O is for Oracles
Based on the fables of The Arabian Nights, this Korda-produced epic remains a cult favorite of American directors such as Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas, who adapted many of the film’s themes in their own respective spectacles. After Abu, a street urchin, is imprisoned for stealing, he meets Prince Ahmad, the recently deposed ruler who has been sent to the dungeon by his former right-hand man, Jaffar. The unlikely duo manages to escape and embark on a wild adventure that involves a genie (winningly portrayed by Rex Ingram), an "all-seeing eye," and a magic carpet. The scale of the production proved too great to complete in World War II–era Great Britain and passed through the hands of six directors before its spectacular completion.
Part of film series
Screenings from this program
Read more
Cinema A–Z: Treasures from the Harvard ...
The Last Laugh
Directed by F.W. Murnau, 1924
Live Piano Accompaniment by Yakov GubanovScreening on Film
Read more
Cinema A–Z: Treasures from the Harvard ...
The Last Command
Directed by Josef von Sternberg, 1928
Live Piano Accompaniment by Yakov GubanovScreening on Film
Read more
Cinema A–Z: Treasures from the Harvard ...
Trailers, Trailers, Trailers
Introduction by HFA Conservator Julie BuckScreening on Film