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Here are some of our favorite Silent films
The Heart of the World
Dir. Guy Maddin
(2000)
7 minutes
- Genres:
- Comedy / Parody
- Drama / Melodrama
- Drama / Romantic Drama
- International / Americas / North American / Canadian
- Silent / Silent Drama
- Drama / Political
- Short / Narrative
- Avant-garde / Surrealistic
This acclaimed, award-winning short is a brilliant, breathless parody of silent Soviet propaganda films.
The General
Dir. Clyde Bruckman, Buster Keaton
(1926)
79 minutes
- Genres:
- Comedy / Romantic Comedy
- Comedy / Slapstick
- Silent / Silent Comedy
- War / U.S. Civil War
- International / Americas / North American / American
Consistently ranked among the greatest films ever made, Buster Keaton's THE GENERAL is so brilliantly conceived and executed that it continues to inspire awe and laughter with every viewing.
Love Moods
Dir. Lillian Hunt
(1952)
6 minutes
- Genres:
- Silent
- Short / Narrative
- Cult / Camp
- International / Americas / North American / American
Reclining on her chaise lounge in a see-through robe, Lili St. Cyr decides she needs a wash.
Cops
Dir. Eddie Cline, Buster Keaton
(1922)
18 minutes
- Genres:
- Comedy / Black Comedy
- Comedy / Slapstick
- Silent / Silent Comedy
- Short / Narrative
- International / Americas / North American / American
- Crime / Crime-fighter / Police
- Crime / Transgression / Terrorism
One of Buster Keaton's greatest and most famous comedies, COPS is universally enjoyed for the inventive comedy and amazing chase sequences.
Spies
Spione
Dir. Fritz Lang
(1928)
143 minutes
- Genres:
- Crime / Transgression / Espionage
- International / European / German
- Silent / Silent Action/Adventure
- Silent / Silent Crime
Filled with the sexual intrigue and high-tech gadgetry that continue to define the genre, SPIES remains remarkably contemporary, even 75 years after its premiere.
The Sinking of the Lusitania
Dir. Winsor McCay
(1918)
12 minutes
- Genres:
- Animated / Cel/Hand-Drawn
- Drama / Realism / Pseudodocumentary
- Documentary / Propaganda
- Drama / Tragedy
- Silent / Silent Drama
- Short / Narrative
- International / Americas / North American / American
A profoundly moving masterpiece of propaganda, comprised of dark and powerful imagery that is ahead of its time and has rarely been surpassed.
Ghosts Before Breakfast
Vormittagsspuk
Dir. Hans Richter
(1928)
6 minutes
- Genres:
- Animated / Stop-Motion/Puppetry
- International / European / German
- Silent / Silent Comedy
- Avant-garde / Surrealistic
- Animated / Cut-Out
- Short / Trick
The Dadaists were closely attuned to cinema's native surrealism. And so it is fitting that this film should return to so many of the medium's first loves: trick shots, fisticuffs and slapstick are all thrown in the dada blender.
What's the World Coming To?
Dir. Richard Wallace
(1926)
22 minutes
- Genres:
- Comedy / Romantic Comedy
- Comedy / Slapstick
- LGBTQ / Narrative
- Silent / Silent Comedy
- Science Fiction / Alternate Universe
- Short / Narrative
- International / Americas / North American / American
This zany Hal Roach production takes place in a future "one hundred years from now, when men have become more like women and women more like men."
The Adventures of Prince Achmed
Die Abenteuer des Prinzen Achmed
Dir. Lotte Reiniger
(1926)
66 minutes
- Genres:
- Drama / Romantic Drama
- Fantasy / Fairy Tale
- International / European / German
- Silent / Silent Fantasy
- Animated / Cut-Out
- Fantasy / Magic
- Crime / Transgression / Kidnapping
- Adaptation / Literary / Prose
The story of a wicked sorcerer who tricks a prince into mounting a magical flying horse and sends the rider off on a flight to his death.
Nosferatu
Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens
Dir. F.W. Murnau
(1922)
94 minutes
- Genres:
- Drama / Tragedy
- International / European / German
- Horror / Creature Feature / Vampire
- Silent / Silent Horror
- Horror / Expressionist
- Adaptation / Literary / Prose
An unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker's DRACULA, NOSFERATU is the quintessential silent vampire film, crafted by legendary German director F. W. Murnau.
Dracula: Pages from a Virgin's Diary
Dir. Guy Maddin
(2003)
74 minutes
- Genres:
- Cult / Psychotronic
- Drama / Melodrama
- International / Americas / North American / Canadian
- Horror / Creature Feature / Vampire
- Silent / Silent Horror
- Adaptation / Literary / Prose
The black-and-white, blood-red-punctured DRACULA: PAGES FROM A VIRGIN’S DIARY is a Gothic grand guignol of the notorious Count and his bodice-ripped victims, fringed with the expressionistic strains of Gustav Mahler.
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Das Kabinett des Doktor Caligari
Dir. Robert Wiene
(1920)
76 minutes
- Genres:
- International / European / German
- Silent / Silent Horror
- Horror / Expressionist
- Suspense / Psychological / Somnambulist
- Suspense / Psychological / Dissociative Identity
The most brilliant example of that dark and twisted film movement known as German expressionism and a plunge into the mind of insanity that severs all ties with the rational world.
Cowards Bend the Knee
The Blue Hands
Dir. Guy Maddin
(2004)
64 minutes
- Genres:
- Cult / Psychotronic
- Drama / Dysfunctional Family
- International / Americas / North American / Canadian
- Silent / Silent Drama
- Sport / Hockey
Adapted from a ten-part peephole installation, COWARDS BEND THE KNEE is jam-packed with enough kinetically photographed action to seem like a never-ending cliffhanger.
New York of Today
(1910)
8 minutes
- Genres:
- Documentary / Travelogue
- Short / Documentary
- Silent / Silent Documentary
- International / Americas / North American / American
In the early 1900s, various film companies made short films showing tourist scenes. This print was made for the German market and shows Coney Island, Times Square and other New York landmarks.
How a Mosquito Operates
The Story of a Mosquito
Dir. Winsor McCay
(1912)
6 minutes
- Genres:
- Animated / Cel/Hand-Drawn
- Comedy / Slapstick
- Silent / Silent Comedy
- Short / Narrative
- International / Americas / North American / American
The first example of "personality" animation, in which an animated character appears to think and exhibits individualism through his actions.
Metropolis
Dir. Fritz Lang
(1927)
148 minutes
- Genres:
- Drama / Melodrama
- Drama / Romantic Drama
- International / European / German
- Science Fiction / Utopia/Dystopia
- Silent / Silent Science Fiction
- Crime / Criminal / Sociopath
Incorporating more than 25 minutes of newly discovered footage, this 2010 restoration of METROPOLIS is the definitive edition of Fritz Lang’s science fiction masterpiece.
Fantômas in the Shadow of the Guillotine
Fantômas: À l'ombre de la guillotine
Dir. Louis Feuillade
(1913)
55 minutes
- Genres:
- Crime / Transgression / Caper/Heist
- International / European / French
- Silent / Silent Crime
- Crime / Criminal / Sociopath
Driven by greed and sheer malice, ruthless criminal genius and incomparable master of disguise Fantômas weaves a path of death and destruction across Paris in the first of the series of films.
Number, Please?
Dir. Fred Newmeyer, Hal Roach
(1920)
25 minutes
- Genres:
- Comedy / Slapstick
- Silent / Silent Comedy
- Short / Narrative
- International / Americas / North American / American
Arguably one of Lloyd’s best two-reel comedies, NUMBER, PLEASE? takes place at a Los Angeles amusement park.
Too Much Johnson
Dir. Orson Welles
(1938)
34 minutes
- Genres:
- Comedy / Romantic Comedy
- Comedy / Slapstick
- Silent / Silent Comedy
- Short / Narrative
- International / Americas / North American / American
- Adaptation / Theatrical / Stage
Orson Welles' rediscovered footage from a theatrical production is a lively tribute to silent comedy and Keystone Kops chaos across the rooftops of New York City.
Boxing Cats
Dir. William K.L. Dickson, William Heise
(1894)
1 minute
- Genres:
- Short / Documentary
- Sport / Boxing
- Silent / Silent Documentary
- International / Americas / North American / American
The boxing cats were the most popular of Professor Welton's attractions playing New York vaudeville houses and roof gardens during the summer of 1894.
The D Train
Dir. Jay Rosenblatt
(2011)
5 minutes
- Genres:
- Avant-garde
- Silent / Silent Drama
- Short / Narrative
- International / Americas / North American / American
An old man reflects on his entire life. How quickly it all goes by.
The Great Train Robbery
Dir. Edwin S. Porter
(1903)
12 minutes
- Genres:
- Crime / Transgression / Caper/Heist
- Silent / Silent Western
- Western
- Short / Narrative
- International / Americas / North American / American
More than a crucial historical artifact, THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY reveals the foundation from which the styles and stories of the contemporary cinema would later arise.
The World and the Woman
Dir. Eugene Moore
(1916)
65 minutes
- Genres:
- Silent / Silent Drama
- Drama / Religious
- International / Americas / North American / American
- Adaptation / Theatrical / Stage
THE WORLD AND THE WOMAN is historically important as the screen debut of legendary actress Jeanne Eagels. The role of a prostitute turned faith healer is suitably challenging for the star.
The Centaurs
Dir. Winsor McCay
(1921)
3 minutes
- Genres:
- Animated / Cel/Hand-Drawn
- Short / Narrative
- Silent / Silent Fantasy
- International / Americas / North American / American
- Fantasy / Therianthrope / Hybrid / Centaur
Fragments of an Arcadian fantasy: A day in the life of a centaur family.
The Flying House
Dir. Winsor McCay
(1921)
11 minutes
- Genres:
- Animated / Cel/Hand-Drawn
- Drama / Melodrama
- Short / Narrative
- Silent / Silent Fantasy
- International / Americas / North American / American
- Fantasy / Dream
Painstaking perspective animation of the heavens and outer space, as a man and his wife attempt to escape their creditors.
L'idee
The Idea
Dir. Berthold Bartosch
(1932)
25 minutes
- Genres:
- Animated / Cel/Hand-Drawn
- Avant-garde
- International / European / French
- Silent / Silent Drama
- Drama / Political
- Short / Narrative
- Animated / Cut-Out
- Adaptation / Literary / Prose
The sole-surviving film by Berthold Bartosch is also one of the earliest examples of multiplane animation (and an extraordinary achievement in filmmaking).
Battleship Potemkin
Dir. Sergei Eisenstein
(1925)
68 minutes
- Genres:
- Drama / Realism / Docudrama
- Drama / Tragedy
- International / Eurasian / Russian
- Silent / Silent Drama
- Drama / Political
For eight decades, BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN has remained one of the most influential silent films of all time.
Piccadilly
Dir. Ewald André Dupont
(1929)
109 minutes
- Genres:
- Drama / Melodrama
- Drama / Romantic Drama
- Silent / Silent Drama
- International / Americas / North American / American
- Crime / Transgression / Murder
A Chinese scullery maid at a Piccadilly nightclub overnight becomes the toast of London (and the object of desire of all around her).
An Eastern Westerner
Dir. Hal Roach
(1919)
24 minutes
- Genres:
- Comedy / Slapstick
- Crime / Transgression / Caper/Heist
- Silent / Silent Comedy
- Short / Narrative
- International / Americas / North American / American
Rural comedy abounds in this romp as young upstart Harold is shipped to his uncle’s ranch out west.
The Wandering Shadow
Das wandernde Bild
Dir. Fritz Lang
(1920)
66 minutes
- Genres:
- Action/Adventure / Wilderness
- Drama / Melodrama
- International / European / German
- Silent / Silent Drama
THE WANDERING SHADOW follows a woman who, in the wake of a sex scandal, seeks solitude in the Bavarian Alps. There, she is continually haunted by her past, but soon stumbles upon the one thing she never expected to find: the chance of redemption.
Here are the most popular films on Fandor
Kiss Kiss Fingerbang
Dir. Gillian Horvat
(2015)
11 minutes
- Genres:
- Comedy / Black Comedy
- Comedy / Romantic Comedy
- Short / Narrative
- International / Americas / North American / American
- Independent / Narrative
A nice guy discovers a darker side to his personality when his girlfriend reveals her hidden weakness in this provocative dark comedy.
The Phone Call
Dir. Mat Kirkby
(2013)
22 minutes
- Genres:
- Drama / Melodrama
- International / European / United Kingdom / British
- Short / Narrative
Winner of the 2015 Academy Award® for Live Action Short Film. When a shy lady who works at a helpline call center receives a phone call from a mystery man, she has no idea that the encounter will change her life forever.
Toutes des connes
Life's a Bitch
Dir. François Jaros
(2014)
6 minutes
- Genres:
- Comedy / Black Comedy
- Drama / Romantic Drama
- International / Americas / North American / Canadian
- Short / Narrative
Love. Grief. Shock. Denial. Sleeplessness. Bubble bath. Mucus. Masturbation. Pigeons. Toothpaste. Hospital. F**k. Bye. Hair. Sports. Chicken. Bootie. Kids. Rejection. Squirrels. Cries. Awkward. Ninety-five scenes. Five minutes. Life’s a bitch.
The Cult of JT LeRoy
Dir. Marjorie Sturm
(2014)
92 minutes
- Genres:
- Documentary / Biography
- Documentary / Literature
- International / Americas / North American / American
- Documentary / Crime
- Independent / Documentary
Ethically charged and confusing, JT's life and death sprang open a Pandora's box of questions about literature and culture, identity and celebrity, and the reality of the society we live in.
Debra Paget, For Example
Dir. Mark Rappaport
(2015)
37 minutes
- Genres:
- Documentary / Biography
- Documentary / Art / Visual Arts / Motion Pictures
- Short / Documentary
- International / Americas / North American / American
- Independent / Documentary
Debra Paget was a contract player for 20th-Century Fox, whom they groomed and coached for stardom.
A Shock to the System
Dir. Jan Egleson
(1990)
88 minutes
- Genres:
- Comedy / Black Comedy
- Suspense / Psychological / Compulsion
- Adaptation / Literary / Prose
- International / Americas / North American / American
- Independent / Narrative
- Crime / Transgression / Murder
A middle-aged advertising executive loses his long-awaited promotion to a younger man.
Job Interview
Dir. Julia Walter
(2013)
9 minutes
- Genres:
- Drama / Melodrama
- International / European / German
- Suspense / Psychological
- Short / Narrative
When a woman applies for a job everything seems to be turning out pretty well. Until the boss starts asking strange questions and the job interview turns out to be a little different than expected.
River of Grass
Dir. Kelly Reichardt
(1994)
75 minutes
- Genres:
- Drama / Dysfunctional Family
- Drama / Melodrama
- Drama / Expedition
- International / Americas / North American / American
- Independent / Narrative
The filmmaker's darkly funny debut feature brought the writer/director back to the setting of her adolescence, where she grew up with her detective father and narcotics agent mother.
Heavy Metal Parking Lot
Dir. John Heyn, Jeff Krulik
(1986)
17 minutes
- Genres:
- Documentary / Art / Performing Arts / Music
- Documentary / Social Issues
- Documentary / History
- Music / Rockumentary / Popular Music
- International / Americas / North American / American
- Independent / Documentary
Two filmmakers interview Judas Priest fans about the superiority of metal to other kinds of music and air guitar quality.
Jerry's Deli
Dir. Tom Palazzolo
(1976)
9 minutes
- Genres:
- Documentary / Biography
- Short / Documentary
- Documentary / History
- International / Americas / North American / American
A testament to a bygone era when shrieking lunatics could run successful (even popular) businesses.
Aguirre, the Wrath of God
Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes
Dir. Werner Herzog
(1972)
94 minutes
- Genres:
- Action/Adventure / Wilderness
- Drama / Melodrama
- International / European / German
- International / European / Spanish
- Drama / Expedition
- Drama / Religious
- International / Americas / South American / Peruvian
Spanish conquistadors searching for a mythical "city of gold" in 16th-century Peru descend into madness as they penetrate ever-deeper into the then-uncharted Amazonian interior.
Becoming Anita Ekberg
Dir. Mark Rappaport
(2014)
18 minutes
- Genres:
- Documentary / Biography
- Documentary / Art / Visual Arts / Motion Pictures
- Short / Documentary
- International / Americas / North American / American
- Independent / Documentary
An exploration of how the construct of "Anita Ekberg" became an internationally famous sex goddess as a result of the careful cultivation of her image in various movies, both in Hollywood, by Frank Tashlin, and in Europe, by Federico Fellini.
Sex and Broadcasting
Dir. Tim Smith
(2016)
79 minutes
- Genres:
- Documentary / Biography
- Documentary / Art / Performing Arts / Music
- Documentary / History
- International / Americas / North American / American
- Independent / Documentary
- Documentary / Media / Broadcast Media / Radio
A human and humorous look is explored at New Jersey's WFMU, a radio station that refuses any programming boundaries.
Brian Eno: The Man Who Fell to Earth
Dir. Ed Haynes
(2011)
156 minutes
- Genres:
- Documentary / Biography
- Documentary / Art / Performing Arts / Music
- International / European / United Kingdom / British
- Music / Rockumentary / Popular Music
Musician, composer, producer, music theorist, singer and visual artist, Brian Eno is probably best known for his early work with Roxy Music and as one of the principal innovators of ambient music.
A Film Unfinished
Shtikat Haarchion
Dir. Yael Hersonski
(2010)
90 minutes
- Genres:
- Documentary / Propaganda
- Documentary / War
- Drama / Realism / Docudrama
- International / European / Polish
- Documentary / History
- International / Americas / North American / American
A FILM UNFINISHED is a film of enormous import, documenting some of the worst horrors of our time and exposing the efforts of its perpetrators to propel their agenda and cast it in a favorable light.
Dogtooth
Kynodontas
Dir. Yorgos Lanthimos
(2009)
97 minutes
- Genres:
- Comedy / Black Comedy
- Drama / Dysfunctional Family
- International / European / Greek
Graceful, enigmatic and often frightening, DOGTOOTH is an ingenious dark comedy that won the Prix Un Certain Regard at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, propelling Yorgos Lanthimos to the forefront of contemporary cinema’s most ambitious young filmmakers.
Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht
Phantom of the Night
Dir. Werner Herzog
(1979)
107 minutes
- Genres:
- Drama / Melodrama
- Drama / Romantic Drama
- International / European / German
- Horror / Creature Feature / Vampire
- Adaptation / Literary / Prose
- Adaptation / Cinematic
A hideous, chalk-skinned gargoyle seeks an end to his eternal loneliness by wooing (supernaturally) the wife of another man.
Christmas, Again
Dir. Charles Poekel
(2015)
79 minutes
- Genres:
- Drama / Melodrama
- Drama / Romantic Drama
- Holiday
- International / Americas / North American / American
- Independent / Narrative
For a fifth consecutive December, a heartbroken salesman returns to New York City to work the night shift at a sidewalk Christmas tree lot.
Take Off
Dir. Gunvor Nelson
(1972)
10 minutes
- Genres:
- Animated / Cel/Hand-Drawn
- Avant-garde
- Short / Performance
- International / Americas / North American / American
By sprinkling a little Georges Melies magic over the peep show motif, Gunvor Nelson simultaneously revels in cinema's earliest forms while exploding the medium's customary reliance on the female body.
A Bay of Blood
Twitch of the Death Nerve
Dir. Mario Bava
(1971)
84 minutes
- Genres:
- Drama / Dysfunctional Family
- International / European / Italian
- Horror / Slasher
- Crime / Transgression / Murder
- Fantasy / Supernatural
One of the most influential horror films of all time, Mario Bava's A BAY OF BLOOD is the spurting artery from which all future slasher films would flow.