Essential Cult Cinema Drawn from the Same DNA as The Invisible Ray: Cult Guide

Dir: Harry A. Pollard

Motherless Phyllis Ladd runs the household of her father John, a railroad president, who loves her but dreads the day that she will marry and leave. To make her social debut, Phyllis leaves her hometown of Carthage and accepts the invitation of Mrs. Fenshaw, a Washington social matron, to live with her. Phyllis soon tires of the stuffy life and boring suitors and returns. At a matinee road-show performance, Phyllis becomes infatuated with actor Cyril Adair. When she invites him for tea, the vain actor accepts, hoping to seduce her. After more meetings, Cyril's discarded lover informs Ladd, who demands that the romance cease. Phyllis elopes with Cyril, who, touched by her devotion, marries her. Although their life is plagued by Cyril's alcoholism, firings and inability to get new roles because Ladd influences theater managers to reject him, Phyllis patiently tries to bring out the best in her husband. When Phyllis and Cyril refuse Ladd's bribes to end the marriage, Ladd relents, backs a show in which Cyril is to star and is reconciled with the couple.

Dir: Harry A. Pollard

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

A naive débutante longs for a romantic adventure, and sets out to have one, scandalous or not. She rashly decides to burgle a random home, but is caught. At the jail, she's mistaken for a notorious con woman, and nervously is taken into a gang.

Dir: Harry A. Pollard

Leander Potts, a burlesque manager, has brought his Frivolous Frolickers to Greenville for a one-night stand at the Opera House. But there are bigger things ahead for Leander in Greenville. The natives have mistaken him for the Potum of Swat, a sturdy centenarian, who with his daughters, ranging in age from 70 to 85 years, is to give a lecture on how to live a thousand years. Leander and his burlesquers are given a royal welcome, and then and there he decides to assume the identity of the real Potum.

Dir: Bruno C. Becker

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

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: Harry A. Pollard

Miss Jackie Holbrook is the daughter of wealthy Californians. She is noted for her frolicsome nature, and is the favored of all but Captain Robert Crowne, U.S.A., whose ship is anchored off Coronado awaiting further orders. Jackie decides to make Crowne fall in love with her, and her opportunity comes when she hears of a new sailor going to ship with Crowne to the Isle of Vergania, to quell a native uprising. The girl dons sailor clothes and sails with the ship. She is the butt of Big Bill Blount's jokes and jeers because of her effeminacy, and causes the others on board much laughter. When they arrive at Vergania she is one of those chosen to go into the interior and is the one that saves Crowne's life. Her identity is discovered to the delight of the sailors, and Crowne asks her to marry him immediately.

Dir: Harry A. Pollard

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

Dan Blair, a retired cattle magnate's son, is one of the many youths of Red Rock, Montana who is attracted to soda water-stand operator Sarah Townley. One day, Dan partakes of six chocolate sodas in succession. When an operatic impresario, forced to stay in town overnight, hears Sarah sing at a church social, he signs her to be trained to become a diva. Three years later, after Dan's father has died, Dan visits Lord Galore, a family friend, in London and becomes involved with the Duchess of Breakwater, who, although she loves the lord, needs Dan's money. Dan hears the famous Letty Lane sing and recognizes Sarah. Although Dan courts Sarah, when he thinks that she loves Prince Ponitowsky of Russia, he proposes to the duchess. After he sees the duchess embrace Lord Galore, however, he breaks the engagement, to Sarah's relief. Joshua Ruggles, the friend and partner of Dan's father, arrives to look after Dan. After he falsely tells Sarah that Dan is broke and proposes to Sarah himself, he sees Sarah's true love for Dan and allows them to marry.

Dir: André Deed

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

Dir: Eugenio Testa

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Miss Jackie of the Navy perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

The Italian adaptation of the famous novel about Dr. Frankenstein and his monstrous creation.

Dir: Harry A. Pollard

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Harry A. Pollard

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.