Old Hollywood
Cinema
1900-1979
Nostalgia is a seductive liar - George Wildman Ball
via L’Inferno (1911, dir. Giuseppe de Liguoro), the first film adaptation of Dante’s epic poem and the first full-length Italian film. Heavily influenced by the work of the 19th-century French artist Gustave Dore, the film follows Dante & Virgil as they travel through the nine circles of Hell. In the scene pictured above, Beatrice enlists Virgil to guide Dante in his journey. The film can be seen online starting here (accompanied by a rather ghastly modern soundtrack, but that’s what the mute button is for).

via L’Inferno (1911, dir. Giuseppe de Liguoro), the first film adaptation of Dante’s epic poem and the first full-length Italian film. Heavily influenced by the work of the 19th-century French artist Gustave Dore, the film follows Dante & Virgil as they travel through the nine circles of Hell. In the scene pictured above, Beatrice enlists Virgil to guide Dante in his journey.

The film can be seen online starting here (accompanied by a rather ghastly modern soundtrack, but that’s what the mute button is for).

L’Inferno (1911, dir. Giuseppe de Liguoro) The hurricane of Hell in perpetual motion                                             Sweeping the ravaged spirits as it rends, Twists, and torments them. Driven as if to land, They reach the ruin: groaning, tears, laments, And cursing of the power of Heaven. I learned They suffer here who sinned in carnal things— Their reason mastered by desire, suborned. As winter starlings riding on their wings Form crowded flocks, so spirits dip and veer Foundering in the wind’s rough buffetings, Upward or downward, driven here and there With never ease from pain nor hope of rest. As chanting cranes will form a line in air, So I saw souls come uttering cries—wind-tossed, And lofted by the storm. -Canto V, The Divine Comedy: Inferno

L’Inferno (1911, dir. Giuseppe de Liguoro)

The hurricane of Hell in perpetual motion                                            

Sweeping the ravaged spirits as it rends,
Twists, and torments them. Driven as if to land,
They reach the ruin: groaning, tears, laments,

And cursing of the power of Heaven. I learned
They suffer here who sinned in carnal things—
Their reason mastered by desire, suborned.

As winter starlings riding on their wings
Form crowded flocks, so spirits dip and veer
Foundering in the wind’s rough buffetings,

Upward or downward, driven here and there
With never ease from pain nor hope of rest.
As chanting cranes will form a line in air,

So I saw souls come uttering cries—wind-tossed,
And lofted by the storm.

-Canto V, The Divine Comedy: Inferno

L’Inferno (1911, dir. Giuseppe de Liguoro) “I saw it clearly, and still seem to see, a headless trunk, that goes on before, like the others, in that miserable crew, and holds its severed head, by the hair, swinging, like a lantern, in its hand. It looked at us, and said: ‘Ah me!’. When it was right at the foot of our bridge, it lifted its arm high, complete with the head, to bring its words near to us, which were: ‘Now you see the grievous punishment, you, who go, alive and breathing, to see the dead: look if any are as great as this. And so that you may carry news of me, know that I am Bertrand de Born, he who gave evil counsel to the Young King. I made the father and the son rebel against each other: Ahithophel did no more for Absalom and David, by his malicious stirrings. Because I parted those who were once joined, I carry my intellect, alas, split from its origin in this body. So, in me, is seen just retribution.” -Canto XXVIII, The Divine Comedy: Inferno

L’Inferno (1911, dir. Giuseppe de Liguoro)

“I saw it clearly, and still seem to see, a headless trunk, that goes on before, like the others, in that miserable crew, and holds its severed head, by the hair, swinging, like a lantern, in its hand. It looked at us, and said: ‘Ah me!’.

When it was right at the foot of our bridge, it lifted its arm high, complete with the head, to bring its words near to us, which were: ‘Now you see the grievous punishment, you, who go, alive and breathing, to see the dead: look if any are as great as this. And so that you may carry news of me, know that I am Bertrand de Born, he who gave evil counsel to the Young King. I made the father and the son rebel against each other: Ahithophel did no more for Absalom and David, by his malicious stirrings.

Because I parted those who were once joined, I carry my intellect, alas, split from its origin in this body. So, in me, is seen just retribution.”

-Canto XXVIII, The Divine Comedy: Inferno