Today's classic from horror cinema's dawning days is an Italian film from 1911, based on the literary masterpiece The Inferno by Dante Allegheri. If you've taken any literature classes, or just love dark fantasy tales, you probably have at least some knowledge of this segment of long-form poem The Divine Comedy penned by Dante in the early 14th Century, whose narrator is given a guided tour of the nine levels (or circles) of Hell. As a morality tale, or just a straight-up scary story, It's perfect horror movie material; director Giuseppe de Liguoro and his creative partners knew that, and crafted the first feature film adaptation, which went on to shock and horrify audiences around the world. The film's plot, like the story, is simple: the main character is Dante himself (Salvatore Papa), who is taken on a literal trip through Hell by the poet Virgil (Arturo Pirovano) so that he...
- 5/3/2013
- by Gregory Burkart
- FEARnet
Your weekly fix of great movies made before you were born that you should check out before you die. This week’s Old Ass Movies celebrates the birthday of a movie that saw theaters for the first time a century ago. On March 10, 1911 (one hundred years and three days ago), L’Inferno played at the Teatro Mercandante in Naples, Italy. It was the first Italian feature-length film, it was a massive financial success, and it still exists for our viewing pleasure today. The question is, can it be seen for pure enjoyment or solely as a curious historical artifact of a more primitive filmmaking time? Can an audience in 2011 love a movie from 1911? L’Inferno (1911) Directed by: Francesco Bertolini, Adolpho Padovan, and Giuseppe de Liguoro Starring: Salvatore Papa, Arturo Pirovano, Giuseppe de Liguoro, and Augusto Milla Production Design by: Francesco Bertolini It’s a testament to mankind’s dedication to art that this film is available on...
- 3/13/2011
- by Cole Abaius
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Ship to Shore Distribution has announced L'inferno for release on July 15. The black and white film was originally released in Italy in 1911 and was directed by Francesco Bertolini, Adolfo Padovan, and Giuseppe de Liguoro. The first known full-length Italian feature film L'Inferno is a surreal and beautiful nightmare of a film. Inspired by the haunting images of Gustave Dore and based on the classic literary work Dante's Inferno this gothic epic fallows Dante Alighieri (Salvatore Papa) as he is lead by Virgilio (Arturo Pirovano) through the nine circles of hell. This silent phantasmagoria will sink into your brain permanently as images like lucifer gorging himself on human bodies amidst a frozen wasteland and men holding their screaming decapitated heads towards the heavens unfold. Less like a film than a dream from another planet "L'Inferno" has left audiences breathless since it was first unveiled nearly one-hundred years ago. Head on over...
- 5/20/2008
- bloody-disgusting.com
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