The Sheik ; Son of the Sheik.
(DVD)

Silent films with English intertitles and musical accompaniment.

Both features have been digitally remastered (Sheik from a 35mm nitrate print with all original titles, Son of the sheik from a reissue print taken from the original negative in 1937).

Based on the respective novels: The Sheik and The sons of the Sheik / by Edith M. Hull.

Sheik was originally produced as a motion picture in 1921; Son of the sheik was originally produced as a motion picture in 1926.

Sheik: Jesse L. Lasky presents ; George Melford's production ; a Paramount picture ; adaptation by Monte M. Katterjohn ; directed by George Melford ; photographed by William Marshall.

Son of the sheik: Emil C. Jensen presents ; a George Fitzmaurice Production ; directed by Geo. Fitzmaurice ; screen adaptation by Frances Marion and Fred de Gresac ; photography, George Barnes ; settings, William Cameron Menzies ; titles, George Marion, Jr. ; music and orchestrations [1937 release] by Arthur H. Gutman.

Sheik: Rudolph Valentino, Agnes Ayres, Adolph Menjou, Lucien Littlefield.

Son of the Sheik: Rudolph Valentino, Vilma Banky, George Fawcett, Montague Love, Karl Dane ; Agnes Ayres.

Women fainted in the aisles when The Sheik was released in 1921. The titled Lady Diana Mayo (Agnes Ayres) is carried into the desert by an Arab chieftain, Ahmed Ben Hassan (Valentino), who takes one look at her and wants her, right then and there. Filmed on the heels of women's suffrage, Lady Diana was presented as a strong-willed and intelligent character, but as for Ahmed -- nobody had seen anything like Valentino's natural sex appeal on the screen before. His charismatic presence electrified audiences; his Sheik symbolized the forbidden allure of the exotic and forever secured Valentino's place in screen legend. From the lavish dressing of this production, Arabian wall tapestries, tunics, cassocks and garish jewelry became a fad in decoration and attire. Paramount hustled its new sensation from one uninspired vehicle to another, and Valentino, by all accounts an intelligent and considerate person, finally expressed his displeasure by taking leave of the studio. Legally blocked by Paramount from making films for others, he and his wife, Natacha Rambova, embarked on a national dance tour sponsored by a beauty aid called Mineralava. It culminated in a beauty contest judged by Valentino. A newsreel of this event is included on this DVD; it gave Valentino-hungry audiences another glimpse of their idol. The Son of the Sheik, a sequel to The Sheik, was designed to revive Valentino's career. As both parent and son, Rudy has two virile leading parts, showing how a son of the desert inherited the passions of the father. Although the production is on a modest scale compared to the original Sheik, Valentino's performance is far more accomplished, and there's a tongue-in-cheek quality which gives The Son a certain magic even today. Young Ahmed falls in love with Yasmin, a dancing girl (Vilma Banky), but he is captured and tortured by bandits. Believing Yasmin to be responsible, he escapes and plans his own form of revenge, although true love, of course, finally prevails. In New York for the premiere of The Son of the Sheik, Valentino collapsed and died eight days later at the age of 31. The public hysteria surrounding his funeral is documented in the original Pathé newsreel, which rounds out this extraordinary DVD. - Container.

The Sheik: A desert sheik, Sheik Ahmed, kidnaps an English girl, the Lady Diana, and holds her captive. Lady Diana resists the advances of her abductor, but is then kidnapped by desert bandits.

The son of the Sheik: Valentino plays a dual role of father and son in this story of the young Ahmed, who falls in love with Yasmin, a dancing girl, but is then captured and tortured by renegades.

Not Rated.

DVD ; NTSC, region 1; standard format (4:3) presentation ; Dolby digital stereo.

Silent with English subtitles and musical score.

Son of the sheik: National Film Registry selection, 2003.