8 lost horror films that we should be searching for instead of "London after Midnight".
If asked to name one film which can drive people into a frenzy without having seen it, it's either A Clockwork Orange (a film I'm still convinced that 99% of it's detractors, particularly women, haven't even seen the trailer of) or a film that we can be certain almost no one still alive has seen; 1927's lost mystery/horror/comedy London After Midnight.
....we're gonna let it all hang down".
Ever since stills of the film were showcased in Famous Monsters of Filmland in the 60's, it's been the one silent film that has generated as much interest as any sound film. Yet ironically, there's plenty to suggest that the film would be a dissapointment in more ways than one if it was ever found. To begin with, most contemporary reviews dismissed the film, and many considered Tod Browning's 1935 semi-remake Mark of the Vampire to be superior, and considering how polarizing that that film is, even among it's staunchest admirers, chances are that something inferior isn't going to be something they're going to want to sit through.
Even more dissapointing is that, based off of existing evidence such as the surviving script, London After Midnight really doesn't seem as if it has(or to be more precise, had) a whole lot to offer horror fans, even ones who enjoy old fashioned horror films where the monsters are revealed to be fake at the end, which is exactly the case in LAM. Based off what we have in the script, the bulk of the running time seems to be concerned with the murder/suicide of the character Roger Balfour, various red-herrings are introduced, there's a lot of melodrama between the hero, the heroine and Balfour's friend, gobs and gobs of comedy relief, precious little screen-time for Lon Chaney as the hypnotist/police inspector, and even fewer scenes of him as the bogus vampire he masquerades as to trick the killer into confessing. It seems that the film, while certainly throwing in enough bogus supernatural elements to be worth mentioning in a history of horror films, was more promoted as a horror film than it actually was; much like Universal's The Man Who Reclaimed His Head or my new favorite The Mystery of Edwin Drood. In fact, when Browning remade the film in 1935, he had to spice up the horror elements considerably to make it saleable, and even rearranged character parts to further dupe audiences. The 2002 slide-show reconstruction had to eliminate a lot of stuff to play up the horror aspect. In fact, a man who went on a killing spree in 1927 tried to blame the film for inspiring him because he was horrified by Chaney's makeup, only for his excuse to be laughed out of court when the jurors and the DA realized that the film was a comedy.
The laughs didn't last long though....
Nevertheless, LAM is the lost-horror film that the people want. It has a band named after it, the bogus vampire has become a pop-cultural icon, there has been, as mentioned, a reconstruction using stills. The film has also become a, dare I say it?; an internet meme. It's been an annual joke that someone claims to find a copy, some even within the space of the same year, several by obscure trolls have in fact gone unnoticed for quite some time. There was a website which built up the promise of seeing it, but that eventually reveals itself to be a joke on the last page. There have been flash animation reconstructions, fake clips(one made by special effects legend Rick Baker), a Sims re-enactment, and even a Rickroll recently(yes). I would mention the now legendary Sid Terror hoax("My eyes pooled and I may even have wept a little". HAHA), but who cares? I think my point has been made.
But in the ensuing search for the film, many other lost films that should be sought after, and are likely more interesting than LAM, have been neglected. Here, in no paticular order, are some lost horrors that you should definitely keep an eye out for.
8) The Ugly Duckling(1959):
Although Fredric March deservedly won an oscar for his fine performance as the sympathetic Dr. Jekyll and the evil, but oddly loveable Mr. Hyde, Paramount felt that the film itself, with it's monster makeup, creepy atmosphere and blatant sexuality and violence, wasn't a respectable enough film. So it was remade as the wildly overrated 1941 stink bomb with Spencer Tracy and Ingrid Bergman and the March version was swept under the rug and then dismissed as a Plan 9-style piece of garbage by latter day critics. Want my opinion? The 1941 film is dull, dull, dull. Badly acted, badly acted, dull, dull, dull. Is the original hammy, melodramatic and blatant? Hell yes, but at least it's a good, well-acted, thrilling hammy melodramatic and blatant film that I can watch countless times and still enjoy.
Subtlety!
The only thing subtle and intelligent about the 1941 version is, well, nothing, in fact, it's more hammy and over-the-top than the March version. It just doesn't give Hyde an elaborate makeup. That makes it subtle art. No really, that supposedly is why it's superior. What fuck-headedness. No, avoiding a makeup job for Hyde is not an example of art, it's an example of a studio pussing out because they didn't want to offend audiences, then coming up with a clever excuse when they end up getting rightfully called-out. Universal pulled the same shit later on with their 1943 Phantom of the Opera remake.
I don't have a problem with a normal-looking Hyde per se; it's a concept that originates in the original novel, where he's described as normal-looking but incomprehensibly repellant. It's just that films are a visual medium, and having Spencer Tracy make silly faces just doesn't do it for me the same way March's monkey-man does.
I don't care what you say, that is some scary shit.
So it took the geniuses at Hammer films in 1959 to realize the truth about the concept of a normal-looking Mr. Hyde; it would only work as comedy. The result was 1959's The Ugly Duckling, where a nerdy, homely Dr. Jekyll becomes a handsome, swinging Mr. Hyde. It bombed and was critically reviled, prompting Hammer to revisit the formula of an attractive Hyde twice later on in a less-comedic fashion.
Two Faces is okay, but Paul Massie is a terrible actor and sinks the film. Sister Hyde, despite it's ludicrous concept, is an underrated gem.
So while TUD probably is about as funny as an early Carry On film, it's definitely of historical importance for being the precedent for similar films with the same concept, most famously The Nutty Professor and it's remake. Besides, it stars the always-funny Bernard Bresslaw, and considering how well Jerry Lewis & Eddie Murphy pulled off their versions, as well as that I don't care for either of them but still enjoyed their versions, I'd say that since I actually like Bernard Bresslaw that chances are good I'll like The Ugly Duckling if it ever surfaces.
7) Drakula Halala(1921, some sources say 1923):
This is interesting in more ways than one. First, there's some dispute as to when it was made. If it was made in 1921, it predates Nosferatu as the first filmed version of Dracula. If it was made in 1923, it still has the historical signifcance not only of being the second version of Dracula, but the first to use the novel's names. Second, there's some dispute as to just what it's about. Some sources indicate it's about a madman who thinks that he's Dracula, while others say it's more similar to Trilby and that the villain is just coincidentally called Dracula. Some even indicate it has no horriffic elements at all and that a character is just called Dracula and has no vampire/horror connections. But if so, why does the poster and pre-production art show what clearly is a vampire?
The only way to find out is to hope someone finds a copy. Watch out, though, it was made by our old friends, the Turks; they might end up suing the Bram Stoker estate for infringing on their film back in 1897 or some stupid shit, so locating the film is probably quite a task. Who's up for the challenge?
6) The Haunted House(1928):
Plot-wise it sounds like a typical Old Dark House comedy, but it has the distinction of being directed by Benjamin Christensen.
Yes, the guy who made Haxan.
That alone makes me want to see it. Mouth-watering stills and descriptions in various horror books makes me want to see it further. Has the potential to be the best film on this list. He also made something called House of Horrors that is also lost and apparently is a sound remake.
5) Life without Soul (1915):
Second version of Frankenstein, and the first full-length version. That should make you want to see it. While the Monster was apparently portrayed as a normal-looking human, actor Percy Standing's performance as the Monster was well-praised in it's day and conjured up in critics very similar feelings that Karloff's would later. Hmmm...
If uncovered, we may very well learn what the genesis of Karloff's portrayal was. Or maybe not, but I can't imagine a horror film fan not being interested.
4) Il Monstro Di Frankenstein (1923):
Apparently, this version of Frankenstein has the creature being created in a cave and fighting a superhero. I'm hooked already. A surviving illustration from a french film magazine seems to suggest that this version featured an actual monster. Probably corny as hell, but hardly unusual considering some of the other concepts that have been filmed involving the character. All of the Monster's meetings with the Wolfman, space monsters, and unfunny comedy teams began here I guess.
3) Der Golem und Der Tanzerin (1917):
In this, Paul Wegener plays the Golem in a parody of the legend, making this, if not the first horror spoof, the first horror spoof to involve a franchise monster, as well as the first self-parody of a horror film star. For the record, all of Wegener's lost Golem films should be found, but this is the one I'm the most curious about.
2) Der Januskopf (1928):
Supposedly one of the best versions of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, based off of contemporary reviews. Although stills of Hyde's makeup look less than promising, he is played by Conrad Veidt, who is always worth watching.
Bela Lugosi is also in this, as Poole, apparently. Some sources indicate he's the comedy relief here. Lugosi as a comedy relief butler? Well, he was great as one in 1939's The Gorilla, and certainly a lot funnier than that film's supposed comedy relief, the Ritz Brothers. Although for the record, most school-shootings are funnier than the Ritz Brothers.
My only gripe is that if it is ever found, that Veidt will give a great performance but it will go unnoticed because Lugosi will be played up when the film is released on DVD. He'd probably get top-billing for what is most likely an extremely minor role. It's happened before, look at all the bootlegs of Little Shop of Horrors that list Jack Nicholson as the star. One copy I have even says that he played Seymour.
So I'd hate to see this film get found and have Veidt overshadowed by Lugosi. Although it does make that line in Ed Wood funnier: "I have alvays vanted to play Jekyll & Hyde!". Oh you will, Bela, you will. Even though Conrad played it for you.
1) A Blind Bargain(1922):
Apparently one of the first A-budget horror films, this is notable as being one of Lon Chaney Sr.'s few genuine horror roles, and chances are it's a good one. He plays both a mad scientist and an ape-man. I already wanna see it. And best of all, unlike The Monster from 1925, he apparently has a lot to do in it, so fans will get their money's worth if this is ever found.
Oh, and for those who enjoy the B-classic Dr. Renault's Secret with George Zucco & J. Carrol Naish, guess what? Renault is a remake of Bargain, so just imagine it with Chaney in both actors roles, in a bigger-budgeted film. Makes the mouth water, huh? The film is also known as The Octave of Claudius and was supposedly once found under that title, then destroyed without anyone knowing what it was. Let's pray they find this one.
~
So next time some fundies try and torch a studio backlot for making a film devoid of christian values, pretend to be one of them as an excuse to raid the studio they attack's film vaults. You may just get lucky. After all, the Edison Frankenstein turned up in 2004, and Metropolis was finally found in complete form just 2 years ago. Don't give up hope. Your eyes may pool and you may even weep a little.