The Global Archive Complementing the Tone of Svatý Václav: Cult Guide

Dir: B.A. Rolfe

In the Roman Coliseum, at the beginning of the Christian era, the Emperor Turnerius, accompanied by his favorite, Nerissa, watches the bestial games in the arena. His son Gordian is asked by Grimaldo the magician to save the life of a Christian girl about to be thrown to the lions. He refuses, whereupon Grimaldo prophesies the fate of the Empire by telling the prince a story of the future: Two thousand years hence, in New York, a parallel situation takes place in which a young man is led to put a stop to the base plans of his father. The prince is so deeply affected by the injustice of the story that he plunges into the arena to save the girl, causing the emperor to die in a fit of rage, thus precipitating the coronation of his son as the new emperor.

Dir: Beaumont Smith

A cinematic adaptation of some of the stories of celebrated Australian author and bush poet Henry Lawson.

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

Dir: Rolf Raffé

Short, silent movie only about half a minutes long about the last moment of Empress Elisabeth of Austria (1837 - 1898). It was the first film about Elisabeth, directed by her niece Marie Larisch.

Dir: Jan S. Kolár

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Kaiserin Elisabeth von Österreich perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: D.W. Griffith

Two orphaned sisters are caught up in the turmoil of the French Revolution, encountering misery and love along the way.

Dir: John W. Brunius

Historical drama which features Gösta Ekman as the dashing rogue who steals the heart of the ethereal Mary Johnson.

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

Dir: Kinka Kimura

About the tragic love of a young man from a coastal village for a girl from a small island.

Dir: Jan S. Kolár

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

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

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: Franklin B. Coates

Shows James' joining of the Quantrill's raiders, a guerrilla force which fought against union sympathizers during the Civil War. James takes allegiance to the Black Flag, the raiders' banner. After the war he receives kind treatment from a judge concerning his acts of crime and later meets and falls in love with Zee, with whom he wishes to live a peaceful life.