CONCERT: The Golem silent film with live score in Lancaster, SC

Widely recognized as the source of the Frankenstein myth, the ancient Hebrew legend of the Golem provides substance for one of the most adventurous films of the German silent cinema. Suffering under the tyrannical rule of Rudolf II in 16th-century Prague, a Talmudic rabbi creates a giant warrior to protect the safety of his people. Sculpted of clay and animated by the mysterious secrets of the Kabbalah, the Golem is a seemingly indestructible juggernaut, performing acts of great heroism, yet equally capable of dreadful violence.

When the rabbi’s assistant takes control of the Golem and attempts to use him for selfish gain, the lumbering monster runs rampant, abducting the rabbi’s daughter and setting fire to the ghetto. With its remarkable creation sequence (a dazzling blend of religion, sorcery, and special effects) and the grand-scale destruction of its climax, “The Golem” was one of the greatest achievements of the silent era and remains an undeniable landmark in the evolution of the horror film.