Released 114 Years Ago

Méliès film La Chaudron Infernal or The Infernal Boiling Pot was released 114 years ago today.  It is now considered one of the earliest horror films, made by the man who is credited with making the very first horror film back in the 1890's. Happy Early Halloween! 

Horror Still Of The Day

Over at the Scare Me blog we are celebrating this 8th day of the Countdown To Halloween by passing the time with films from one of my all time favorite directors:  Alfred Hitchcock.  Hitchcock actually started in the motion picture business in his native Britain in the early 1920's and completed several silent films, of which the most famous--and most menacing--it The Lodger: A Story Of The London Fog, loosely based the Jack The Ripper killings.  Which is where this still comes from.

Hitchcock on the set of The Lodger

A Halloween You Tube Mystery

There is some controversy over whether tinted film above is actually British film maker George Albert Smith's 1897 remake of the 1896 black and white Melies film below or not.  The main confusion seems to come in with the title card on the above remastered film showing Melies film studio stamp, but this could be have been added later by some mistake or other.  They don't look the same to me!  Either way they represent two of the very earliest horror films every made.  Happy Spooks!!

Melies

Smith

Haxan Mixed Gallery

In Mexico the day we call Halloween is known as Dia de las Brujas or Day of the Witches; so with that in mind here is are some stills celebrating Mexico's take on the day, with a gallery from the most famous witchcraft film ever made in the silent era:  Häxan:  Witchcraft Through The Ages!

Space Flight In The Silent Movie Era

Stills From Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde (1920)

Black And White Stills:

Sepia Prints

Blue Tinted Prints