Der Golem: Wie Er In Die Welt Kam (aka The Golem: How He Came Into The World) (1920)

In the Jewish ghetto of medieval Poland, a Rabbi (Albert Steinruck) reading the stars sees disaster for his people. The day after, the Emperor (Otto Gebhur) issues a mandate that the Jews must leave Prague. To save his people, the Rabbi invokes a spell that will bring his newly created clay creation, the Golem (Paul Wegener), to life to protect his people. Based on the 1915 novel by Gustav Meyrink and directed by Paul Wegener and Carl Boese. Made at the height of German expressionism in cinema, this was an influential film in the horror genre chiefly because of Karl Freund's cinematography (he would go on to shoot the 1931 DRACULA) and the art direction of Hans Poelzig and Kurt Richter. For example, its influence can clearly be seen in James Whale's film of FRANKENSTEIN (1931). Its iconic status aside, it remains a transfixing piece of horror cinema rather than just an archival museum piece. With Lydia Salmonova, Ernst Dueutsch, Lothar Muthel and Fritz Feld.