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Underground Favorites Parallel to the Artistry of Es werde Licht! 1...

Author

Senior Film Conservator

27 June 2026

4 min read

The evocative power of Es werde Licht! 1. Teil (1917) continues to haunt audiences with its unique vision, the artistic provocations of Es werde Licht! 1. Teil demand a follow-up of equal intensity. Explore the following titles to broaden your appreciation for cult excellence.

The Es werde Licht! 1. Teil Phenomenon

The visceral impact of Es werde Licht! 1. Teil (1917) stems from to transcend the limitations of its 1917 budget and technology.

Paul Mauthner, a painter, has syphilis. A quack who promises a cure cannot help. Paul seduces his brother's wife and infects her with syphilis. While he then flees, the young, infected woman dies of the disease. The daughter born of this liaison, also infected, is admitted to a special clinic and can be cured there.

Stylistic Legacy

The influence of Richard Oswald in Es werde Licht! 1. Teil can be felt in the way modern cult films handle unique vision. From the specific lighting choices to the pacing, this 1917 release set a high bar for atmospheric immersion.

Der lebende Leichnam scene — Scene from Der lebende Leichnam

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Der lebende Leichnam perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Underground Favorites Parallel to the Artistry of Es werde Licht! 1. Teil

Based on the unique unique vision of Es werde Licht! 1. Teil, our vault has identified these titles as the most compelling follow-up experiences for fans of cult cinema:

Der lebende Leichnam

1. Der lebende Leichnam 1918

Dir: Richard Oswald

In ancient, Tsarist Russia. Fyodor Protasov's marriage to his wife Lisa is over. However, the Russian Orthodox Church does not approve of a divorce, and so Protasov fakes his own suicide, before Lisa move in with her lover Viktor Karenin. Fyodor himself becomes a "living corpse".

Es werde Licht! 2. Teil

2. Es werde Licht! 2. Teil 1918

Dir: Richard Oswald

Es werde Licht! 2. Teil scene — Scene from Es werde Licht! 2. Teil

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Es werde Licht! 2. Teil perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

The second syphilis film poses the moral question: namely how far an illness should be considered a human disgrace. The protagonist of this story, a young doctor, believes that only characterless people can contract the disease through reprehensible actions. At a meeting in honor of a venereologist, a violent dispute erupts between the doctor who applies moral categories and a colleague who argues more objectively. Two events make the dogmatic young doctor think: his sister marries a syphilitic who has not yet been completely healed, and he himself falls ill as a result of a kiss from a young woman who also suffers from syphilis. But the doctor is healed and reconsiders his previous attitude.

Eerie Tales

3. Eerie Tales 1919

Dir: Richard Oswald

A demon, a reaper, and the ghost of a prostitute read gothic short stories and act them out.

Es werde Licht! 4. Teil: Sündige Mütter

4. Es werde Licht! 4. Teil: Sündige Mütter 1918

Dir: Richard Oswald

Eerie Tales scene — Scene from Eerie Tales

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

About unwanted pregnancies and abortions as a result of unprotected sexual intercourse.

Around the World in 80 Days

5. Around the World in 80 Days 1919

Dir: Richard Oswald

In order to win a bet, British gentleman Phileas Fogg attempts to circle the globe in eighty days, along with his French servant, Passepartout. Fogg is wrongly suspected of having robbed the Bank of England and faces the risk of arrest.

Der Schloßherr von Hohenstein

6. Der Schloßherr von Hohenstein 1917

Dir: Richard Oswald

Es werde Licht! 4. Teil: Sündige Mütter scene — Scene from Es werde Licht! 4. Teil: Sündige Mütter

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Es werde Licht! 4. Teil: Sündige Mütter perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Henriette Jacoby

7. Henriette Jacoby 1918

Dir: Richard Oswald

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Jettchen Gebert's Story

8. Jettchen Gebert's Story 1918

Dir: Richard Oswald

Around the World in 80 Days scene — Scene from Around the World in 80 Days

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Around the World in 80 Days perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Hoffmanns Erzählungen

9. Hoffmanns Erzählungen 1916

Dir: Richard Oswald

Characteristic for Hoffmann's work is his life-long fight against rationalism and for the revelation of nature morte, culminating mostly in carnival-like scenes anticipating literary techniques

Das Laster

10. Das Laster 1915

Dir: Richard Oswald

About alcoholism, which can develop into a terrible family tradition. Paul is the son of a drinker. One day his father is killed in an inn. Despite the bad example set by his father, Paul is also unable to give up alcohol.

Cinematic Comparison Matrix

Analysis relative to Es werde Licht! 1. Teil

Film Title	Atmosphere	Complexity	Similarity
Der lebende Leichnam	Ethereal	Layered	97% Match
Es werde Licht! 2. Teil	Surreal	Dense	97% Match
Eerie Tales	Gritty	Linear	90% Match
Es werde Licht! 4. Teil: Sündige Mütter	Gritty	Linear	97% Match
Around the World in 80 Days	Ethereal	Layered	87% Match

* This matrix is generated based on structural DNA and genre proximity to the 1917 classic Es werde Licht! 1. Teil.

This guide was algorithmically generated using the cinematic metadata of Richard Oswald's archive. Last updated: 6/27/2026.

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