Though the term "horror film" had not been invented yet there were some movies from the silent era that fully fit into this genre. One of the best examples is Rex Ingram's The Magician.
This film's story is exactly what classic horror movies are made of. A magician/alchemist (Paul Wegener) needs "the blood of a maiden" for his experiments on creating human life. To compete his experiments, he sets his sight on beautiful young Margret (Alice Terry). She soon finds herself in great danger, as does her boyfriend when he attempts to save her.
Like many older horror films, this movie isn't exactly scary to a modern-day audience. However, that is not to say, it isn't still a very engaging watch. Though it may not be scary, there is a delightfully spooky and atmospheric feel that is still incredibly effective today. This film is also a pure visual delight. The sets, the use of cinematography and the pure visual creativity are all truly wonderful and stand up perfectly today. In fact, in this CGI focused world of today. this film feels even more effective today because it stands out even more. The storyline is quite simple but effective. There is little here that hasn't been done since, However the unpretentious simplicity and a real sense of suspense make it very compelling and especially entertaining.
This film was directed by Rex Ingram, one of the most individualistic Hollywood directors of his time. His films did not aim to have realistic look to them but rather to have almost the feeling of a painting. Similar to some German Expressionist directors, the look of his films gave a certain insight into the mental state of the characters and the emotion of the scenes. Because of this his films are full of images that stay in our mind long after they are finished. As a director Ingram first came into prominence by directing The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921), the movie that made Rudloph Valentino a major star. Due to the artistic, critical and box office success of his movies, MGM allowed him to make films in his own studio near Nice, France, that would be released by MGM. This is where The Magician was made and why it has a feel so different from most Hollywood movies of the period.
The star of this movie is a familiar face to fans of silent horror as Paul Wegener had also been in the silent horror classic, The Golem (1920). The leading lady was Ingram's wife and often the leading lady of his films, Alice Terry. Her appearance in this and other Ingram films comes from not just from her relationship with the director but because she is perfect for the roles. In this movie she perfectly fits the role of the innocent young woman who falls into sister hands. She brings a real charm and likability to this typical horror movie role.
Resources Used
https://www.jbkaufman.com/movie-of-the-month/magician-1926
No comments:
Post a Comment