After pommer left germany for the usa, he summoned christensen to the states. Christensen was recruited to work in the german film industry by producer erich pommer. He and eve will be granted freedom only if he agrees to the ordeal of seven steps presided over by the mansions owner and. Satan has set up a complicated game of chance, which is played by some of the most wealthy and powerful people in the world. We assume that professional film makers find it easier to get.
Seven footprints to satan was thelma todds first sound film. To read the recent revision on greta garbo, victor sjostrom, scott lord on silent film. He used his talent for the strange and peculiar seven footprints to satan, a witty horror comedy. Abraham grace merritt 18841943 was an author with an vivid and bizarre imagination. Benjamin christensens seven footprints to satan was thought lost for years. The film was released in both silent and parttalke versions. Id love to see it restored, as it should take its place alongside the classic creepy movies of the period. Seven footprints to satan has the fast pace of a slapstick tworeeler sustained for featurelength, though its not intended as comedy. May 17, 2012 there he completed among other films a version of a. It was announced for a showing on turner several years ago that was cancelled with the explanation, as i recall, that the soundtrack was not up to standard. Be the first to ask a question about seven footprints to satan.
Her suspects about that guest were serious, this man tries to steal one of her fathers rubin, and she and her fiance are kidnapped and brought to a house, where strange things happen. Seven footprints to satan 1929 benjamin christensen. This feature is already on our preservation list, we have tracked down a couple prints as well as the vitaphone discs. With all the sliding bookcases and hidden panels, it plays like an early scooby doo cartoon. Jim kirkham, a wealthy young chemist and collector of curios, is in love with eve martin, the daughter of a gem collector. Prior to mockery, chaney had collaborated with director tod browning on the unknown 1927. For those interested in reading seven footprints to satan but not eager to hunt down a used copy, it can be read on project gutenberg australia. Inside the house the two are terrorized by a dwarf angelo rossitto of freaks fame, a gorilla, an ape man like creature and other weirdos. Merritt cried when he saw what was done to his fabulous story.
At warner brothers, christensen made three old dark house films with the haunted house 1928, seven footprints to satan here and the house of horror 1929, after which he returned to denmark and did not direct another film for many years. The seven footprints is a cruel game where the victim either saves himself or ends up. Depending on the steps he lands on, he will either be killed, serve satan for a year, be given a fantastic fortune, etc. Seven footprints to satan classic horror film board. Seven footprints to satan is a 1929 american film directed by danish filmmaker benjamin christensen. Seven footprints to satan is a lot of fun, with manic pacing, deft camera work, skillfull lighting and the largest collection of creeps this side of the house of frankenstein. Christensen returned to denmark in the 1930s and in 1939 he was hired by nordisk films kompagni. Kirkham is forced to play a game in satan s lair, during which he is made to tread on seven glowing footprints, four of which are fortunate and three unfortunate. The serial squadron is a multimedia archive the home on the web of the original male and female cinema action heroes, and our goal is to preserve and restore and make available for viewing or study the jungle, mystery, western and scifi cliffhangers that inspired star wars and the hollywood superhero blockbusters of today.
Seven footprints to satan was republished in the january 1949 issue of fantastic novels. Seven footprints to satan 1929 12 out of 4 very good and creepy film from director benjamin christensen about a couple thelma todd, creighton hale who are kidnapped and taken to an old dark house ran by satan. My silent swedish film webpage, which covered from the turn of century to the advent of sound, was, before its having been transferred at the last minute, a geocities webpage. Silent era home page home video seven footprints to satan. Seven footprints to satan was a lost silent film which had. From the moment our heroes arrive at the mysterious house the film is a thrilling ride, with creepy characters, threatening shadows, ominous warnings, odd happenings and manbeasts. Posted on october 7, 2015 october 20, 2015 by monstergirl posted in classic horror, georges melies, halloween, lupita tovar, seven footprints to satan 1929, silent screen, the cat and the canary 1939, the eyes of the mummy 1918, the golem 1915, the hands of orlac 1924, the snake girl and the silver haired witch 1968, the vampire. The seven footprints is a cruel game where the victim either saves himself or ends up in satans clutches forever. Seven footprints to satan 1929 restored lost horror. Jim and eve set out to notify the police, but after a wild ride they end up at the home of a mysterious stranger known as satan. The witches or witchcraft through the ages is a swedishdanish silent film completed in 1920 and released in 1922. I hope to transfer the information on this page to other pages. Seven footprints to satan by abraham merritt alibris.
Seven footprints to satan was regarded as a lost film until a print turned up in the last few years. The devil walked in devon this 100mile track of footprints in 1855 probably was not laid by the devil. Originally trained in law, he turned to journalism, first as a correspondent and later as editor. If you create a free account and sign in, you will be able to customize what is displayed. Snow white 1916 film wikimili, the free encyclopedia. Jan 28, 2015 interest in seven footprints took off in 1996 when turner classic movies scheduled to broadcast the film one morning. Casablanca is a 1942 american romantic drama film directed by michael curtiz and based on murray burnett and joan alisons unproduced stage play everybody comes to ricks. It was first released as a silent film and later as a parttalkie. An uncle helps a young woman thelma todd permanently quench her wealthy beaus creighton hale expensive thirst for adventure. Aside from being the second oldest parish church in munich and the seat of the archdiocese of munich and freising, frauenkirche is particularly famous for one very odd distinction. Mockery and the thriller seven footprints to satan 1929 were the highlights of christensens later career, but he never topped the artistic and critical success of haxan.
He got an offer from hollywood and made six films there. Again the excitement seized me, tingling along every nerve. Born in beverly, new jersey, he moved to philadelphia, pennsylvania in 1894. Buy seven footprints to satan by abraham merritt online at alibris. Thumbelina 1994 film is a featured article, which means it has been identified as one of the best articles produced by the warner bros.
Written and directed by benjamin christensen, the film s documentary style is dramatized with horror sequences. A young couple creep around a weird mansion said to be run by satan, where they run from and into one after another of an ill. The serial squadron, no catalog number, no upc number. The preservation work is slated to be completed inhouse at warner bros. At a reception in her home, a fabulous gem is exhibited, and as a result the gem is lost in a series of strange occurrences. It was adapted by winthrop ames from his own 1912 broadway play snow white and the seven dwarfs, which was in turn adapted from the 1812 fairy tale as collected by the grimm brothers. Seven footprints to satan 1929 restored lost horror feature. Loretta young, in one of her first films, appears uncredited as one of satans victims seven footprints to satan 1929 yahoo image search results tick infested undergrowth and other minor thrills brought to you in zestyvision.
From the moment our heroes arrive at the mysterious house the film is a. We assume that professional film makers find it easier to get a look at a good print than the rest of us poor proles. Kirkham is forced to play a game in satans lair, during which he is made to tread on seven glowing footprints, four of which are fortunate and three unfortunate. But to be blunt about it, the intertitles of seven footprints to satan are almost. There are several legends of differing details surrounding the footprint, but the basic story goes like this. It was shown at the pordenone silent film festival in italy several years ago.
They fell upon the seven shining footprints and followed them up to the golden throne. Seven footprints to satan and you call yourself a scientist. Suggested by adrev masters admin sweet victory as featured in spongebob squarepants. Seven footprints to satan 1929 seven footprints to satan.
It was announced for a showing on turner several years ago that was cancelled with the explanation, as i recall, that the. According to peter haining, merritt survived a harrowing experience while a young reporter at the philadelphia inquirer about which he refused to ever speak, but would, as haining claims, mark a turning point in. Inside the narthex of frauenkirche is an unusual tile containing a black footprint, which is said to be the teufelstritt, or devils footprint. The life of the beautiful debutante, eve, is also on the line. Now im going to have to scare up the rest of merritts obscure work. When air time arrived, seven footprints was withdrawn for another film. During that time it gained a reputation as one of the great films. The church with the devils footprint zigzag around the. Considering how very obscure seven footprints to satan is today, and how very difficult to see as it should be seen, a close examination of the film reveals that it has been surprisingly influential. Dec 16, 2019 snow white is a 1916 american silent romantic fantasy film directed by j. I was hesitant to read seven footprints at first, but was delightfully surprised by it. If you see a way this page can be updated or improved without compromising previous work, please feel free to contribute.
Seven footprints to satan 1929 seven footprints to. Some have come to suspect that the game might be rigged. Angelo rossitto appearing in both films here above he has a rather strange beard. A young man of society wants to make an expedition to africa, but his fiancee asks him for help about one of her fathers guests shortly before his planed departure. In this irresistible horror spoof, a kidnapped couple spend the night in a vintage old dark house inhabited by ghosts, gorillas. The american film institute is grateful to sir paul getty kbe and the sir paul getty kbe estate for their dedication to the art of the moving image and their support for the afi catalog of feature films and without whose support afi would not have been able to achieve this historical landmark in this epic scholarly endeavor. Unfortunately, only oneseven footprints to satanhas survived. Seven footprints to satan 1929 01271929 us crime, comedy 1h 17m user score. There he completed among other films a version of a. Seven footprints to satan page 3 classic horror film board. A mystery thriller in the mode of sax rohmer concerning satan, an unusual criminal mastermind who rules a band of thieves bound to his service by an elaborate game.
Seven footprints to satan abraham merritt feedbooks. Seven footprints to satan 1929 directed by benjamin. The serial squadron cliffhanger movie serial archive. Jul 23, 2010 seven footprints to satan has the fast pace of a slapstick tworeeler sustained for featurelength, though its not intended as comedy. Its like the 60s the saint movie the fiction makers crossed with the running man film, not book, the second round with a. Interest in seven footprints took off in 1996 when turner classic movies scheduled to broadcast the film one morning. Wild and woolly in an old dark house originally posted on imdb 27 october 2018 seven footprints to satan is a bizarre little film, although i suppose one mightve expected as much from the director of haxan 1922, benjamin christensen. Merritts seven footprints to satan thats not a lost film but one thats in restoration limbo. Delighted to be writing screening notes for this years hippodrome festival of silent film this time, im covering a horror double feature of lon chaney in wallace worsleys crimeshocker the penalty and thelma todd in benjamin christensens surreal nightmare comedy seven footprints to satan, at last visible in a pristine restoration. Seven footprints to satan, written in 1928, seems to be a weird metaphor for the stock market and is a commentary on mankinds compulsion to gamble. For years seven footprints to satan has been considered a lost film. Snow white is a 1916 american silent romantic fantasy film directed by j.
The throne room resembles a macabre tv game show complete with a scoreboard. Her suspects about that guest were serious, this man tries to steal one of her fathers. Mar 11, 2018 delighted to be writing screening notes for this years hippodrome festival of silent film this time, im covering a horror double feature of lon chaney in wallace worsleys crimeshocker the penalty and thelma todd in benjamin christensens surreal nightmare comedy seven footprints to satan, at last visible in a pristine restoration. I stayed home from work to make sure it would be recorded properly. The film stars humphrey bogart, ingrid bergman, and paul henreid. Thankfully the reemergence of an italian titled print proves that christensen had indeed made what is probably one of the greatest old dark house thrillers ever made. Suddenly he finds himself face to face with a criminal mastermind who calls himself satan. The house becomes something of a dantesque hotel from hell, with satan as the manager.
Thank you for your interest in seven footprints to satan. Among his surreal fiction stories one can find a hivelike race of metal, electrically powered geometric shapes. Seven footprints to satan 1929 the movie database tmdb. Often it was mentioned in magazines like famous monsters of filmland with mysterious photos that only titillated film collectors and horror buffs who had heard stories, but had never seen the film. Merritts fantasy magazine in 1949 the moon pool fixup, 1919 available online. Still, id love to see even that danish print of seven footprints to satan. Merritts seven footprints to satan skulls in the stars. Based on the 1928 story of the same name by abraham merritt, it stars thelma todd, creighton hale, william v. Based on the 1928 story of the same name by abraham.
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