Essential Cult Cinema Drawn from the Same DNA as Hans Westmar: Cult...

Dir: Hans Otto

The life of Henri-Désiré Landru, French serial killer of around 300 women.

Dir: Alexander Butler

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

Napoleon, divorces Josephine and weds an Austrian Princess, but Josephine, still faithful, saves him from the plotting of De Beaumont.

Dir: Cecil B. DeMille

After hearing the story of Moses, the sons of a devout Christian mother go their own ways, and the atheist brother's breaking of the Ten Commandments leads to tragedy.

Dir: Unknown Director

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

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Phil Rosen

A biographical film featuring the presidency and assassination of Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War.

Dir: Charles Calvert

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

In the Jacobite Rising of 1745, the Young Pretender Bonnie Prince Charlie leads an insurrection to overthrow the Protestant House of Hanover and restore his family, the Catholic branch of the House of Stuart, to the British throne.

Dir: George Ridgwell

The Archbishop forces the king's mistress to enter a convent, and is murdered.

Dir: Henry Kolker

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Dramatic Life of Abraham Lincoln perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

The story of British prime minister Benjamin Disraeli and the purchase by England of the Suez Canal.

Dir: Manilal Joshi

Seminal silent historical film, the story features King Munja, ruler of Aranti, famed warrior and patron of the arts. Munja (Sandow) falls into the hands of his arch enemy Tailap, who received assistance from Bhillam (Altekar), king of Dharavati. Tailap orders that Munja be put to death but is held back by Tailap's powerful sister Minalvati (Fatma Begum), a widow who first wants to break Munja's spirit. Instead, she and Munja fall in love. Learning of Munja's plan to escape with Manalvati, Tailap has Munja trampled to death by his elephants.

Dir: Charles Bryant

Salome, the daughter of Herodias, seduces her step-father/uncle Herod, governor of Judea, with a salacious dance. In return, he promises her the head of the prophet John the Baptist.