A master pioneer of the cinema, Danish director Christiansen was
responsible for two of the most advanced films of the early 'teens, The
Mysterious X (1913) and Night Of Revenge (1915). Displaying an
extraordinary sophistication of lighting and framing, they
anticipate all the subtleties of German expressionist cinema five
years in advance, and are among the first films whose interest is more
than merely historical. Christiansen continued to produce
impressive work during the twenties, both in Denmark and in Hollywood.
He was also a major influence on Carl Dreyer, in whose Mikael he gave a
subtle, moving performance as the tormented artist.
