By Vlad Zakh · May 14, 2026
Drama intensethought provoking
Fritz Kortner brought an intense, brooding presence to German expressionist silent film and became one of the era’s most compelling character actors. Pandora’s Box follows a seductive, amoral woman’s escalating tragedy, The Hands of Orlac convinces a pianist that a murderer’s transplanted hands drive him, The Life of Beethoven traces the composer’s deafness, and Atlantic confronts mortality aboard a doomed liner. Warning Shadows and Backstairs round out the list.
01 Fritz Kortner features in this drama about passengers aboard a doomed ocean liner who confront mortality and each other in the ship's final hours.
Directed by E.A. Dupont · 1h 30m · Rated NR
Rent or buy: Amazon Video
Rent or buy: Amazon Video
02 Fritz Kortner is in this German silent classic about a seductive, amoral woman whose relationships with a string of lovers lead to escalating tragedy.
Directed by G.W. Pabst · 2h 21m · Rated NR
Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, Eternal Family, HBO Max · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Stream: Criterion Channel · Rent or buy: Apple TV Store
03 Fritz Kortner features in this German silent about the legendary composer's genius and personal turmoil as his hearing tragically deteriorates.
Directed by Hans Otto Löwenstein · 1h 11m
04 Fritz Kortner features in this Austrian silent about a pianist who receives a murderer's hands in a transplant and becomes convinced they're driving him to kill.
Directed by Robert Wiene · 1h 38m · Rated NR
Stream: Cultpix, Bloodstream
Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Cultpix, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Bloodstream
Stream: Cultpix, Bloodstream
Stream: Cultpix, Bloodstream
Stream: Cultpix, Bloodstream
05 Alexander Granach is in this German expressionist silent where a jealous count's dinner party guests are shown a shadow-puppet vision of their own darkest desires.
Directed by Arthur Robison · 1h 30m
06 Fritz Kortner features in this German silent drama about a lonely maid's tragic love triangle with a postman and a soldier that ends in devastating betrayal.
Directed by Leopold Jessner & Paul Leni · 0h 50m
Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.
