Der Januskopf (Lost 1920 F. W. Murnau Film)

Der Januskopf (Translated to English as The Head of Janus) was a silent german horror film released in the year 1920. It is one of three adaptions of the novel Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde, both other adaptions survive. It was done without securing the rights to adapt the novel. Directed by German cinema legend F.W. Murnau (Who had some future success with unauthorized adaptions with the 1922 film Nosferatu). The film stared Comrad Veidt, who is well known for his role as Cesare in the horror film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and later stared as Gwynplaine in the 1928 film The Man Who Laughs. The film also has horror legend Bela Legosi (Dracula) in a minor role. The cinematographer, Karl Freud, may also be a familiar name to some people, as he went on to direct The Mummy (1932).



No footage from the film is known to exist however there are a handful of surviving stills, which can be found online. The script also survives to this day however it cannot be found online.

The film followed the novel very loosely. Instead of using a potion to transform the Dr. uses a cursed statue of the Roman god Janus. Also much like the film Nosferatu the names were changed in hopes of avoiding getting caught infringing copyright. Dr. Jeckyll for example was changed to Dr. Warren.

Horror host Penny Dreadful XIII has stated that this is her most wanted lost horror film.