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Adapted from the Victor Hugo novel, The Man Who Laughs is Gwynplaine (an extraordinary Conrad Veidt), a carnival sideshow performer in 17th-century England, his face mutilated into a permanent, ghoulish grin by his executed father’s royal court enemies. Gwynplaine struggles through life with the blind Dea (Phantom of the Opera‘s Mary Philbin) as his companion though she is unable to see it, his disfigurement still causes Gwynplaine to believe he is unworthy of her love. But when his proper royal lineage becomes known by Queen Anne, Gwynplaine must choose between regaining a life of privilege, or embracing a new life of freedom with Dea.
The startling makeup on Veidt was the acknowledged direct inspiration for The Joker in the 1940 Batman comic that introduced the character, and film versions of The Joker have been even more specific in their references to Leni’s film. While The Man Who Laughs contains powerful elements of tragedy, doomed romance, and even swashbuckling swordplay, its influence on horror cinema is most pronounced. Leni died suddenly at the age of 44 a year after this film (with Veidt also unexpectedly passing away too soon in 1943), and The Man Who Laughs endures as one of the most haunting and stylish American silent films, made just as that era was coming to a close. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present the film on home video for the first time ever in the UK.
BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES:
- LIMITED EDITION O CARD (2000 UNITS)
- 1080p presentation on Blu-ray from Universal s 4K restoration
- Uncompressed LPCM 2.0 (stereo) score by the Berklee School of Music
- Uncompressed LPCM 2.0 (mono) 1928 movietone score
- A brand new interview with author and horror expert Kim Newman
- A brand new video essay by David Cairns and Fiona Watson
- Paul Leni and “The Man Who Laughs” featurette on the production of the film
- Rare stills gallery
- A collector s booklet featuring new writing by Travis Crawford, and Richard Combs
