Continued from the MYSTERY ACTOR thread
To answer the other part of your question Sig, there was an ongoing theme in the Chaney films: pathos. HIS pathos. He falls in love with the girl, girl likes him, girl runs off with less creepy guy, he laments.
I suppose 'horrendous' is a good word to describe his films
at the time; not so much today. The creepiest for me was the
The Unknown. His leading lady was Lucille La Seuer.
*CONCLUSION*
There's a scene where Chaney's rival, a circus strong man, is stretched between two massive horses. The implications had to be "horrific" for '20s audiences. I'm not going to reveal the plot, however, as it's really worth watching IMO.
An example of the overly expressive acting going on in those days is typified in this 2 minute scene from
The Miracle Man, where Chaney's
bodily expression is exaggerated quite effectively. It is said that it was his appearance in this film that he was finally catapulted to audience awareness, after years of un-billed roles.
I'm sure that scads of his films are on You Tube. Another of the few films I saw and liked had Lon's sadistic character walking on stumped legs. I'm sure Metal can take it from here. He knows the Silents.