Essential Cult Cinema Mirroring the Impact of The Hell Ship: Cult Guide

Dir: Scott R. Dunlap

Weak willed Gerry Sands, who wants to become an editor, is forced by his employer, locksmith Nick Barket, to crack safes, until, during a robbery, he reads some words from a dropped copy of Hamlet , and stops. Overjoyed, his sweetheart Polly Ann Kerry, gets him work at the hotel where she works, but Red Devlin, the brains behind the burglaries, frames Gerry for theft. Devlin bails him out, hoping he will return to safe-cracking, but Gerry leaves town and becomes a typesetter for a Western newspaper. After Polly exposes the crooks, she becomes ill from grief at not hearing from Gerry. Gerry returns and, risking arrest, goes to the police station to locate Polly. The police captain, who loves Polly, but realizes that she loves Gerry, gives him twenty-four hours probation to find and marry her. After he finds her, she thinks that he wants to marry her to escape jail, but the police captain vouches for Gerry's integrity, and they marry.

Dir: Robert N. Bradbury

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

A simple country girl, brutally mistreated by her stepfather, awakens first the sympathy, then the love, of The Boy. The Spider, who lusts after The Girl, makes a bargain with the stepfather and takes her to the city where, kept prisoner, she is soon broken in health and spirit. Cast out and near death, she is taken in by The Boy. Following the demise of The Spider, The Boy takes her to church, where he prays, and after many hours she is restored to health.

Dir: Eduardo Notari

A crime drama in the Gennariello-series. The police detective in Naples that is confronted with modern gangsters and crime events.

Dir: Scott R. Dunlap

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

Gerald Faulkner, a young tin-can salesman, has fallen for sexy chorus girl Carlotta La Mere One day Gerald's wealthy uncle Dunley makes him an offer: if he gets married by the following Saturday, Dunley will give him $100,000. Gerald rushes to propose to Carlotta, who agrees. However, the day before the wedding she asks for a postponement. Complications ensue.

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: Wilfred Lucas

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Be a Little Sport perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Brian O'Farrell (Snowy Baker), is an English 'new chum' who takes a job at an Australian cattle station. He is teased by station hands because of his appearance (including spats and a monocle) but he soon impresses them with his skills at riding and boxing. The station manager, John MacDonald (Wilfred Lucas), takes O'Farrell to Sydney to meet his daughter Edith (Kathleen Key) who is working in the slums. Edith is kidnapped by criminals after witnessing a crime but O'Farrell rescues her. It is later revealed he is the owner of the station.

Dir: Maurice Elvey

A lady marries a horse trainer but withholds herself until her crippled brother is cured.

Dir: Alexander Butler

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of A Sister to Salome 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: William Parke

Bruce Wendell, the son of West Virginia coal mine owner James Wendell, graduates from West Point and prepares to lead a fighting unit to the front during World War I. As his father lies dying, however, he convinces Bruce to remain at home and guard the mine. Bruce's fiancée Ann Blair assumes that he is a coward and breaks off their engagement, but her brother Bobbie remains Bruce's loyal friend. Meyer, a German agent, persuades railroad president Parrish to refuse to transport Wendell's coal, but when Bruce adamantly refuses to close the mine, the spy's men decide to blow it up. While Ann is being abducted by Meyer, Bobbie is buried in an explosion at the mine. Bruce rescues Bobbie and then sends a plea to Lieutenant Parrish to rescue Ann. Meyer and his gang are captured and Ann renews her vow of love to Bruce.

Dir: Scott R. Dunlap

Impresario Thomas Sullivan arrives in Ossawatomie, Kansas, to debut a new musical show written by native talent Gene Harris. Sullivan hires singer Millicent Lloyd, who auditions with a song written by her boyfriend, local bookkeeper Brian McBride. The impresario takes Millicent to New York City, where she becomes a famous singer. Brian arrives in the city with a new opera but keeps his presence secret from Millicent until he has achieved notoriety. Unable to complete an opera of his own, Harris steals Brian's work and presents it to Sullivan, who casts Millicent in the lead role. With the help of music publisher Gus Hertz, Brian exposes Harris and reclaims his composition. He and Millicent are reunited, and the opera goes on to great success.