The Cult Collection Inspired by the Vision of Frenzied Film: Cult Guide

Dir: Eddie Lyons

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Eddie Lyons

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

Nifty Ned is a heavyweight champion that meets all comers. He is successful through the fact that he manages to back his opponents against the scenery at the back of the stage ring. From a vantage point behind the scenes, Happy Harry whacks the opponent on the head with a club, invariably causing the "knockout." The end comes when the "heavyweight" is pushed against the scenery by one of his opponents, and Happy Harry knocks out the wrong man.

Dir: Eddie Lyons

Lee is a tailor's apprentice who follows his customer, Eddie, to a social affair. Lee measures up the guests for new clothes. Both he and Eddie lose their trousers and do some tall dodging about among the guests as a result.

Dir: Eddie Lyons

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

Lee and his family take Eddie and his wife riding in their new car.

Dir: Eddie Lyons

Mr. Ups likes the gay life and Mr. Downs is a "stay-at-home." One night when Ups is out sporting and Downs is home in bed, Ups arrives at the entrance of the apartment house at the same time with Downs' wife. Ups' wife, who is at home, hears the cat ransacking the milk cans in the kitchen and thinks a burglar is in the house. Then Mr. Ups and Mrs. Downs arrive and the chase starts. Up and down the dumbwaiter goes Downs and Mrs. Ups, looking for the burglar, one in his bathrobe the other in her pajamas. The mystery is solved and the two couples become the best of friends.

Dir: Eddie Lyons

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Give Her Gas perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Rushville is excited over the football game to be played that day between its rival teams, the Bearcats and the Carnations. Word reaches the latter team that Spike Hennessey, a famous quarterback, is to be a ringer on the "Bearcats" team.

Dir: Eddie Lyons

John Smith learns in order to inherit two million dollars from his wealthy aunt, he divorce his wife Lucille, a former vaudeville performer. In order to qualify for his inheritance, John devises the idea of divorcing his wife and then remarrying her. To establish grounds for the divorce, John registers at a hotel with Fannie, the janitor's wife. Their neighbors in the adjoining room are Britton Hughes and his bride Peggy, who are being pursued by the bride's father. The arrival of Fannie's husband precipitates a panic in the two apartments, during which time, John and Peggy are thrown together. At that moment, Lucille arrives and believes that John is guilty of a real affair. Several complications arise until John's aunt appears and tells her nephew that the will was all a test of his love for Lucille, and when the runaway bride and groom are forgiven, all ends happily.

Dir: Eddie Lyons

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Shot in the Dumbwaiter perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

The troubles of two quarreling couples, the Blacks and the Whites. They get divorces, and Mr. Black weds Mrs. White and Mr. White weds Mrs. Black.

Dir: Eddie Lyons

Eddie has a wife and baby. Lee plays his well known role of janitor, who finds himself with the baby, a dog and a parrot on his hands, after a mix-up in the apartment house, but eventually gets them in the hands of their proper owners.

Dir: Eddie Lyons

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.