Tag Archives: cinema of 1917

The dream and the myth: Il fauno | The Faun (IT 1917)

Posted on 14 December 2017 by silentsplease

Do not flee from me, for I am love. In his character’s introduction, Febo Mari sets the tone for this phantasmic film in which desire and mythology intertwine. In a reverse Pygmalion scenario, an artist’s model, her sculptor-love unfaithful to … Continue reading →

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Diva December! Lyda Borelli in Malombra (1917)

Posted on 3 December 2015 by silentsplease

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to a very important blogging event: Diva December! This is the month that I devote to coverage of the Italian divas and their films. If you are wondering: “who?”, I have previously published the introductory … Continue reading →

Posted in Film | Tagged , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Film advertising: Italian question marks

Posted on 20 November 2015 by silentsplease

Looking through the Italian 1910s periodical Film, I regularly noticed adverts for coming attractions/productions that prominently use question marks. As a tactic to heighten suspense, I really liked this visual device. So, enjoy an image gallery of these Italian film advertisement question … Continue reading →

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10 lost silent films that I’d love to see

Posted on 16 March 2015 by silentsplease

As an art form, silent film lasted for a mere 40 years, c.1895-1935. It’s well known that the great majority of films from the silent era are now lost, whether due to destruction (either deliberate, as by many studios, or accidental, … Continue reading →

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Death, love, and beauty: Lyda Borelli in Rapsodia Satanica (IT 1917)

Posted on 13 December 2014 by silentsplease

Lyda Borelli is the star of this update of the Faust legend. La diva Lyda plays Contessa Alba d’Oltrevita, who at the beginning of the picture is an elderly woman, looking on jealously at the youthful beauty that surrounds her. … Continue reading →

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