Much has been written (and rewritten) about classic horror and science fiction films like Nosferatu and Metropolis, as well as not-so-classic pictures like Bride of the Monster and The Hideous Sun Demon. Yet some genre films have fallen through the cracks. The 24 films-some elusive, some easily found on YouTube-examined in this book all suffered critical neglect and were prematurely stacked in the attic. The authors bring them back into the light, beginning with Der Tunnel (1915), based on an international bestseller about the building of a transatlantic tunnel, and ending with The Emperor's Baker-The Baker's Emperor (1951), a bizarre Marxist take on the Golem legend. A variety of thrillers are covered - Fog (1933), Return of the Terror (1934), Forgotten Faces (1928) - along with such sci-fi leaps into the future as The Sky Ranger (1921), High Treason (1929) and Just Imagine (1930). Early adaptations include The Man Who Laughs (1928), The Monkey's Paw (1923), Hound of the Baskervilles (1937) and Sweeney Todd (1928). Rare stills and background material are included in a discussion of Hispanic vintage horror. The career of exploitation auteur, Bud Pollard (The Horror, 1933) is examined.

German director Frank Wisbar (1899-1967) had the misfortune of achieving success as a filmmaker just as Hitler came to power. While critics praised his work, Nazi cultural watchdogs were scornful of his attempts to chart ""the landscape of the soul"" in films like Ferryman Maria (1936) and Anna and Elisabeth (1933). Wisbar fled to America, where Hollywood saw him as no more than a technician, good for churning out low-budget horror like Strangler of the Swamp (1945) and Devil Bat's Daughter (1946). A successful stint in early television allowed him to return home to a very different Germany, where he abandoned his earlier mystical themes to tackle questions of war and peace, tabloid journalism and racial conflict. The author examines the films and career of an under-appreciated auteur who ultimately lost faith in his own vision.

During the Silent Era, when most films dealt with dramatic or comedic takes on the ""boy meets girl, boy loses girl"" theme, there were also quite a few motion pictures that dared to tackle such topics as rejuvenation, revivication, mesmerism, the supernatural and the grotesque. A Daughter of the Gods (1916), The Phantom of the Opera (1925), The Magician (1926) and Seven Footprints to Satan (1929) were among the unusual and startling films containing story elements that went far beyond the realm of ""highly unlikely."" Using surviving documentation and their combined expertise, the authors offer their thoughts on these departures from the norm in this encyclopedic discussion on the American view of cinematic horror, science fiction and fantasy in the years between 1913 and 1929.

The very first film actor to be identified with horror roles was Paul Wegener. A distinguished stage actor, Wegener was fascinated by film and its potential to portray the uncanny and the macabre. Sometimes acting as director and writer as well as performer, Wegener played in a series of fantastic films in the tens, the most famous of which are "The Student of Prague" and "The Golem." His directing career faltered in the twenties but he continued to play mad scientists, monsters and various grotesque characters. The book has detailed essays on 17 of his most significant genre films and includes first hand descriptions of such rarities as "The Lost Shadow, Svengali, Hans Trutz" and "Ramper the Beast Man." In addition to a biography of Wegener, there is also a detailed filmography of all his movies, including the obscure ones he directed in the 1930s.