Beyond the Classics is a recurring column in which Emily Kubincanek highlights lesser-known old movies and examines what makes them memorable.
By Emily Kubincanek
Everyone loves a good ghost story. You have this film to thank for their popularity in cinema today.
We look at the 1930 film ‘Madam Satan’ — where it fails and where it accidentally succeeds.
The queer storyline and fascinating lives of the lead actors set this film apart from other crime romances before and since.
The 1935 film relies on stereotypes but inadvertently shows the debilitating barriers that racism puts on Mexican immigrants.
Suspense, camp, and social commentary are all on display in this early film noir.
In 1955, John Parker’s experimental feature didn’t find its deserved audience. Today, we present it as an essential work of horror cinema existing in the canon beyond the classics.
Dorothy Arzner’s 1931 film ‘Working Girls’ shows “MEN may do the bossing — but the girls make their own plans for them!’
The restored Criterion edition of Frank Borzage’s masterpiece romance shows the talent and intuition he had to reach the audience’s hearts.
First-wave feminism sprung from the birth control movement, which is on full display in Weber’s controversial 1916 film.
