While watching the 1926 version of THE STUDENT OF PRAGUE I noticed the earlier 1913 version was on there too so I thought I'd check it out. This is listed by some as the first feature-length horror movie ever made and in addition was the debut for director Paul Wegener, who went on to great success with DER GOLEM. For what it's worth I think the 1926 version is the much better bet as Conrad Veidt is a much stronger actor in the lead role than Wegener (who casts himself as Balduin) is here. Otherwise the two films are virtually identical plot-wise, although this 1913 version plays down the horror and atmosphere so that it seems tamer and less spooky than the later movie, particularly the climax that lacks the great stalking sequence that made the 1926 version so enjoyable for me. Certainly not bad if you're interested in the history of the genre, but superceded by what was to come.
Review of The Student of Prague
