The Essential Watchlist that Capture the Essence of Melchiad Koloma...

Dir: Jan S. Kolár

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: Urban Gad

A loose and unofficial silent adaptation of H. G. Wells' The Island Of Dr. Moreau.

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

Dir: Bruno C. Becker

It is the year 1950; women have taken over men's jobs and have become the aggressors in romantic situations. Lizzie Hap stuffs the ballot box, defeats her opponent, Minnie Fish, and is thereby elected Fire Chief of the all female fire department, and succeeds in winning the hand of her fair loved one, Willie Wart.

Dir: Ernest C. Warde

When young writer Brandon McShane is left penniless by the death of his father, he is forced to rent a room in the tenement district from the Mahon family. Brandon soon becomes infatuated with the fortune hunting Mimi Gascoigne, who casts him aside for a wealthy suitor. In search of revenge, Brandon acquires a magic skin which will gratify its owner's wishes, but which exacts years from the petitioner's life in payment. Brandon wishes himself wealth and his enemies unhappiness, and then lives in terror of the penalty he must pay. One day he meets Pauline Mahon who has loved him since his tenement days. Pauline convinces Brandon to wish the skin out of his life, and then he discovers that Pauline's love is the fulfillment of this last wish.

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

Dir: Charles Raymond

A magician helps outwit a Chinaman's gang.

Dir: Fritz Lang

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

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

Dir: Edward F. Cline

A bank clerk ends up in a seemingly haunted house that is actually a thieves' hideout.

Dir: André Deed

The story begins with a scientist creating a device shaped like a man that can be remote-controlled by a machine.

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

Dir: Fred Stranz

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Maxwell Karger

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.