The Magic Shoes

The Golem

January 1915 •German

This mostly lost film is often confused with director Paul Wegener third and readily available interpretation of the legend; Der Golem, wie er in die Welt kam (1920). In this version of the golem legend, the golem, a clay statue brought to life by Rabbi Loew in 16th century Prague to save the Jews from the ongoing brutal persecution by the city's rulers, is found in the rubble of an old synagogue in the 20th century. Brought to life by an antique dealer, the golem is used as a menial servant. Eventually falling in love with the dealer's wife, it goes on a murderous rampage when its love for her goes unanswered.

The Light of the World

March 1931 •Hindi

A period fantasy that told of the ageing king of Kamarpur, and his two rival queens, Navbahar and Dilbahar, and their rivalry when a fakir predicts that Navbahar will bear the king's heir. Dilbahar unsuccessfully tries to seduce the army chief Adil (Vithal) and vengefully destroys his family, leaving his daughter Alam Ara (Zubeida) to be raised by nomads. Eventually, Alam Ara's nomad friends invade the palace, expose Dilbahar's schemes, release Adil from the dungeon and she marries the prince of the realm.

The Fairylogue and Radio-Plays

September 1908 •

L. Frank Baum would appear in a white suit and present his live actors, slide shows and films as a live travelogue presentation of his popular fantasies. Highlights include Dorothy being swept to Oz in various ways, such as with back-projection tornadoes and storms in a chicken coop. Lack of financial backing forced the show to fold after appearing in only two cities, despite being a critical and commercial success. This film is lost.

Viy

November 1909 •

Based on a the horror novella of the same name. First Russian horror film.

May Night, or the Drowned Maiden

January 1910 •Russian

Dorothy and the Scarecrow in Oz

April 1910 •English

Dorothy and the Scarecrow are now in the Emerald City. They have become friendly with the Wizard, and together with the woodman, the cowardly lion, and several new creations equally delightful, they journey through Oz -- the earthquake -- and into the glass city. The Scarecrow is elated to think he is going to get his brains at last and be like other men are; the Tin-Woodman is bent upon getting a heart, and the cowardly lion pleads with the great Oz for courage. All these are granted by his Highness. Dorothy picks the princess. -- The Dangerous Mangaboos. -- Into the black pit, and out again. We then see Jim, the cab horse, and myriads of pleasant surprises that hold and fascinate.

John Dough and the Cherub

December 1910 •English

John Dough gives his assistance in the celebration of the Fourth. No end of trouble results from the invasion of his peaceful rest by the much-despised Miffkits. Then comes the cherub, who introduces Dough to his animal friends, incidentally secures supplies. He then visits the fairies' garden and later interviews the Princess Ozma, who makes a prophecy: "The throne of Lo-Hi shall vacant be until the coming by air or sea of an oven baked man and a Cherub wee." Accordingly John Dough drops into the Land of Oz and meets the Cherub.

Curucuru and Friends: The Secrets of the Rainbow Tree

November 2015 •Korean

The movie takes place between Seasons 1 and 2. The Green Forest Village hosts a festival in celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the large tree growing in the middle of the village. While Curucuru and his friends are helping in the festival, they learned that tree's vitality is due to a legendary item call the Pingya, which gives it Eternal Love and Life. But in the midst of the festival, a bunch of Pirate Hyenas came to the village and stole the legendary item, causing the tree to wilt. Now it's up to Curucuru and his pals to get it back from the pirates, before things can go worse. But amid-st the actual troubles they face, the kids also encounter a strange Tiger child, who is connected to the incident.

Feet of Clay

September 1924 •English

Kerry Harlan (La Rocque) is unable to work because he was injured in a battle with a shark, so his youthful wife Amy (Reynolds) becomes a fashion model. While she is away from home, Bertha, the wife of his surgeon, is trying to force her attentions on Kerry and is accidentally killed in an attempt to evade her husband. After the scandal Amy is courted by Tony Channing, but she returns to her husband and finds him near death from gas fumes. Because they both attempted to make suicide, their spirits are rejected by "the other side," and learning the truth from Bertha's spirit they fight their way back to life. This film is presumed lost.

The Evil Eye

April 1920 •English

This serial, starring boxer Leslie King, is presumed lost.

The Miracle of Life

October 1915 •English

A young bride takes a drug that ends her pregnancy, and her husband divorces her. In the future, she is visited by the ghost of her "Child-That-Might-Have-Been" and taken to see her ex-husband (happily married with children), a land where the children of the future wait to be born, and her future damnation to hell.

The Hallucinated Alchemist

May 1897 •French

The Flicker Alley DVD "Georges Méliès: Encore New Discoveries (1896-1911)" misidentified a partial hand-colored print of the 1906 film "Alchimiste Parafaragaramus ou La cornue infernale" (The Mysterious Retort) as this film, "L'hallucination de l'alchimiste" (An Hallucinated Alchemist) from 1897, which continues to be considered a lost film.

The Marriage Maker

September 1923 •English

A matchmaker sets out to have a rich woman marry the not-so-rich boy she loves, and tries to persuade a poverty-stricken nobleman to marry the commoner he loves.

She

April 1917 •English

A centuries-lasting relationship between Ayesha and her oft-reincarnated true love. She, H. Rider Haggard's fanciful novel about the immortal queen of a lost tribe, has been filmed at least 10 times, with seven versions emerging between the years 1910 and 1930. A lost film.

The Iron-Eating Monster

December 1962 •Korean

During the later years of Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), a talented martial artist is murdered. His resentment makes him born again as Bulgasari, a monster that grinds and eats up iron. The monster takes his revenge on the traitors responsible for his death.

The Fortune Favors the Brave

October 1908 •French

A young boy's adventure takes him to the domain of the Genie of the Cathedral Bell, where he finds a fortune to enrich his family. The film is currently presumed lost.

Doraemon: Robot War

February 1983 •Chinese

Nobita and friends engage in an all out robot war in this unofficial installment of the Doraemon series.

The Black Crook

January 1916 •English

A Faust-like meringue involving a wealthy Count who enters into a deal with the Devil: for every soul he delivers to Satan, the count will be granted an extra year of life. One of the count's victims, an artist named Rodolphe, dedicates his life to punishing the nobleman, a mission he accomplishes with the help of the beautiful Fairy Queen.

Queen of the Sea

September 1918 •English

Annette Kellerman, the Australian swimming star of the early 1900s, made a number of films, most of them in the 1910s, which displayed her athletic skills. Most of these films were underwater fantasies, and this one was no exception. Here, Kellerman is Merilla, a mermaid who is the "Queen of the Sea." Not satisfied with being a mermaid, she wants a mortal human body with an immortal soul. She discovers she can achieve this if she saves four human lives.

A Christmas Carol

December 1908 •English

Scrooge goes into his office and begins working. His nephew, along with three women who wish for Scrooge to donate enter. However, Scrooge dismisses them. On the night of Christmas Eve, his long-dead partner Jacob Marley comes as a ghost, warning him of a horrible fate if he does not change his ways.