Directed by Jacque Catelain, 1924
Cast Jacque Catelain, Philippe Hériat, Simone Mareuil , Lois Moran, and Jean Murât
Composers Alloy Orchestra
Virtually unknown and unseen, Gallery of Monsters is not really a horror film (though it does presage Tod Browning’s Freaks in certain respects). It is, instead, an exciting, tender, and occasionally avant-garde love story that follows the lives of circus performers, and, in particular, the devoted relationship of Riquet and his wife Ralda. The surrounding cast of characters, which includes a giant, a little person, and a woman with only half a body, are lovingly depicted as a kind of circus family. There are some “monsters” afoot—such as the evil and lecherous circus owner, but they mostly remain behind the scenes.
One of the few directorial efforts of Jacque Catelain (L’Inhumaine), who was mostly known as an actor, Gallery of Monsters nonetheless packs in much creative confidence, from the sophisticated editing to the excellent cinematography and surreal costume design. In fact, the film bears much resemblance to the celebrated work of Catelain’s frequent collaborator (and producer of Gallery of Monsters), Marcel L’Herbier.
This excellent new restoration was completed by Lobster Films in Paris, and features a score by the inimitable Alloy Orchestra. The score was commissioned by Indiana University Cinema and the Indiana University Office of the Bicentennial.