Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a 1920 American silent horror film produced by Famous Players-Lasky and released through Paramount/Artcraft. The film, which stars John Barrymore, is an adaptation of the 1886 novella Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. John S. Robertson directed the production, and Clara Beranger wrote the screenplay, based on the 1887 stage play by Thomas Russell Sullivan that in turn was based on the novel.Original release date: March 28, 1920
The story, set in late Victorian London, portrays the tragic consequences of a doctor's experiments in separating the dual personalities he thinks define all humans: one good, the other evil.Henry Jekyll (John Barrymore) is a doctor of medicine living and working in London in the late 1880s. When he is not treating the poor in his free clinic, he is in his laboratory experimenting. Sir George Carew (Brandon Hurst), the father of Jekyll’s fiancé Millicent (Martha Mansfield), is suspicious of the young doctor’s intentions and often irritated by his tardiness and high-mindedness. 'No man', Carew observes, 'could be as good as he looks.' Following dinner one evening, Carew taunts his prospective son-in-law in front of their mutual friends and debates with him about the causes and effects of a person's personality, insisting that every man is fundamentally composed of two 'selves' who are in continual conflict. 'A man cannot destroy the savage in him by denying its impulses', instructs Carew. 'The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it.'Reflecting on Sir George's comments, Jekyll begins his research and experiments into separating the two basic natures of man, the good and the evil.Directed by John S. RobertsonProduced by Adolph Zukor & Jesse L. LaskyWritten by Clara Beranger & Thomas Russell Sullivan (1887 stage play)Based on Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis StevensonCastJohn Barrymore as Dr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Edward Hyde/giant spider in dreamBrandon Hurst as Sir George CareweMartha Mansfield as Millicent Carewe, Sir George's daughterCharles Willis Lane as Dr. Richard LanyonCecil Clovelly as Edward EnfieldNita Naldi as Gina, the Italian exotic dancerLouis Wolheim as music hall proprietorUncreditedJ. Malcolm Dunn as John UttersonGeorge Stevens as Poole, Jekyll's butlerAlma Aiken as distraught woman in Jekyll's officeJulia Hurley[8] as Hyde's old landladyEdgard Varèse as policemanBlanche Ring as woman with elderly man in music hallFerdinand Gottschalk as elderly man in music hallMay Robson as old harridan standing outside music hall
Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror (German: Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens) is a 1922 silent German Expressionist horror film directed by F. W. Murnau and starring Max Schreck as Count Orlok, a vampire with an interest in both a new residence and the wife (Greta Schröder) of his estate agent (Gustav von Wangenheim). The film is an unauthorized and unofficial adaptation of Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula.
Original release date: March 4, 1922
In 1838, in the fictional German town of Wisborg, Thomas Hutter is sent to Transylvania by his employer, estate agent Herr Knock, to visit a new client named Count Orlok who plans to buy a house across Hutter's own home. While embarking on his journey, Hutter stops at an inn where the locals become frightened by the mere mention of Orlok's name. What ensues on his journey explains why.
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (German: Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari) is a 1920 German silent horror film, directed by Robert Wiene and written by Hans Janowitz and Carl Mayer. Considered the quintessential work of German Expressionist cinema, it tells the story of an insane hypnotist (Werner Krauss) who uses a somnambulist (Conrad Veidt) to commit murders. The film features a dark and twisted visual style, with sharp-pointed forms, oblique and curving lines, structures and landscapes that lean and twist in unusual angles, and shadows and streaks of light painted directly onto the sets. Original air date: 26 February 1920.
The script was inspired by various experiences from the lives of Janowitz and Mayer, both pacifists who were left distrustful of authority after their experiences with the military during World War I. The film makes use of a frame story, with a prologue and epilogue which, in a twist ending, reveals the main narrative is actually the delusion of a madman. Janowitz has said this device was forced upon the writers against their will. The film's design was handled by Hermann Warm, Walter Reimann and Walter Röhrig, who recommended a fantastic, graphic style over a naturalistic one.
The film thematizes brutal and irrational authority. Writers and scholars have argued the film reflects a subconscious need in German society for a tyrant, and is an example of Germany's obedience to authority and unwillingness to rebel against deranged authority. Some critics have interpreted Caligari as representing the German war government, with Cesare symbolic of the common man conditioned, like soldiers, to kill. Other themes of the film include the destabilized contrast between insanity and sanity, the subjective perception of reality, and the duality of human nature.
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari was released just as foreign film industries were easing restrictions on the import of German films following World War I, so it was screened internationally. Accounts differ as to its financial and critical success upon release, but modern film critics and historians have largely praised it as a revolutionary film. Critic Roger Ebert called it arguably 'the first true horror film', and film reviewer Danny Peary called it cinema's first cult film and a precursor for arthouse films. Considered a classic, it helped draw worldwide attention to the artistic merit of German cinema and had a major influence on American films, particularly in the genres of horror and film noir.
Nosferatu (1922)
Experience the spine-chilling horror of Nosferatu (1922) in a whole new light with our stunning 100 Year Anniversary colorized * restoration! Get ready to be entranced by the hauntingly beautiful imagery and mesmerizing performances. Don’t miss out on this cinematic masterpiece – watch now and prepare to be spellbound!
OVERVIEW
Released in 1922, “Nosferatu” is an iconic silent horror film that set the standard for the genre for decades to come. Directed by German filmmaker F.W. Murnau, the film is a loose adaptation of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” novel, with some notable differences that give it a unique flavor.
The film follows the story of Hutter, a real estate agent who is sent to Transylvania to finalize a deal with the mysterious Count Orlok. Hutter is warned of the Count’s strange and dangerous nature, but he dismisses the warnings as superstition and travels to the Count’s castle. Once there, Hutter begins to realize that the Count is indeed a monster, with a chilling presence that makes him fear for his life.
The film’s most iconic element is undoubtedly the performance of Max Schreck as Count Orlok. Schreck’s makeup and physicality give the character a grotesque appearance that is both frightening and unforgettable. The character’s inhumanity is emphasized by his lack of dialogue, with Schreck’s expressions and movements conveying everything that needs to be said.
The film’s cinematography is also a standout feature, with Murnau’s use of light and shadow creating a haunting atmosphere that lingers long after the credits roll. The stark black and white imagery is now legendary, with the film’s influence still visible in countless horror films today.
moonflix has been restored and colorized Nosferatu, adding a new dimension to the film’s already mesmerizing visuals. While purists may prefer the original black and white version, the colorized restoration allows audiences to see the film in a new light and appreciate its beauty even more.
Overall, “Nosferatu” remains a landmark in horror cinema and an essential watch for anyone interested in the genre. Its influence on film history cannot be overstated, and its eerie imagery and unforgettable villain continue to captivate audiences almost a century after its initial release.
Even with several details altered, Stoker’s heirs sued over the adaptation, and a court ruling ordered all copies of the film to be destroyed. However, several prints of Nosferatu survived, and the film came to be regarded as an influential masterpiece of cinema.
PLOT
Set in the fictional German town of Wisborg in 1838, the plot of “Nosferatu” centers around Thomas Hutter (played by Gustav von Wangenheim), a young real estate agent from the German town of Wisborg, who is sent to Transylvania to meet with a wealthy nobleman named Count Orlok (played by Max Schreck). Hutter’s task is to sell him a property in Wisborg, but his wife, Ellen (played by Greta Schröder), is apprehensive about the journey and warns Hutter to be careful.
As Hutter travels through the rugged countryside of Transylvania, he encounters a series of eerie events, including locals warning him about the dangers of the region and a coachman who refuses to take him any further. Undeterred, Hutter continues his journey and eventually arrives at the castle of Count Orlok.
Hutter is immediately struck by the Count’s strange appearance and behavior, but he ignores his misgivings and proceeds with the business of selling the property. During his stay at the castle, Hutter discovers a mysterious book that seems to suggest that Orlok is a vampire.
Back in Wisborg, Ellen begins to have nightmares and visions of a dark figure looming over her. She becomes increasingly convinced that her husband is in danger. Concurrently, Hutter becomes increasingly afraid of the Count’s supernatural powers and notices strange marks on his neck. Hutter discovers Orlok’s resting place in the crypt and rushes home after witnessing Orlok carrying his coffins aboard a schooner.
As Hutter travels back to Wisborg, he becomes increasingly ill. Ellen discovers that Hutter has fallen ill with what appears to be a severe case of the plague. She soon learns that Orlok is a vampire and is responsible for Hutter’s illness. Orlok is also attracted to Ellen and sets his sights on her.
Ellen reads a book on vampires that Hutter found, which claims that a pure-hearted woman can distract and defeat a vampire with her beauty. In a desperate attempt to save her husband and rid the world of Orlok, Ellen decides to make a sacrificial decision. She opens her window to invite him in but faints. Hutter revives her and sends for a physician, but Orlok enters and drinks her blood just as the sun begins to rise. Orlok vanishes in a puff of smoke, and Ellen dies shortly thereafter.
The film’s final scene shows Count Orlok’s destroyed castle in the Carpathian Mountains, symbolizing the end of his reign of terror.
FILM TECHNIQUES
Nosferatu is renowned for its use of film techniques, particularly its innovative use of shadow and light. The film’s director, F.W. Murnau, used expressionistic techniques to create a sense of unease and horror throughout the film. One of the most famous examples of this technique is the use of shadows to create an ominous and foreboding atmosphere. Scenes such as Count Orlok’s arrival in Wisborg, where his shadow precedes him, are particularly effective at creating a sense of dread.
Murnau also made use of innovative camera techniques to convey the otherworldly nature of the Count. For example, he used stop-motion animation to create the illusion of Orlok disappearing into thin air, as well as other techniques to make him seem supernatural and otherworldly. These techniques were groundbreaking for their time and have had a lasting impact on horror cinema.
Another notable aspect of the film is its use of intertitles to convey the story, as well as the use of special effects such as double exposures and matte paintings to create a sense of depth and texture to the visuals. Additionally, the film’s haunting score by Hans Erdmann perfectly complements the film’s visuals, adding to its overall atmosphere of horror.
Nosferatu is a masterpiece of horror cinema that made groundbreaking use of film techniques to create a sense of unease and horror. Its innovative use of shadow and light, as well as other expressionistic techniques, have had a lasting impact on cinema and continue to inspire filmmakers today.
MOONFLIX COLORIZED VERSIONS
moonflix spent many hours creating this colorized and restored version for your viewing pleasure! We continue to enhance our techniques and models to bring you the best colorized versions of these classics in existence.
In addition to the drastically superior color of this film, our friends “Constellation Vibrations” composed an unconventional, artistically abstract soundtrack for this film as well which users can select in our custom video player.
Please enjoy these new versions of the film which are like nothing you’ve seen (or heard) before.
CREATORS
Directed by F. W. Murnau
Screenplay by Henrik Galeen
Based on Dracula by Bram Stoker
Produced by Enrico Dieckmann & Albin Grau
Restored and colorized by moonflix, LLC
CAST
Max Schreck as Count Orlok
Gustav von Wangenheim as Thomas Hutter
Greta Schröder as Ellen Hutter
Alexander Granach as Knock
Georg H. Schnell as Shipowner Harding
Ruth Landshoff as Ruth
John Gottowt as Professor Bulwer
Gustav Botz as Professor Sievers
Max Nemetz as The Captain of The Empusa
Wolfgang Heinz as First Mate of The Empusa
Hardy von Francois as Sailor Two
Guido Herzfeld as Innkeeper
Karl Etlinger as Student with Bulwer
Fanny Schreck as Hospital Nurse
Original release date:
March 4, 1922
*This colorization uses our newest colorization model (moonflix 3.0)
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Genres: moonflix AI Colorized, New Arrivals, Movies, Color Classics, 1920's, Fantasy, Fantasy Films, Horror Films, Horror, Silent Films, Silent Films, German Classics, ALL Movies, Halloween Collection
This colorization is INCREDIBLE!! Thanks for your work!