The First Prequel Film Is A Classic Horror Movie
We already know that even the most modest of movies, unless they’re an absolute flop, are likely to produce a sequel, and in some cases, that sequel might actually be better than the original release. 1982’s Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back are good examples of sequels that outperformed their respective originals. But what happens when sequels run dry? That’s where prequels come in as a rather versatile narrative vehicle, and the first prequel eber was 1920’s The Golem: How He Came into the World.
The first ever prequel film was 1920’s The Golem: How He Came into the World, serving as an origin story to 1915’s The Golem.
The Golem: How He Came into the World is a rather interesting piece of cinematic history, as it stands as the first cinematic prequel—the idea of exploring the backstories or origins that existed in literature and other art forms long before film.
We’re discussing a silent German horror movie directed by Paul Wagener and co-directed by Carl Boese that was actually made as a prequel to 1915’s The Golem, providing the creature with the origin story and etching itself into the pages of history as the first movie prequel, as well as the most famous of all three Golem movies.
The Golem Franchise
Wagener made three Golem movies that were released within a five-year span, including the original film, the 1917 short comedy The Golem and the Dancing Girl, and the movie history’s first prequel film, The Golem: How He Came into the World.
Unlike the first movie, which was placed in the contemporary setting in which the Golem was discovered, the first prequel is set in medieval Prague and follows the story of a Jewish Rabbi Loew, who created a clay figure called the Golem, which he brings to life using a magical amulet to protect the Jewish community from persecution.
The first prequel was a massive success, and as often happens with successful films, it influenced the Universal monster films of the late 1920s/early 1930s.
Interestingly, the first prequel in history was actually a religious horror, as the Rabbi actually summons the spirit of Astaroth, also known as the Great Duke of Hell in demonology, and compels him to animate the Golem. The narrative then sees the Jewish community pardoned by the Holy Roman Emperor, thanks to the Golem’s service, but the being soon falls under Astaroth’s influence and becomes uncontrollable, leading to tragic consequences.
The first prequel was a massive success, and as often happens with successful films, it influenced the Universal monster films of the late 1920s/early 1930s. However, it’s also often confusingly shortened to The Golem and confused with the original film, and the great part of its cultural and historical significance, at least in the context of cinematography, was overshadowed by The Cabinet of Dr. Caligri, which is often cited as the first true horror movie.
Still, that doesn’t change the fact that the world’s first prequel movie is actually a classic horror film that inspired numerous, more prominent releases, such as the Frankenstein movies, as well as Nosferatu, Metropolis, and Sunrise.
Furthermore, it’s still a prime example of German expressionism, which carried its visual styles forward in many movies that came out decades, even a whole century later—just look at any of Tim Burton’s works. Even Batman featured a moody, dark, and gothic aesthetic.
