The Son of the Sheik (DVD)

In this visually intoxicating sequel to Valentino's career-defining film The Sheik, the silent screen's greatest lover portrays a cultured yet untamed young man who is lured into a thieve's trap by  a beautiful dancer, Yasmin (Vilma Banky). After escaping, he kidnaps the damsel and holds her captive in his desert lair, dressing her in Arabian finery and threatening to unleash his violent passion upon her. Exotic romance saturates every frame of this Orientalist epic; its sadomoasochistic fantasies are acted out against the lavish set design of William Cameron Menzies (The Thief of Bagdad) and lushly photographed by George Barnes (Sadie Thompson). The Son of the Sheik proved to be Valentino's final film. He died suddenly on August 23rd, 1926 at the age of 31, just before the picture's release. This edition is mastered from the best surviving 35mm elements and features a dazzling score by Alloy Orchestra.