As of yet, still the only way to watch this classic 1927 movie.

"London After Midnight" is perhaps the most sought after movie, that is presumed lost. The only remaining print of it was destroyed in a fire in the late '60's. I tend to say no. Remaining still existing pictures of Lon Chaney in full make-up effect added to the hype of this movie and also the fact that this Tod Browning movie features vampires, 4 years before he made the horror-classic "Dracula", starring Bela Lugosi. In 2002 a reconstruction, made from still photographs of the 1927 was made and aired on TCM. It's an attempt to retell the story and show how the movie must have been like, also with the help of persons who had actually seen the 1927 movie at the time of its release. It's an interesting experiment and attempt to reconstruct a lost movie, though it of course doesn't work out as good as the moving images would had. 

The movie purely consists out of photographs. It makes the sequence feel rather limited in terms of its mood, acting and overall storytelling. It's a flat and far from engaging way of film-making, that is not always easy to watch. I mean, you can just as good read a paper version of this movie with pictures in it and let your own imagination do the work. It perhaps would work out way better than this movie eventually did.

The movie features a whole lot of characters that don't get properly introduced (but then again, how could they). It makes the movie confusing and also from an engaging one to watch. 

The story and its plot really don't work out because of the way of storytelling. The movie is more of a murder-mystery than a horror-movie, like you perhaps would expect from persons like director Tod Browning and actor Lon Chaney. I suggest that if you want to understand the story, you watch "Mark of the Vampire". A 1935 sort of remake of this movie, also directed by Tod Browning and starring Lionel Barrymore and Bela Lugosi.

But was the 'real' "London After Midnight" really a great classic movie? I tend to say no. At the rime of its release the movie already got mixed reactions from the critics, though the movie still was the highest grossing Tod Browning/Lon Chaney movie.

The story was too weak and messy to make this a classic must-see. It isn't a very intriguing story and the movie misses tension, a good solid main plot and likable main characters. But of course it's impossible to say this with a 100% certainty, since I haven't seen the 'real' moving full length version of this movie, for the obvious reason.

It really looked like Lon Chaney's presence uplifted the movie though, both with his looks and performance. He looked genuine creepy in his role, with some great make-up effects and mimics from 'the man of a thousand faces'. It's the reason why this movie is still probably better than the average one from the same genre, especially for 1927 standards. Also Edna Tichenor as Luna the Bat Girl looked impressive in her role.

The sets looked good and it must had given the movie a real good and creepy kind of atmosphere, I assume. Like mentioned before, the make-up effects also looked really convincing and are now part of the movie its legacy and status among movie lovers.

This movie forms a good enough alternative to still be able to watch this lost 1927 movie from legendary director Tod Browning and actor Lon Chaney, until the real movie shows up again somewhere, though this isn't very likely to ever happen.

7/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

The horror genre features stories that aim to elicit fear, suspense, and a sense of dread in its audience. Horror stories often explore themes related to the unknown, the supernatural, and the macabre, and they frequently evoke strong emotional reactions such as anxiety, terror, and unease.

A reconstruction, made from still photographs, of the lost 1927 Tod Browning film London After Midnight (1927) starring Lon Chaney .

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Lon Chaney in London After Midnight (1927)

Sam Momber, Siiri Pulkkinen, and Molly Pickup in London After Midnight (2024)

Helen Black in London After Midnight (2005)

Bela Lugosi and Carroll Borland in Mark of the Vampire (1935)

Mel Ferrer, Elsa Martinelli, and Annette Stroyberg in Blood and Roses (1960)

Joan Crawford and Lon Chaney in The Unknown (1927)

Phil Davis, Steve Pemberton, and Rupert Penry-Jones in Whitechapel (2009)

Dana Andrews and Peggy Cummins in Curse of the Demon (1957)

Conrad Veidt in The Hands of Orlac (1924)

Lon Chaney, Polly Moran, Conrad Nagel, and Henry B. Walthall in London After Midnight (2002)

Marceline Day in London After Midnight (2002)

Polly Moran and Henry B. Walthall in London After Midnight (2002)

Lon Chaney and Conrad Nagel in London After Midnight (2002)

Lon Chaney, Conrad Nagel, and Henry B. Walthall in London After Midnight (2002)

Edna Tichenor in London After Midnight (2002)

Lon Chaney and Henry B. Walthall in London After Midnight (2002)

Lon Chaney, Marceline Day, Polly Moran, Conrad Nagel, and Henry B. Walthall in London After Midnight (2002)

Polly Moran in London After Midnight (2002)

London After Midnight

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