amazing expressionist work. Definitely go see this movie. You will not be sorry. 

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Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde is probably a great movie, just don't watch The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari before this. German Expressionism blows American Horror out of the water. At least during the Silver Age (1915 - 1929), the longest run of great horror cinema. American Horror couldn't keep up with the Germans until the 1930's. Thank you James Whale. Anyway, I digress, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde is a so-so horror movie.

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After watching and being blown away by The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Robertson's Dr. Jekyll is just downright un-watchable. John Berrymore is a decent choice to play the bi-polar scientist but the movie just loses steam right out of the gate. Perhaps a better soundtrack or just a more interesting story-line would help. This is where I should tell you that I am not that crazy for Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. The best part is, we haven't even begun to scratch the surface of renditions. There are countless. 

John Berrymore is always a treat, he can really bring a performance all be this one is a bit underwhelming. The costumes, the set-design, the whole thing really has the potential but it just can't make it out of the gates. The transformation in the movie is amazing. Dr. Jekyll into Mr. Hyde is one of the better transformations and Barrymore didn't even have to use that much make-up. He is quite the character actor. 

Watching the film for a second time made me realize that my dislike for the movie comes from the soundtrack. There is no musical change to set moods or even scenes. Long, pointless, songs are played with disregard to the things going on in the movie.

This won't be the last time we see these characters, or John Barrymore for that matter. 

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The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) - Robert Wiene

My next installment of reviewing every Horror movie ever made is The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Caligari is a Horror/Thriller film directed by German expressionist Robert Wiene. The film shows us some really spectacular art work. Again like before, this film is from 1920. To us today, on the outside, It is nothing more than a mere art film. But Caligari proves to be more than that. Wiene shows us a side of film making that hasn't been seen before. The sets and the makeup should be just enough for you to enjoy this classic. If that isn't all that sits with you, stay tuned to the end of the film for a "TWIST" ending! That's right a full fledged "We are Tyler Durden" twist ending.

The film shows us the deranged Dr. Caligari (played by Nazi actor Werner Krauss) and his sideshow act, The Somnambulist Cesare (played by acclaimed silent film star Conrad Veidt). Caligari finds pleasure in sending his Somnambulist (Sleepwalker) out to take the lives of those in the town of Holstenwall. The film is narrated by Francis, who also stars as the hero in this picture. Our Damsel in distress is Jane, played by the beautiful Lil Danover.

Watching this film it is hard to not notice the beautiful sets and art, put in to making this production. You will notice while watching this that many artists and filmmakers to this day pay a great deal of respect to the style in which this was filmed. It definitely held my interest for the 61 min that it ran, and when it was over i found myself looking back on key scenes just to figure the design.

In all i would have to give this film 8/10 stars, Impeccable art and design. Great acting and an even better story line. There was talk for a while that David Lynch might be doing something with this either a remake or just something to pay homage to, but i can definitely see this film being remade. Unfortunately.

My opinion: RENT, STEAL, FIND, HUNT DOWN, Do what you must to see this film. Its is on my list of 100 movies to see before you die.

Enjoy kids

Sid

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Unheimliche Geschichten (aka. Eerie Tales) (1919) - Richard Oswald

Eerie Tales is fun like the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland. This anthology horror movie from 1919 is one of the most surprising pieces of cinema. Richard Oswald really out did himself here. The movie is comprised of five chilling tales as brought to us by three haunted paintings in an old bookstore. The paintings are; The Devil, Death (Conrad Veidt), and The Temptress (I think). The first of the five stories is "The Apparition".

The Apparition - Conrad Veidt falls for a woman with an insane ex-husband. Things go awry when they check into a hotel and ONLY Conrad Veidt checks out. 

The Hand - Things get deadly when two friends compete for a woman's love. However, even after death one of the friends can't let go. 

The Black Cat - This retelling of Edgar Allen Poe's classic shows an abusive drunk that kills his wife and seals her up in his basement. Conrad Veidt isn't having any of it. 

The Suicide Club - An unfortunate little man gets mixed up in a Suicide Club that loses a member every time they draw an Ace of Spades. This man draws the Ace of Spades on his first draw and must commit suicide in 10 minuets. This one is from Robert Louis Stevenson. 

The Spook - A Victorian Baron tries to move in on his host's wife. However, they are haunted by moving pictures, falling chandeliers, ghouls, and the full nine. 

This movie is one of my favorite of the silent era. It has suspense, drama, and humor. It is also the first full length horror movie. Give it a watch. I think you will enjoy it.

Oh yeah and all of the title cards are in Helvetica.   

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Fragments of Der Golem from 1915. This is a long lost film and only a few scenes that are remaining. 

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The Avenging Conscience (1914) - D.W. Griffith

The Avenging Conscience is a loose adaptation of the Tell Tale Heart and Annabel Lee by Edgar Allen Poe. Both stories are mildly scary and this film follows suit. This movie is in no way scary. Not by any sense of the word. It is however a horror movie that deals with a person being pushed to the edge and using murder to deal with his problems. 

As far as silent films go this is one of the best horror movies. Again, not because of its content but because of the amazing* special effects. D.W. Griffith really out does himself with this movie. If you are a fan of early horror and silent films than this movie is just for you. If you like Freddy Kruger and you want blood and guts, then your going to have to wait for the 50's and 60's. 

*for its time.