Must-Watch List in the Vein of Belphégor: Cult Guide

Dir: Fritz Lang

When a woman's fiancé disappears, Death gives her three chances to save him from his fate.

Dir: Jan S. Kolár

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Arrival from the Darkness perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Richard Bor brings his neighbor, the landowner Drazicky, an old book. The latter tries in vain to persuade his wife Dagmar to leave. In the book Drazicky finds the story of the Mystery of the Black Tower and he falls asleep. He goes into the tower and finds an alchemist's laboratory and the body of a man holding instructions describing how he can be revived. Drazicky successfully carries out the experiment and finds out that the man is his ancestor Jesek Drazicky who lived during the time of Rudolf II. He had become the apprentice of the alchemist Borro who had entrusted him with the mystery of the elixir of life.

Dir: Jacques Feyder

Two men, lost in the desert, meet Queen Antinea, ruler of Atlantis.

Dir: Maxwell Karger

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Missing Husbands perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Horace Parker is a wealthy young man who is exceedingly selfish and self-centered. He is engaged to Minnie Talbotr who has discovered his selfishness and she is on the brink of calling off the engagement. On Christmas Eve, a messenger from Mars comes to Earth to show Parker the error of his ways.

Dir: Joe May

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Henri Desfontaines

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of A Message from Mars perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Cecil M. Hepworth

A soldier's tunic button, made from Aladdin's lamp, grants his wishes.

Dir: Gustav Adolf Olsen

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Die Herrin der Welt 8. Teil - Die Rache der Maud Fergusson perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

In the most beautiful Telemark a young boy grown up on a rich farm wanting to be a fiddle player like the son at the poorer neighboring farm, to his father's dislike. One day the father is found dead.

Dir: Henri Desfontaines

A woman's journey from country girl to cabaret singer when she is abandoned by the father of her daughter.

Dir: Joe May

Irene saves Herbert and the two help Princess Savitri flee the palace.