If seeing “The Artist” has whetted your appetite for cinema from the silent era, you should know that some of the greatest horror movies were done before anyone could hear one bloodcurdling scream come off the screen. In fact, the horror genre boomed during the 1920’s, probably due to the fact that the new medium was so communal, and there’s always something comforting about being scared in the company of others jumping at every bump and boo. Here then, are 10 great horror movies that will cause quite a fright in you without saying a single word. (And they’re all available through netflix.com)
“The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” (1920)
This is one of the must-sees for any horror fan. It concerns a young man who tells his tale of an encounter with a sideshow hypnotist and his somnambulist who commits murders for him. Conrad Veidt stars as Cesare, the sleepwalking scoundrel, and his reed thin frame and gaunt features fit right in with the angled expressionistic sets that German director Robert Weine brings to creepy life in this nightmarish masterpiece.
“The Phantom of the Opera” (1925)
If the only phantom you know is from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s celebrated Broadway musical, check out this more horrific version in black & white. It stars the legendary Lon Chaney as the disfigured musical impresario who kidnaps an operatic ingénue Christine (Mary Philbin) to sing exclusively for him. The scene where she unmasks the phantom caused an uproar in its day as hundreds of movie patrons fainted at the revelation of his hideous features. Be sure to rent the 91-minute version that includes the colorized Masked Ball sequence that was done by hand for its original 1925 theatrical release.
“Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde” (1920)
The classic Robert Louis Stevenson has been done many times, including an Oscar winning turn by the phantasmagorical Frederic March in 1932, and Spencer Tracy in a more realistic version of the story in 1941. But the great John Barrymore did a sublime job back in 1920 capturing a sense of romantic melancholy never equaled. He is heartbreaking as the dashing do-good doctor trying to isolate evil in the brain who instead unleashes its full fury in a fiendish alter ego.
“Waxworks” (1924)
If wax museums creep you out, this one is right up your alley. The story concerns a writer inspired by the figures he views at a wax museum, who then writes about them. His little tales of terror star Jack the Ripper, Ivan the Terrible, and the Caliph of Baghdad in three separate and frightening vignettes. Filmmaker Paul Leni was a great German expressionist who did Madame Tussaud proud.
“The Cat and the Canary” (1927)
The heirs to a deceased millionaire must spend a night in a haunted mansion to inherit his money. Of course the house is filled with all sorts of things that creep and crawl that will soon drive all the greedy relatives mad. Or dead. It’s not only a terrific frightfest but also a social commentary on greed being a horror unto itself.
“The Hands of Orlac” (1924)
More Conrad Veidt, only this time he’s a concert pianist who survives a train crash only to discover that his hands were amputated and replaced with those of an executed murderer. Are his new appendages more monster than maestro? Well, it is a horror movie, so I think you have your answer. This classic inspired countless films like Oliver Stone’s 1978 directorial debut “The Hand”, and Eric Red’s 1991 cult classic “Body Parts.”
“The Unknown” (1927)
Who do I say are always the true monsters in any horror movie? That’s right. Man. And in this circus thriller, the monster is an armless knife thrower (Lon Chaney again) who throws with his feet. The sinister creep falls in love with a sexy circus girl (a very young Joan Crawford) and his pursuit of her reveals once again that the darkest beast on planet earth always walks on two feet. (With or without arms.)
“The Man Who Laughs” (1928)
Conrad Veidt, yet again, playing the son of an Aristocrat who is kidnapped by gypsies and disfigured in the name of political protest. His facial muscles are severed, giving him a permanent grin that’s more sinister than friendly. He’s a sympathetic monster with nothing to smile about in this psychologically disturbing tale that Batman creator Bob Kane said inspired him to create the Joker.
“The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1923)
In some respects this isn’t really a horror movie, though the tale of the hunchbacked bell ringer Quasimodo does contain elements of the truly monstrous. It’s the discriminating religious leaders in the film who can’t see beyond the hunchback’s deformity who are the true horrors. Lon Chaney brought an incredible pathos to the role even while buried under a ton of makeup and see if you don’t cry during a number of scenes.
“Nosferatu” (1929)
Perhaps the most famous of all the silent horror films is F. W. Murnau’s superb telling of the tale of the vampire Count Orlock. The incomparable Max Schreck plays the creature of the night and moves with such control and otherworldliness that he’s frightening just standing there. Schreck, a noted and respected German actor was parodied by Willem Dafoe in the 2000 movie “Shadow of the Vampire” as the ultimate method actor, a real vampire playing a fictional one.
The silent film world gave us so much, and if today’s audiences can get past the lack of dialogue and film that is shot in black and white, there are only rewards to be had. And I truly believe that if you like horror, and haven’t seen these silent classics, you will be jumping with fright. Enough said.
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