Tag Archives: cinema of 1919

Pride and passion: Pina Menichelli in Il padrone delle ferriere (1919)

Posted on 22 December 2017 by silentsplease

Aristocracy, hubris, and hauteur: these are the main ingredients in Itala-Film’s Il padrone delle ferriere | The Master of the Ironworks (1919), starring the majestic Pina Menichelli. I’d intended to cover another 1917 film in this Diva December entry, but when the Museo … Continue reading →

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In search of Astrea, mysterious ‘strongwoman’ of the Italian silent cinema

Posted on 8 June 2016 by silentsplease

The silent era was something of a golden age for athletic female stars. American serial queens were beloved by audiences around the world—it would be hard to overestimate how popular (and bankable) stars like Pearl White were at their peak. … Continue reading →

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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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Odds and ends

Posted on 30 September 2014 by silentsplease

A quick roundup before I head to Le Giornate del Cinema Muto! First, a few more notes on film preservation, which seems to be having a moment of mainstream attention. In this short article, head staff at NARA and the LoC are quoted; the … Continue reading →

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Phony matrimony: Die Puppe | The Doll (DE 1919)

Posted on 18 July 2014 by silentsplease

The end of the FIFA World Cup and Germany emerged victorious, as many predicted. What a tournament it was, though: apart from the games themselves and the high scorecount, we had the return of Chewy Luis, comedic pratfalls (then less so), meme-worthy goalkeeping, Arjen Robben’s extended … Continue reading →

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