The two things that scare the most people are spiders and clowns. There are few who aren’t unnerved by either one, and oddly there are few who fear them both. I’m a spider guy, my wife hates clowns. Spiders have those long, thin legs that allow surprise bursts of speed and maneuverability. With clowns, it starts with their smile, a creepy contrast to hide their potential murderous intent. Without Conrad Veidt as the disfigured Gwynplaine, there would be no Joker. His face permanently carved into a grin by outlaws, he works as a sideshow attraction and finds love from a blind girl. It’s impossible for Gwynplaine to express his deep sadness because of his smile.
Discovered decades later as a forgotten gem, The Man Who Laughs is one of the final masterworks of German expressionism. Based on a novel by Victor Hugo, it transitions the form into Gothic Horror with unusual camera angles and jarring edits. Unlike the dream logic of previous German Horror, the plotting here is straightforward, closer to melodrama. The monster is the victim, a radical idea that would be used for Frankenstein, and gives power to 2026’s Obsession.
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