A flier poster for the 1911 Selig release An Evil Power from Moving Picture World. It's plot revolves around a fake spiritualist/hypnotist who sets out to part a young rich and newly engaged woman from her friends, family, and ultimately, her wealth (possibly also her life?). The film, which was written and directed by Francis (Frank) Boggs, seeks to throw light on con artists plying their trade via the world of spiritualism, which by the 1910's was an old story. The film, which is presumed lost, was by no means supernatural, or even mysterious; but did apparently include tropes like hypnotism that would later be the bread and butter of horror monsters (like vampires) far and wide. It also contained (judging by descriptions in surviving materials) elements that would show up in plays and films like Gaslight. [A side note: Frank Boggs would himself die by homicide later in the year of 1911 on the 27th of October at the age of 41]
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