Summary
London After Midnight, a lost silent horror film from 1927, continues to captivate with its elusive nature and mysterious history.
Art depicts Lon Chaney's vampire character from the film in a chilling gouache painting, emphasizing the limited availability of visual representations of the movie. Despite the film being lost, London After Midnight maintains its iconic status and continues to be highly desired among horror enthusiasts.
@spookykidstudios brings Lon Chaney's iconic vampire film, London After Midnight, back to life through haunting new art on Instagram. This 1927 silent horror film, directed by Tod Browning, captivated audiences with its chilling storyline. However, the film's tragic fate took a twist when the only existing print was tragically lost in a devastating fire at the MGM vault in 1965. Today, its mythical status continues to fascinate due to its elusive nature. Delve into the eerie world of London After Midnight as @spookykidstudios breathes new life into this legendary masterpiece.
Even Though No One Can See It, London After Midnight Is Still Iconic
: The London After Midnight inspired artwork showcases a captivating gouache painting of Chaney, donning a stylish top hat, a dark coat, and eerie pointed vampire teeth. spookykidstudios, in their post caption, alludes to the enigmatic history of London After Midnight. They highlight the scarcity of still images from the lost film, which allows artists to create their own interpretations. The caption also mentions the persistent rumor of a film copy being unearthed in the 1980s, although it ultimately remained elusive.Browning later transformed London After Midnight into a "talkie" film titled Mark of the Vampire, where Bela Lugosi assumed the role of the main monster. This 1935 film marked Lugosi's portrayal after Chaney's death in 1930. As the originator of the iconic role of Dracula in 1931, Lugosi continues to be revered as one of the most prominent horror actors to this day.
Lugosi being the most well-known figure in the early vampire genre, London After Midnight has maintained its infamy over the years. Despite being sought after by dedicated "old school monster fans," the early silent film is unfortunately not available due to the possibility that the last remaining copy was destroyed in the MGM fire. However, there remains a slim chance that mislabeled microfilm archives might hold some of its content.
Since London After Midnight was lost before being digitized, there is no way to view this vampire film today. Nevertheless, it is believed that the film's script still exists, and there are plans to adapt it into an audio drama. Apart from a few existing stills, any other remnants of London After Midnight reside solely in the imaginations of diehard horror fans and artists like those mentioned.
Source: spookykidstudios/Instagram