Essential Cult Cinema Mirroring the Impact of Lovebound: Cult Guide

Dir: Henry Otto

In the South Seas lives Lorelei, who decides to act out her fantasies and poses on the rocks as she sings. From his yacht, Dorian, hears Lorelei's song and goes to investigate. His boat is destroyed on the rocks, and Lorelei cares for him.

Dir: Alexander Butler

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

In Alberta, Canada, a Cornish emigrant unmasks a rustler posing as the girl's "blind" father.

Dir: Edward LeSaint

When famous opera singer Elinore Duane undergoes an operation on her throat, she has a series of ether-induced visions. In one, she is transported to ancient Rome where she appears as a much-admired woman in love with Paul, a young heretic, and at odds with Lutor, the high priest. To save her love, she poisons Lutor with her ring. After several other visions which involve variations on this love triangle, Elinore awakens to discover that Lutor is actually her doctor, Sascha Jaccard, and that Paul is the son of a friend who has come to visit the recovering prima donna.

Dir: Henry Otto

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

Glory Moore, a mischievous girl who is the despair of her mother but the "angel child" of her father, is sent away to boarding school, where she continues her devilish pranks. Soon after her departure, her father discovers that he is missing an important letter containing evidence that will send a business rival to jail. Glory, who has wrapped candy in the letter, throws it on the floor, and it is picked up by the daughter of the accused man. Glory learns of her mistake, and with the help of Richard Grant, a young lawyer whom she met at school, she retrieves the letter from the businessman's home. When Richard proposes to Glory, she decides to forego the dubious pleasures of finishing school to become his wife.

Dir: Edgar Jones

A mail-order bride arrives at a Maine lumber camp but doesn't like her prospective husband.

Dir: Henry Otto

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

John spies his girlfriend embracing his brother. Stunned, John deposits the family's money and leaves the country. Years later he returns to find his brother dead, the plantation in ruins, and that he is suspected of stealing the money.

Dir: Henry Otto

Happy O'Brien, called "The Microbe," or "Mike" for short, a female street urchin who sells newspapers dressed as a boy to avoid harassment, is saved from arrest for fighting other newsboys in Chinatown by wealthy author DeWitt Spense. DeWitt, there to purchase drugs, is so moved by Mike's pugnacity, that he takes her to his mansion for literary inspiration. When DeWitt learns that Mike is a girl, he resolves to educate her. As Mike blossoms, DeWitt's attentions turn to love, to the dismay of Judith Winthrope, who wants to marry him, and his friend Robert Breton, who, with Judith, convinces Mike that DeWitt's writing is suffering because of her. After Mike leaves and gets a job making artificial flowers, she writes DeWitt daily letters, signing them "Bianca," which inspire him to write a best selling novel of replies. Although DeWitt nearly marries Judith when she claims authorship of the letters, he weds Mike when he learns that she penned them.

Dir: Henry Otto

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

Lilly Meany, a member of a London underworld gang, poses as a faith healer to fleece wealthy hypochondriacs. On the recommendation of socialite Mrs. Prall, Lord Asgarby beseeches Lilly to cure his young crippled sister Eve. When Lilly mends a broken doll, she inspires Eve's confidence, and soon Eve is cured. Then Lord Asgarby falls in love with Lilly, and she confesses her scheme. He forgives her and they marry.

Dir: Bruno Ziener

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Henry Otto

When oil magnate Thomas Waring receives a letter from his old friend, Mrs. Juliet Smith, suggesting that his beloved daughter Maida spend her vacation at Mrs. Smith's island home, Waring encourages Maida to accept as he has to go East on business. After Mrs. Smith supposedly gets Maida, Waring receives a call from the real Mrs. Smith, who says that Maida has left with an impostor. On the island, Maida lives luxuriously, unaware that her hosts are sending her father ransom notes. She meets Gilbert Spear, camping out, and they fall in love. After receiving no response from Waring, the kidnappers reveal their scheme to Maida and demand that she write to her father. They lock her in when she refuses, but she escapes and leaves the island with Gilbert. Although they are overtaken by the criminals, Waring and the police pull up and the gang is taken into custody, leaving Gilbert and Maida free to pursue their romance.