Essential Cult Cinema Drawn from the Same DNA as Stingaree: Cult Guide

Dir: James W. Horne

In the 1850s, a young prince in India promises his dying father he will lead a revolt against the English colonial masters of India. However, since he is half-European himself, he can't bring himself to do it and flees to America, to live in obscurity. He finds, however, that he can't outrun his obligations, and he soon meets a messenger sent from India to remind him of the promise he made to his father. Complications ensue.

Dir: James W. Horne

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

When Bruce Sands, a dilettante artist with a history of amorous peccadilloes, discovers that his latest flame Bunny Winston wants to marry him, he seeks refuge at his friend John Woodward's country home, unaware that Woodward has asked Bunny to marry him. Bunny follows the artist to Woodward's estate, where Bruce begins a flirtation with Woodward's daughter Audrey. After Audrey is injured in a fall from a horse, Bruce promises to marry her, thinking that she is on her deathbed. Upon hearing the news, Bunny assumes that Bruce will now be a member of the family and so marries Woodward. When Audrey recovers, the engagement is broken, Bruce returns to town, and Bunny follows. Bruce rejects Bunny and begins his campaign for his next victim, leaving Audrey and her father to console each other.

Dir: James W. Horne

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: James W. Horne

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

Jack Dunbar, needing a job, meets millionaire Nicholas Small, who gives him advice and presents him as a colleague. Small would like his daughter, Anne, to marry inventor Gillen Jolyon. Dunbar perfects and successfully demonstrates Jolyon's wireless power transmitting device in spite of Small's attempts to sabotage it, and he rescues Anne when she is caught in an electric power fracas caused by her father's villainy. Anne breaks her engagement with Jolyon and marries Dunbar.

Dir: James W. Horne

The search is on for a bank robber's hidden stash in a house they all say is haunted.

Dir: James W. Horne

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Blow Your Own Horn perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

When he is jilted, Alan Remington, the son of a wealthy Washington politician, falls into a state of deep depression. On the advice of Professor Hollister, from whom he is purchasing a death ray, the elder Remington attempts to divert Alan by providing him with excitement. At this time, a gang of foreign agents, led by Darwin Kershaw, Remington's secretary, kidnap both the inventor and his daughter, Carolyn, and steal the death ray, but not before the resourceful girl has thrown the control key to the ray out of the window, where it lands in Alan's car. The conspirators attempt to regain the key, but they are mockingly foiled on several occasions by Alan, who thinks they are men hired by his father to jolt him out of his depression. Alan eventually realizes that the men are seriously trying to kill him, and he sets out to bring them to justice. Alan prevents the agents from destroying several naval gunboats, rescues the Hollisters, and rounds up the aliens, handing them over to the F. B. I.

Dir: James W. Horne

Perry Whitman's wild escapades result in his being expelled from college, an event he celebrates by holding a wild party to which he invites the impoverished members of a theatrical troupe. He is disowned by his father and turned adrift with a $100 bill, which he loses. In trying to recover the money he saves a girl from becoming the victim of a matrimonial scheme; she eludes capture by kidnappers and marries him to save her fortune. Thus he wins his father's forgiveness.

Dir: James W. Horne

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

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: James W. Horne

Dave Allen, secretary to James Pendroy, a wealthy banker, is accused of stealing bonds from his employer. Dave rounds up the thieves, who include one Josef Le Baron, a suitor of Pendroy's daughter. Dave marries the girl.

Dir: James W. Horne

Mary Grant, whose husband was killed in the war, has to support herself and her young son Tom by working in a cabaret because her husband's parents disapprove of and won't help her--but they want to adopt Tom. Complications ensue.