THE MAGICIAN (1926) is a little-known slice of silent horror, lost for many years, but well worth checking out for those of us who enjoy watching the development of the genre. This is an atmospheric gem that seems to have influenced later hits like FRANKENSTEIN and has lots of reasons to watch. We begin with an accident scene which sees a girl crushed by a falling statue; her spine is saved by pioneering surgery, but she subsequently finds herself trapped in a love triangle between the surgeon who saved her and a creepy magician who seems determined to get hold of her blood for his own nefarious purposes! Lots of spooky moments throughout this fast-paced little number including a great and rather explicit dream sequence set in Hell itself. The excellent Paul Wegener, of such classics as THE GOLEM, plays the title character as a mad scientist who undoubtedly inspired similar portrayals in future years.
Review of The Magician
