Reference Guide to Fantastic Films
List of movies from the book
List activity
66 views
• 0 this weekCreate a new list
List your movie, TV & celebrity picks.
90 titles
- DirectorCharles BartonWalter LantzStarsBud AbbottLou CostelloLon Chaney Jr.The Wolf Man tries to warn a dimwitted porter that Dracula wants his brain for Frankenstein monster's body.
- DirectorJan LenicaA man is persecuted by an enormous and abusive letter 'A'.
- DirectorBent H. Barfod
- DirectorGeorge JonasStarsArmando BógusAntônio FagundesFelipe CaroneClown tells the story of João Grilo, a rich couple's lively employee who cheats everybody in town: arranges a funeral for a dog, bribes the priest and the bishop into celebrating a mass in latin for the animal, and performs many other bizarre things. After he dies, he's submitted to a trial in Heaven, being judged by a black Christ, having the Devil as prosecutor and the Virgin Mary as his defense.
- DirectorBurt GillettStarsMel BlancMargaret Hill-TalbotHarry StantonThe introduction of Lantz's little black-boy character, L'il Eight Ball, finds him going to bed in his small cabin and being visited by a baby ghost. He avers he is not afraid, and his isn't, so the little ghost transports him to a haunted mill where the adult ghosts hang out. They run the little hero through all the standard ghost tests and, while he is shaken, he still will not admit to being scared.
- DirectorAlfred L. WerkerStarsStan LaurelOliver HardyDanteStan and Ollie get involved with con men, crooks, a genial magician, and two interchangeable coffins with disastrous but funny results.
- DirectorRené ClairStarsRaymond CordyHenri MarchandRolla FranceSeeking better life, two convicts escape from prison.
- DirectorUmberto LenziStarsIngrid SchoellerAlberto LupoDina De SantisThe British Secret Service sends agent 606 to Cairo to collaborate with an American colleague in searching for a stolen anti-radar device. Arriving in Egypt, he finds that agent A008 is actually an attractive female.
- DirectorBoris KaufmanJean VigoWhat starts off as a conventional travelogue turns into a satirical portrait of the town of Nice on the French Cote d'Azur, especially its wealthy inhabitants.
- DirectorHenri ChometteMan RayA collaboration between Man Ray and Henri Chomette,, half-brother of the filmmaker René Clair.
- DirectorNanabhai BhattStarsAshok KumarRaginiSailesh KumarSuspected for killing the wealthy father of his lover, a man, formerly known as Mr.X, goes on the run from the Police.
- DirectorA. BhimsinghStarsDilip KumarWaheeda RehmanManoj KumarRajesh, though orphaned at a very age, comes from a very wealthy and noble family, is very insecure and possessive almost to the point of an obsession. As a child he had loved a girl named Meena, and when she tragically passes away, Rajesh substituted her with a doll. When he found that another young boy had touched the doll, he starts a fight with him, and ends up killing him. Years later, Rajesh has grown up, but still has the doll in his closet drawer, he has fallen in love with a woman named Meena and wants to marry her. He even gives Girdharilal, Meena's dad, some money so that he can get his eldest daughter, Parvati, married to Prem, the son of money-lender, Mayadas. He introduces Meena to his close and best friend, Dr. Shekhar, and soon gets formally engaged to Meena. Thereafter, Rajesh and Meena have an automobile accident, in which Rajesh becomes paralyzed and must be confined in a wheelchair. It is then that Rajesh finds out that Shekhar and Meena are having an affair, and the old murderous and possessive hatred, that he had managed to conceal, surfaces again - and this time it will be Shekhar's turn.
- DirectorMehboob KhanStarsDilip KumarNimmiPremnath MalhotraAfter ascending to the throne, King Shamsher Singh begins a reign of terror and oppression. A young commoner named Jai then decides to challenge the king and kidnaps his sister.
- StarsVaralakshmi G.Aaravalli is a women-oriented story. Aaravalli is the name of Queen who rules on Men. The story is set in the kingdom of Nellurupattinam of which the title character Aaravalli (G. Varalakshmi) and her sister Sooravalli (S. Mohana) are disputed rulers. The story in fact refers to seven sisters, but the reins of control were in the hands of these two women Aravalli and Sooravalli, who are described as magician. Bheema offers to conquer them. But Bheema (Thirupathisamy) faces defeat at the hands of these two women, who utterly humiliate him and send to prison. But he escape from prison. Then, Sooravalli visits Indraprasta and she complains to King Dharma (K. Nadarajan) for his brother Bheema and Dharma send back his brother for nelluru pattinam. The astrologer skill Sahadevan to formulated a master plan against the two cunning women. The plan is their nephew Alli muthu (S. G. Eswar) the son of their Sister Sangavathy (M. S. Draupadi), for the specific purpose of taking challenged posed sisters on behalf Pandavas. So, Alli Muthu and his companion named as Arayathi (Kaka Radhakrishnan) arrival to Nelluru Pattinam Kingdom. After long travel, their spent few hours for rest and Vainsh hungry and thirsty. Alli Muthu was got some rarity herbal nearby the water pond and their kept at it. Finally, their come to Nelluru pattinam and meets the magician's Queens and her posed three challenge to him. And alli Muthu accepts three challenges. alli Muthu meets Aaravalli's daughter alangaravalli (Mynavathi) at palace his impressed with her. Alangavalli and Alli Muthu fall in love. Then Alli Muthu faced three challenges and victory end of this challenge to help of dominate queen daughter Alangaravalli. As a sign of their submission the two queens offers their daughter alangaravalli in married to victory. The newly wedded couple and Arayathi arrives to Indraprasta Kingdom. The pair make their way into forest where the bride in her innocence follows the instruction of her mother and g
- DirectorA.E. ColebyStarsH. Agar LyonsFred PaulJoan ClarksonIn this 9th episode, a mysterious murder sets Nayland Smith and Dr. Petrie once again on the trail of villainous Fu-Manchu, and seeking a strange old stick with magical powers.
- DirectorCharles LamontStarsBud AbbottLou CostelloRobert PaigeTwo workmen accidentally launch a space rocket intended for Mars, and find mistakenly landing in New Orleans just the beginning of their misadventures.
- DirectorCharles LamontStarsBud AbbottLou CostelloBoris KarloffTwo bumbling American cops hunt for the mysterious Mr. Hyde in London, England.
- DirectorCharles LamontStarsBud AbbottLou CostelloNancy GuildTwo bumbling private eyes help a man, wrongly accused of murder who has become invisible, to clear his name.
- DirectorCharles BartonStarsBud AbbottLou CostelloBoris KarloffTwo employees of a secluded hotel investigate a murder on the premises in which the goofy bellboy is the prime suspect.
- DirectorCharles LamontStarsBud AbbottLou CostelloMarie WindsorTwo bumbling Americans stumble on the discovery of a lifetime when their search for a mummy leads them to a sacred medallion that holds the key to buried treasure.
- StarsM.G. Ramachandran
- DirectorRobert FuestStarsVincent PriceJoseph CottenVirginia NorthDoctor, scientist, organist, and biblical scholar Anton Phibes seeks revenge on the nine doctors he considers responsible for the death of his wife.
- DirectorChuck JonesMaurice NobleStarsMel BlancBugs and Daffy run into the abominable snowman in the Himalayas.
- DirectorVal GuestStarsForrest TuckerPeter CushingMaureen ConnellA kindly English botanist and a gruff American scientist lead an expedition to the Himalayas in search of the legendary Yeti.
- DirectorShamus CulhaneStarsPatricia KayHarry LangDick NelsonIn this Swing Symphony cartoon things are hopping on an Arabian desert when local tribesmen gather at the Adobe Club for an evening of middle-eastern jitterbugging, boogie-woogie and truckin'. A very-shapely-indeed girl is dancing to a song about Abou Ben Boogie, the Oriental Rug Cutter, whose advances toward the girl are thwarted by a dancing camel. The dancer manages to elude Ben Boogie and all the other wolfish attendees.
- DirectorDusan Vukotic
- DirectorGeorges Méliès
- DirectorCharles H. FranceStarsMay AbbeyWilliam BechtelBliss MilfordMr. Grayson's claim to greatness lay in his invention of a magic hair restorer; Mrs. Grayson was remarkable for the curious manner in which her brain worked. She was never able to set her mind on whatever she happened to be doing. One morning, she took her small son, the pride and hope of the family, off on a shopping tour. After making a few purchases in a drugstore, Mrs. Grayson opened her pocketbook and took out a roll of bills. Then she looked in the pocketbook again: her money was gone. The excitement which intervened between the time that she made this horrifying discovery and the time that the clerk pointed out to her that she was still holding the money in her right hand, was so intense that Mrs. Grayson swept out of the store with never a thought about her son. By the time she reached home, she had completely forgotten that she had taken him with her, so when she looked for him upon her return and found no trace of him around the house, Hence when she looked for the infant upon her return and found no trace of it about the house, she immediately jumped to the conclusion that he had been kidnapped. Hectic times followed. While Mr. and Mrs. Grayson tore frantically about town, the baby was found by one of the policemen who had been detailed to search for him. To keep him out of mischief until the family returned, the Graysons' maid placed him in a large packing case. A considerable quantity of Mr. Grayson's wonderful tonic had been spilled in the packing case that very morning. When the boy was restored to his mother's arms, he rejoiced in a mustache and beard that a man of 40 might have envied. It was a great advertisement for the hair tonic, anyway.
- DirectorRobert StevensonStarsFred MacMurrayNancy OlsonKeenan WynnA college professor invents an anti-gravity substance which a corrupt businessman wants for himself.
- DirectorMary Ellen ButeTed NemethI wanted to manipulate light to produce visual compositions in time continuity much as a musician manipulates sound to produce music. It was particularly while I listened to music that I felt an overwhelming urge to translate my reactions and ideas into visual form that would have the ordered sequence of music. - Mary Ellen Brute
- DirectorPier Paolo PasoliniStarsFranco CittiFranca PasutSilvana CorsiniA pimp with no other means to provide for himself finds his life spiraling out of control when his prostitute is sent to prison.
- DirectorGaston Velle
- DirectorFord BeebeClifford SmithStarsJohn 'Dusty' KingJean RogersNoah Beery Jr.This 13 chapter serial is based on the comic strip character Ace Drummond created by Eddie Rickenbacker. Ace is a 'G-Man of the sky' working out of Washington D.C. He is sent to Mongolia to find out why a mysterious villain known only as 'The Dragon' is trying to prevent the newly formed International Airways from setting up an airport there. Ace meets Peggy Trainor (Jean Rogers) who is searching for her archaeologist father who has disappeared. Together they search for answers to the puzzles.
- DirectorRay TaylorStarsCrauford KentFlorence AllenAlbert PriscoFrom the Universal synopsis: Retired Inspector Blake of Scotland Yard learns that Lord Blanton has acquired the sacred "Love Ring"---a cursed jewel that has brought grief to its previous owners. Prince Darius seeks to obtain the ring, and the mummy of a princess of an ancient country to return them to his homeland. Blake and his servant, Jarvis, find a card---The Queen of Diamonds---which is the mark of the most dangerous woman in the underworld. Mary Duveen , the Blanton housekeeper, is really the Queen, disguising herself as a spectacularly ugly crone. Darius comes to believe that Lady Diana Blanton, Lord Blanton's daughter, is the reincarnation of Princess Xah Fari, and sets his sights on her also. His hypnotic influence soon has the girl experiencing dreams of a vanished civilization. Mary acquires the ring and Jarvis recovers it and Mary steals it back and plants it on Lady Di, and then lures her to a Limehouse den but Blake and Jarvis follow and rescue her and the ring. Learning that Diana intends to give the ring to Darius, to end the effects of the curse, Blake substitutes a copy. He accuses Mary of theft, and reveals evidence that the real Queen of Diamonds is in prison, and she admits to being an agent for a wealthy American collector who seeks the ring. She assumed the guise of the Queen in order to gain the cooperation of the underworld. Blake persuades her to assist him against Darius, who he believes to be "Diamond" Donovan, an international criminal. But Darius convinces Diana that Blake and Mary are working against her, and she turns against the Scotland Yard man.
- DirectorStan VanderbeekStarsNikita KhrushchevCombines live photography and collage animation in one film. A cut-out of Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev sails over newspaper articles as they take place.
- DirectorJorge GrauStarsMartin LaSallePilar ClemensJuan Luis GaliardoA rural fisherman meets a flirtatious stranger and impulsively follows her to the city through a series of odd adventures.
- DirectorMario MattoliStarsErminio MacarioIsa BarzizzaGianni AgusEva Bianchi, who works as a manicure in a beauty salon in Milan, falls in love with the owner Adamo Rossi. But Adam, who at first always gives her roses, now no longer seems interested in her.
- DirectorAlberto GoutStarsChristiane MartelCarlos BaenaAdam and Eve are placed by God in Paradise, but because of the world-famous boo-boo they committed, God cops an attitude and decides to teach them a lesson.
- DirectorDusan MarekA near-abstract, animated allegory on the creation of humanity.
- DirectorRené GaveauStarsMichèle CarvelJean CarmetThérèse DornyIn this comedy, a man gets a sex change to fulfil his wish to become a cabaret artiste.
- DirectorJan LenicaStarsRuss DodsonJan Lenica's semi-autobiographical movie about a life of a man under the number "44". He experiences bureaucracy, abusive step-parents, oppression from the government and society. In the end, he tries to get away to the "lost paradise".
- DirectorCecil B. DeMilleStarsMilton SillsElliott DexterTheodore KosloffMichael Ramsay only has time for gathering his fortune in wheat. His wife seeks comfort elsewhere and, to avoid a scandal, her daughter Mathilda assumes her mother's guilt. Ramsay nearly goes broke but gets rich again; his wife returns.
- DirectorJerome EpsteinStarsMilo O'SheaPhyllis DillerBillie WhitelawAn accountant whose job is about to be taken over by a computer starts to re-examine his life and his priorities.
- DirectorGeorges MélièsStarsGeorges MélièsJeanne MareylaA man attempts to sit on a stool, only to find a woman has magically appear to steal his place. This happens again and again. Soon, more amazing transformations occur.
- DirectorPeter KubelkaAn early experimental short film produced by Peter Kubelka.
- DirectorLee RaymondStarsLaurie RoseRene BondJane TsentasA crazed doctor, who has already murdered a man, finds Dr. Jekyll's diary and mixes up Jekyll's formula. He mixes up a batch of the potion, turns into the Jekyll monster and begins to stalk, rape and murder women.
- DirectorSu LiStarsJimmy Wang YuPaul Chang ChungYeh TienTi Si-guan, captain of the 6th Union Brotherhood, vows to uncover the conspiracy behind who killed his former captain ten years ago. As he uncovers the truth, he becomes entangled in the plot, which is far bigger than he imagined.
- DirectorAlina Maliszewska
- DirectorPaolo AzzurriStarsPaolo AzzurriMary Bayma-Riva
- DirectorYakov ProtazanovStarsLev SverdlinKonstantin MikhaylovEmmanuil GellerFollows the adventures of the "Robin Hood of the East". Posing as a wise man from Damascus Nasreddin becomes the tyrannical Emir's trusted adviser. Little does the Emir know that Nasreddin's secretly working against him - a plot that includes stealing the Emir's prize harem girl.
- DirectorFrank CapraStarsMarcia McBroomJim BackusMel BlancA futuristic documentary for Martin Marietta Corporation, about America's plans for a space station and space shuttles.
- DirectorFranz Winzentsen
- A smart young man is invited to display his skill as a hypnotist at a party. He manages to work the influence until he meets a charming young lady who is also a hypnotist. Their powers over other people clash when they meet and thus instead of exercising an attraction over the other, they are unable to get as near to each other as they would like. The situation becomes serious, as they have fallen in love, but of course, love making is out of the question when the lovers are unable to approach each other. The spell is at last broken by a professional hypnotist, who hypnotizes them both. Under the spell they are again able to act normally; thus things are set right once more. Take heed, ye amateur dabblers in mesmerism, lest ye bungle things slightly and meet a similar fate.
- DirectorJohn Hubley
- DirectorDaniil CherkesCartoon based on Rudolph Erich Raspe's stories about Baron Münchhausen.
- DirectorJosef von BákyStarsHans AlbersWilhelm BendowMichael BohnenThis lavish, impudent, adult fairy tale takes the viewer from 18th-century Braunschweig to St. Petersburg, Constantinople, Venice, and then to the moon using ingenious special effects, stunning location shooting.
- DirectorSpencer Gordon BennetStarsJohn HartRick VallinBen WeldenTrapper Nat Coleman and government agent Ted Arnold come upon a plot to take over an African nation. Its leader, Caliph Abdul el Hamid, has been exiled from his country and replaced by a look-alike usurper allied with an unnamed foreign power. The Caliph intends to return but enemy agents Boris and Greg are out to stop him. Captain Africa a masked jungle lord, appears occasionally to aid Nat and Ted.
- DirectorJohn EnglishWilliam WitneyStarsTom TylerFrank Coghlan Jr.William 'Billy' BenedictTo protect a magic talisman from being used for evil, a teenage boy named Billy Batson is given the power to become an adult superhero, Captain Marvel, with a single magic word: "Shazam!"
- DirectorCilong WangStarsPeng FeiCheuk-Cheuk LeeNaidong Wang
- DirectorLotte ReinigerDr. Dolittle, a veterinarian with a knack for talking to animals, ventures to Africa to cure a troop of sick monkeys.
- DirectorWladyslaw Nehrebecki
- DirectorJames AlgarClyde GeronimiJack KinneyStarsBing CrosbyBasil RathboneEric BloreAn animated adaptation of "The Wind in the Willows" followed by an adaptation of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow".
- DirectorIrving RapperStarsFredric MarchAlexis SmithDonald CrispThe dramatized life of immortal humorist Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, from his days as a riverboat pilot on the Mississippi River until his death in 1910 shortly after Halley's Comet returned.
- DirectorWaldemar BonselsWolfram JunghansA dramatized documentary displaying living bees and other forest animals interacting with each other. Based on a fairy tale by the same name (1912), written by Waldemar Bonsels (1881-1952). He himself assisted in the filming.
- DirectorLotte ReinigerCarl KochA handsome prince rides a flying horse to faraway lands and embarks on magical adventures, which include befriending a witch, meeting Aladdin, battling demons and falling in love with a princess.
- DirectorFord BeebeB. Reeves EasonStarsRexRin Tin Tin Jr.Kane RichmondA 12 episode serial starring Rex, the King of the Wild Horses and Rin-Tin-Tin, Jr. Rex is brought from the island of Sujan, where he is worshiped as a God-Horse, to the U.S. to be trained as a polo pony. He escapes, meets Rinty and with the help of Frank Bradley is returned to Sujan. The natives have been persuaded to turn against their God-Horse, however he is rescued just in time before he is burned as a sacrifice.
- DirectorJean EpsteinStarsJean AngeloSuzanne BianchettiMarquisette BoskyNoted bandit Robert Macaire and his faithful assistant Bertrand arrive at a new town and begin to ply their trade. But will there affections for the women they love be their undoing?
- DirectorKikubhai DesaiStarsMotiNavinchandraVasantrao
- DirectorAlfred L. WerkerStarsBasil RathboneNigel BruceIda LupinoThe master sleuth hunts his archenemy, Professor Moriarty, who is planning the crime of the century.
- DirectorDerwin AbrahamsSpencer Gordon BennetStarsGeorge ReevesCharles KingWilliam FawcettSir Galahad, a knight of the Round Table, searches for the legendary sword Excalibur.
- DirectorKajirô YamamotoStarsNorihei MikiFukutarô IchikawaNobuo ChibaThe mythical adventures of the legendary Chinese trickster Monkey, who must outwit a variety of wily demons who stand in the way of him and his fellow Buddhist travelers. Though portrayed as a literal, if rather anthropomorphized, monkey in the original legends, this film substitutes the spindly comic actor Norihei Miki, sans makeup.
- DirectorRobert F. HillScott SidneyStarsElmo LincolnLouise LorraineScott PembrokeWhen Jane is abducted by Arab slave traders, Tarzan comes to her rescue, only to see her kidnapped again by Queen La of Opar. To save Jane, Tarzan must battle both the queen's minions and William Clayton, who seeks Tarzan's family title.
- DirectorGeorges MélièsAtop a wonderful central pedestal, a happy clown puts the finishing touches on a William Tell's incomplete model, assembling the mannequin limb by limb with the intention of shooting a target off of its head with a potent crossbow.
- DirectorWalter R. BoothAnarchists build a super aircraft and bomb a railway, a fort and St. Paul's.
- DirectorWalter R. BoothFlying pirates torpedo a liner then travel under the sea to salvage bullion.
- DirectorCharles BartonStarsBud AbbottLou CostelloClyde BeattyTwo booksellers search for diamonds in Africa, along the way meeting a visually-impaired gunner, a hungry lion, and a tribe of cannibals.
- DirectorGiulio AntamoroStarsHesperiaLuciano MolinariIgnazio Lupi
- Through a dream a young man reveals the early family history of his grandfather, who in October, 1810, while gambling with some friends, became involved, ending with the sinking of his body in the river, just outside the Royal George Inn.
- DirectorC.J. WilliamsStarsWilliam WadsworthIda WilliamsKathleen CoughlinA prince among good fellows is John Northrup, who loves his club, but never forgets he has a home and a fond, loving wife. He keeps good hours notwithstanding the jibes and jests of his fellow club members. One night, he is pleased to find his wife preparing a Welsh rabbit for him. After finishing the rabbit he sinks into the old armchair at the fireplace to smoke a cigar and soon dozes off to sleep and has a most remarkable dream. He sees himself about to die, supposedly of having over indulged in Welsh rabbit. The doctor at the bedside pronounces his case beyond hope; he bids his wife and friends goodbye and dies. His spirit is transported Heavenward by an angel, who guides him to the golden gates of Heaven. Here he meets unexpected obstacles, and plead as he will, he fails utterly in gaining admission. Finally in despair he inquires for Tom, Dick and Harry, who were his pals at the club and learns that they have been sent to the world of darkness, so sadly he begins his journey on the downward path and finally reaches the domain of his Satanic majesty, who gives him a royal welcome and bids him enter, assuring him that his friends Tom, Dick and Harry are inside. Upon reaching the depths below he finds it uncomfortably hot, owing to the fact that the Satanic stokers are working overtime. He meets his friends, Tom, Dick and Harry and a devilish bartender serves them with fiery drinks after which they initiate him by roasting his feet in a blazing furnace. At that moment he is awakened from his nightmare and is overjoyed to find himself in his own room, so close to the grate fire that his slippers are scorching. At that moment he espies his wife, who looks askance at her chuckling hubby. Describing his dream, she laughs heartily as he declares no more Welsh rabbit at midnight for him.
- DirectorLuis BuñuelStarsGaston ModotLya LysCaridad de LaberdesqueA surrealist tale of a man and a woman who are passionately in love with each other, but their attempts to consummate that passion are constantly thwarted by their families, the Church, and bourgeois society.