Universal’s Legacy of Horror: The Man Who Laughs (1928)

By Steve Biodrowski • September 20, 2012

Cover of Paul Leni's The Man Who Laughs

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presents this black-and-white silent film, based on Victor Hugo’s novel and starring Conrad Veidt, as part of “A Monstrous Centennial: Universal’s Legacy of Horror” – a series of screenings and an exhibition of artwork from the classic era of Universal Studios horror movies.

The Man Who Laughs is one of those films whose designation as “horror” is mostly a matter of guilt by association. Its tale of a noble with a disfigured face (which makes him seem to be permanently laughing) uses imagery that is part of a tradition including The Hunchback of Notre Dame and The Phantom of the Opera.

Location: Samuel Goldwyn Theater 8949 Wilshire Boulevard Beverly Hills, CA 90211

Link out: Click here

Date: October 8 at 7:30pm

For more on - A Monstrous Centennial: Universal's Legacy of Horror - click the links below.

Categories: Screenings, Updates
Tags: AMPAS, An American Werewolf in London, Beverly Hills, Halloween 2012, Halloween Horror, Halloween screenings, The Man Who Laughs

About the Author

Steve Biodrowski

Steve Biodrowski owns and operates Hollywood Gothique. Since graduating from the University of Southern California's School of Cinema, Steve has worked as a film critic, script analyst, journalist, and interviewer. As a film journalist, his work has appeared in Movieline, Premiere, Le Cinephage (in France) and The Dark Side (in England). He served as the West Coast Editor of Cinefantastique magazine in the 1990s, then worked as the Vice President of Editorial Content at Fandom.com and, more recently, as the Executive Editor at Cinescape Online. He is currently the Managing Editor of Cinefantastique Online, the website incarnation of Cinefantastique magazine.

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The Online Guide to Fantasy Films, Mystery Movies, Sci-Fi Cinema & Halloween Horror in Los Angeles