This month, we are going to be looking at silent films that didn’t just feature lovely design, they created fantasy realms for their characters to inhabit.
Elaborate costume productions were a staple of the stage and many films took their lead from these lavish productions. As the craft of cinema grew more elaborate, designs became more cinematic and incorporated special effects and color more and more seamlessly.
I have reviewed numerous silent films that incorporated fantastical design, either for the entire film or for a fantasy sequence, but here are some that are particularly lovely:
The Kingdom of the Fairies (1903): A Méliès fairy tale extravaganza featuring hand-applied color throughout.
The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926): An Arabian Nights selection elaborately animated by Lotte Reinger.
Genuine: A Tale of a Vampire (1920): A follow-up to Caligari featuring even stranger and more wonderful costumes and sets.
Forbidden Fruit (1921): Most of the film has a modern setting but the Cinderella sequence makes everything glass, from the gowns to the hair, and it’s glorious.
The Star Prince (1918): A fantasy with a dash of sci-fi, this picture was independently produced but still manages to convey a fantastic world on a budget.
I hope you will enjoy the other selections I have ready for you this month!
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Movies Silently 
I’ve never seen Forbidden Fruit; I’ll have to check it out. The rest of your selections agree with mine, so they’re perfect.
I’ll cast a vote, too, for Starewicz’s insect-infested films. Only one element of (continuous) fantasy, but oh does it play out well.
I discovered your site a few weeks’ back, and can only say, please keep doing the voodoo that you do so well!
Thank you!