Brilliant. But I have a few questions

It certainly wasn't the first horror film, as a version of Frankenstein was filmed in 1910 or so and is now a lost film, along with a version of Dracula which preceded this. A great deal of these old silents are lost to us. Hazards of nitrate film and the lack of foresight by the studios to preserve these films as historical relics. Once they made their money they were generally shelved and the prints destroyed beyond a few that they rented out.

As for how often I revisit this particular one, quite often actually. I think it's more effective than Nosferatu, which is credited as an example of German Expressionism but which I personally find much less visually accomplished. Which is fine for what it was. But this film is really one of the earliest examples of art, with a visionary flair not often associated with films of this era, or at least American-made ones. It's telling that the truly artistic silents came from Europe. Hollywood was well underway to be commerically-driven by this point.

The silent era is my personal favorite film era and this film is probably in my top 5. It has an atmosphere that, to this day, is unrivaled in comparison. There have certainly been better horror films, but none quite -like- it. It stands on its own. Try saying that about most films.

I was interested to see it after searching Encarta. Point was they say with the intro and conclusion it is more 'realistic'.
Interesting use of the word.

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Manelle
"to tax and to please, no more to love and to be wise, is not given to men"