Flicker Alley Brings Lon Chaney's 'He Who Gets Slapped' (1924) to Blu-ray This September
Flicker Alley is releasing He Who Gets Slapped (1924) on Blu-ray this September under their Flicker Fusion line.
Step right up and witness Lon Chaney in one of his most haunting roles in He Who Gets Slapped, arriving on Blu-ray through Flicker Alley. Directed by Victor Sjöström (The Phantom Carriage, The Wind) and adapted from Leonid Andreyev’s 1914 stage play, this silent classic becomes the first film ever produced by the soon-to-be-formed MGM.
Chaney stars as HE, a tormented clown whose tragic act of being endlessly slapped conceals a darker truth. Once a brilliant scientist named Paul Beaumont, HE was betrayed by the sinister Baron Regnard (Marc McDermott) and has spent five years orchestrating a twisted plan of revenge under the guise of circus spectacle. A landmark in early horror and psychological drama, the film helped define the cinematic tradition of the creepy, tragic clown.
The restoration was completed by Blackhawk Films in 2024 from a first-generation 35mm safety print and a 16mm dupe negative, presented with two score options: a piano composition by Antonio Coppola and an orchestral recording by Alloy Orchestra, captured live in 2013.
It is currently available for pre-order from Flicker Alley.
FAQs
When will the Blu-ray be released?
The Blu-ray will be released on September 9, 2025.
What is the runtime and format?
- Runtime: 95 minutes
- Format: Blu-ray
- Region: All Region (A, B, C)
- Language: Silent with English intertitles
What music scores are included?
- Original piano composition by Antonio Coppola
- Original orchestral score by Alloy Orchestra, recorded live in 2013
What bonus features are included?
- Audio commentary by Michael F. Blake, Emmy-winning makeup artist and Lon Chaney expert
- He Who Gets Smacked (1925) – comedy short produced by Mack Sennett
- Koko at the Circus (1926) – restored animated short from Max Fleischer’s Out of the Inkwell series
- Leo: The Truth and the Lion (2025) – original featurette on MGM’s lion mascot
- Image galleries with production stills and promotional material
- Booklet insert with an article by Thomas Gladysz on Victor Sjöström and the film’s production
- English SDH subtitles
- Blu-ray authoring by David Mackenzie (Fidelity In Motion)