Islamic Psychotronic! Iranian Cinema Fantastique 1955-1965!

Here's a list of genre and fantasy movies made in the Shah's Iran from the years 1955 through to 1965. It was during this time that Iranian cinema came unto its own both artistically and commercially with '65 being the year that saw homegrown films almost completely displacing US and European fare. This list was culled from a book called Cinema in Iran 1900-1979 by M. Ali Issari and may or may not be comprehensive. I have not seen any of these films and I would assume that most are very difficult to find. There are some bone fide auteurs here, as a cursory Internet search will uncover, such as Samuel Khachikian, noted as the "Iranian Hitchcock" or Farrokh Ghaffari, a leader of the Iranian "new wave" whose film NIGHT OF THE HUNCHBACK is acknowledged as a true classic of Farsi cinema (and is the film featured in the poster above). I have chosen to include films of Worldweird interest, in this case mostly crime films and thrillers, and not such much social dramas or comedies. There are a handful of fantasy films and historical adventures, but gritty noir-esque fare seemed to rule the genre roost in Iran at this time. I also included a few films which are described as comedies or dramas but whose titles may indicate some sort of fantastical content. If you have copies of any of the below please contact me at jaredaunerATyahooDOTcom for trades!

AHRIMANE ZIBA
“The Beautiful Devil”
35mm/B&W/110 min
Genre: Crime
Premiere: January 16, 1963
Production Co: Pars Film Studio
Producer/Writer/Director: Esmail Kooshan

ARAS KHAN
proper name
35mm/B&W/Cinemascope/110 min
Genre: Thriller
Premiere: May 2, 1962
Production Co: Pars Film Studio
Writer/Producer: Esmail Kooshan
Director: Naser Malek-Motyie

AROUSE DAJLEH
“Bridge of the Tigris River”
35mm/B&W/120 min
Genre: Historical
Premiere: February 8, 1955
Production Company: Rey Film
Director: N. Mohtashem

BABRE KOOHESTAN
“The Mountain Tiger”
35mm/B&W/110 min
Genre: Crime
Premiere: April 27, 1965
Production Co: Asre Talaie Studio
Writer/Director: Khosrow Parvizi

BAZGASHT BE ZENDEGI
“Return to Life”
35mm/B&W/95 min
Genre: Fantasy
Premiere: August 8, 1957
Production Co: Asre Talaie Studio
Director: Ataollah Zahed

BONBAST
“Dead End”
35mm/B&W/115 min
Genre: Crime
Premiere: February 24, 1965
Production Co: Sazmane Cinemaie Panoroma
Director: Mirsamadzadeh

CHAHAR-RAHE HAVADES
“The Crossroad of Events”
35mm/B&W/100 min
Genre: Crime
Premiere: March 20, 1955
Production Company: Diana Film
Director: Samuel Khachikian

DELHOREH
“Anxiety”
35mm/B&W/95 min
Genre: Thriller
Premiere: December 20, 1962
Production Co: Ajir Film
Writer/Director: Samuel Khachikian

ENSANE PARANDEH
“The Flying Man”
35mm/B&W/115 min
Genre: Comedy
Premiere: September 12, 1961
Production Co: Atlas Film Studio
Writer/Director: Parviz Khatibi

ESHQ VA ENTEGHAM
“Love and Vengeance”
35mm/B&W/100 min
Genre: Thriller
Premiere: September 29, 1965
Independent Production
Writer/Director: M. A. Fardin

ETTEHAM
“Accusation”
35mm/B&W/110 min
Genre: Crime
Premiere: May 6, 1956
Production Co: Pars Film Studio
Director: Shappor Yasami

FARAR
“The Escape”
35mm/B&W/110 min
Genre: Crime
Premiere: December 5, 1963
Production Co: Misaghieh Studio
Writer/Director: Abbas Shabaviz

FARYADE DEHKADEH
“The Cry of the Village”
35mm/B&W/110 min
Genre: Thriller
Premiere: July 22, 1965
Independent Production
Writer/Director: Ahamd Safaie

FARYADE NIMESHAB
“The Midnight Terror”
35mm/B&W/120 min
Genre: Crime
Premiere: August 24, 1961
Production Co: Misaghieh Studio
Writer/Director: Samuel Khachikian

GORGEHAYE GOROSNEH
“The Hungry Wolves”
35mm/B&W/120 min
Genre: Crime
Premiere: December 11, 1962
Independent Production
Director: M.A. Fardin

HEVDAH RUZ BE E’DAM
“Seventeen Days to Exectution”
35mm/B&W/95 min
Genre: Crime
Premiere: December 26, 1958
Production Co: Asre Talaie Studio
Writer/Director: Houshang Kavoosi

JADDEH MARG
“Highway of Death”
35mm/B&W/120 min
Genre: Crime
Premiere: June 18, 1963
Production Co: Caravan Film
Writer/Director: Esmail Riahi

JADOU
“Witchcraft”
16mm/Color/95 min
Genre: Melodrama
Premiere: January 25, 1956
Production Co: Asia Film
Producer/Director/Cameraman/Co-writer: Salar Eshghi

KAMINGAHE SHEITAN
“Hideaway of the Devil”
35mm/B&W/100 min
Genre: Crime
Premiere: May 7, 1964
Independent Production
Writer/Director: Nezam Fatemi

KELID
“The Key”
35mm/B&W/110 min
Genre: Crime
Premiere: December 6, 1962
Production Co: Misaghieh Studio
Director: Mahmoud Nowzari

KHESHM VA FARYAD
“Anger and Screaming”
35mm/B&W/110 min
Genre: Crime
Premiere: March 13, 1964
Independent Production
Writer/Director: Reza Safaie

KHOON VA SHARAF
“Blood and Honor”
35mm/B&W/100 min
Genre: War
Premiere: December 12, 1955
Production Company: Diana Film
Director: Samuel Khachikian

MAHTABE KHOONIN
“The Bloody Moonlight”
35mm/B&W/100 min
Genre: Drama
Premiere: January 15, 1956
Production Co: Caravan Film
Writer/Director: Moshavegh Sorouri

MAJERAJOOYANE KHASHEN
“The Rough Adventurers”
35mm/B&W/100 min
Genre: Adventure
Premiere: January 25, 1957
Production Co: Cinema Theater Rex Co.
Writer/Director: Mehdi Rais-Firuz

MOOTALAIE SHARE MA
“The Blonde Woman of Our Town”
35mm/B&W/110 min
Genre: Thriller
Premiere: December 16, 1965
Production Co: Iran Film Studio
Writer/Director: Abbas Shabaviz

MORVARID SIAH
“The Black Pearl”
35mm/B&W/95 min
Genre: Thriller
Premiere: August 28, 1961
Production Co: Shahrokh Film
Director: Mehdi Rais-Firuz

NABARDE GHOOLHA
“The War of the Giants”
35mm/B&W/100 min
Genre: Crime
Premiere: December 9, 1965
Independent Production
Director: Reza Beik-Imanverdi

PANJEH
“The Claw”
35mm/B&W/95 min
Genre: Crime
Premiere: January 8, 1963
Production Co: Asre Talaie Studio
Writer/Director: Amin Amini

PARTGAHE MAKHOUF
“Frightening Canyon”
35mm/B&W/110 min
Genre: Crime
Premiere: May 11, 1963
Production Co: Sazmane Cinemaie 555
Writer/Director: Reza Safaie

PESARE DARYA
“Son of the Sea”
35mm/B&W/100 min
Genre: Thriller
Premiere: April 11, 1958
Independent Production
Writer/Director: Shahpoor Yasami

RAHZAN
“The Bandit”
35mm/B&W/100 min
Genre: Adventure
Premiere: March 18, 1955
Production Company: Pars Film Studio
Director: Siamak Yasami

SARKESH
“The Mutineer”
35mm/B&W/110 min
Genre: Thriller
Premiere: February 16, 1965
Production Co: Azar Film
Producer/Writer/Director: Samad Sabahi

SARSAM
“Delirium”
35mm/B&W/120 min
Genre: Crime
Premiere: April 21, 1965
Production Co: Misaghieh Studio
Writer/Director: Samuel Khachikian

SAYE
“Shadow”
35mm/B&W/100 min
Genre: Crime
Premiere: June 25, 1959
Production Co: Asre Talaie Studio
Writer/Director: Amin Amini

SAYYADANE NAMAKZAR
“Hunters of the Salt Desert”
35mm/B&W/100 min
Genre: Thriller
Premiere: June 28, 1965
Independent Production
Producer/Writer/Director: Akbar Hashemi

SETAREI CHESHMAK ZAD
“A Star Twinkled”
35mm/B&W/120 min
Genre: Fantasy
Premiere: October 23, 1963
Production Co: October 23, 1963
Producer/Director: Gorji Ebadia

SHABE GHOUZI
“Night of the Hunchback”
35mm/B&W/120 min
Genre: Thriller
Premiere: February 25, 1965
Production Co: Iran Nema Studio
Producer/Director: Farrokh Ghaffari

SHAHINE TOUS
“The Eagle of Tous”
35mmB&W/110 min
Genre: Historical
Year: 1955
Production Company: Pass Film Studio
Director: Hossein Daneshvar

SHEITANE SEFID
“The White Devil”
35mm/B&W/100 min
Genre: Thriller
Premiere: September 16, 1965
Production Co: Mahtab Film
Writer/Director: Ahmad Safaie

SOWDAGARANE MARG
“The Merchants of Death”
35mm/B&W/120 min
Genre: Crime
Premiere: April 26, 1962
Production Co: Pars Film Studio
Director: Naser Malek-Motyie

TA’GHIBE KHATARNAK
“The Dangerous Chase”
35mm/B&W/95 min
Genre: Crime
Premiere: March 9, 1965
Independent Production
Producer/Writer/Director: Reza Safaie

TALAYE SEFID
“White Gold”
35mm/B&W/120 min
Genre: Crime
Premiere: April 11, 1962
Production Co: Sahar Studio
Producer/Director: Jamshid Sheibani

TARE ANKABOUT
“The Cobweb”
35mm/B&W/95 min
Genre: Crime
Premiere: September 26, 1963
Production Co: Sazmane Cinemaie Panorama
Director: Mirasamdzadeh

TARS VA TARIKY
“Fear and Darkness”
35mm/B&W/100 min
Genre: ?
Premiere: June 25, 1963
Production Co: Atlas Film Studio
Producer/Writer/Director: Mohammad Motovaselani

TELESME SHEITAN
“The Spell of Satan”
16mm/B&W/100min
Genre: Comedy
Premiere: January 5, 1956
Production Company: Asia Film
Director: Mohsen Farid
Producer/Writer/Cameraman: Salar Eshghi

TOOFAN DAR SHAHRE MA
“Storm in Our Town”
35mm/B&W/100 min
Genre: Crime
Premiere: April 13, 1958
Production Co: Ajir Film
Writer/Director: Samuel Khachikian

VAHSHAT
“Horror”
35mm/B&W/100 min
Genre: Crime
Premiere: April 16, 1963
Production Co: Misaghieh Studio
Writer/Director: Siamak Yasami

YA’QUB LAYTH SAFFARI
Proper name – founder of Saffarid dynasty
35mm/B&W/110 min
Genre: Historical
Premiere: May 30, 1957
Production Co: Pars Film Studio
Director: Ali Kasmaie

YEK GHADAM TA MARG
“One Step to Death”
35mm/B&W/100 min
Genre: Crime
Premiere: December 6, 1961
Production Co: Ajir Film
Writer/Director: Samuel Khachikian

YEKI BOUD YEKI NABOUD
“Once Upon a Time”
35mm/B&W/95 min
Genre: Thriller
Premiere: March 22, 1959
Production Co: Oranus Film
Producer/Writer/Director: Rahim Rowshanian

ZAMINE TALKH
“The Bitter Earth”
35mm/B&W/100 min
Genre: Thriller
Premiere: March 12, 1963
Production Co: Atlas Film Studio
Writer/Director: Khosrow Parvizi

ZAN VA AROUSAKHAYASH
“The Woman and Her Dolls”
35mm/B&W/110 min
Genre: Thriller
Premiere: September 16, 1965
Independent Production
Producer/Writer/Director: Esmail Riahi

ZARBAT
“The Strike”
35mm/B&W/95 min
Genre: Crime
Premiere: April 23, 1964
Production Co: Ajir Film
Writer/Director: Samuel Khachikian