Waxworks (1924) ***

Paul Leni’s Waxworks (Das Wachsfigurenkabinett) (1924), is an entertaining, if uneven, anthology in the German Expressionist style starring three titans of German silent cinema. The wraparound concerns a writer (William Dieterle) who takes a job crafting stories about waxwork show exhibits. The first segment, regarding the Caliph of Baghdad (Emil Jannings), is occasionally amusing, but too long and hasn't aged well. The middle episode, about Ivan The Terrible (Conrad Veidt), is the best (and darkest) one. The final part, featuring Jack The Ripper/Spring-Heeled Jack (Werner Krauss), is quite good but frustratingly brief and leaves the viewer wanting more. I didn't enjoy Waxworks as much as the other Leni picture that I've seen (so far), 1927's The Cat And The Canary (review)—to be fair, they are vastly different types of movies—but there is still entertainment (and historical) value to be found in this nearly 100-year-old film (!) for those that appreciate silents.

Paul Leni Feature Films Ranked