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ASSUNTA SPINA & LAST DIVA
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Our Price: $29.95
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Two films featuring the temperamental, capricious, willful, egocentric, elegant, and beautiful cinematic diva, Francesca Bertini. Assunta Spina (Francesca Bertini/Gustavo Serena, 1914, 62 mins.) was the prototype of the Italian verismo film, made to compete with the great historical epics of its day. Bertini co-directed and played the title role of the young Neapolitan girl who becomes the mistress of a corrupt Don when her abusive husband is arrested. An extremely rare, beautifully shot, silent film. The Last Diva (Gianfranco Mingozzi, 1982, 85 mins.) is a touching, funny and wondrous portrait of the unique woman. Scenes from many of her classic films are juxtaposed with interviews of the geniuses of Italian cinema, including the late Sergio Leone, whose father, Roberto Roberti, directed some of Bertini's finest performances. In Italian with English subtitles. Francesca Bertini/Gustavo Serena/Gianfranco Mingozzi---Italy---1914/1982---147 mins.
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CABIRIA (SILENT)
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Our Price: $29.95
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The most ambitious and spectacular of the historical epics for which Italy was famous before World War I, Cabiria set the standard for big budget, feature-length movies and opened the way for Griffith and DeMille. During the war between Carthage and Rome, a girl--Cabiria--is separated from her parents. In her odyssey through the world of ancient Rome, she encounters an erupting volcano, the barbaric splendor of Carthage, human sacrifice and Hannibal crossing the Alps. Mastered from a 35mm archive print using variable speed projection to match the original hand cranked camera, Cabiria features a newly recorded soundtrack from the original 1914 score. Giovanni Pastrone---Italy---1914---123 mins.
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CENERE (ASHES)
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Our Price: $17.95
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Cenere (Ambrosio/Mari, Italy, 1916, 30 mins.) is the only film made starring the legendary Italian stage actress, Eleonora Duse. Co-directed by Italian film industry pioneer Arturo Ambrosio (and released by his company), the film is a tragic story of a poor young mother who gives up her son to the natural father--a married man who abandoned her after the pregnancy. Based on a novel by Grazia Deledda, with Duse partly credited for the screenplay. Also included here is the early Film Ambrosio release, L'Isola delle Scimmie (A. Robida, Italy, 56 mins.). The release year for this historic feature is not known, but it looks to be pre-1920 and it was clearly an ambitious film for its period. This seafaring fantasy/adventure includes some Melies-styled special effects, including a charming depiction of underwater action, and som e color tinting. Silent with Italian intertitles, no English translation. Arturo Ambrosio/Febo Mari/A.Robida---Italy---1916/?---86 mins.
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CHRISTUS SILENT
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Our Price: $24.99
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The story of Christ is presented in this silent Italian production that was adapted from a poem by Fausto Salvatore. He most likely based his poem on a much more popular source. Filmed closer to the Holy Land than most Hollywood films on the same subject matter. Silent. Guilio Antamoro---Italy---1917---90 mins.
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CYRANO DE BERGERAC (GENINA)
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Our Price: $24.99
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Edmond Rostand's enduring love story is given a unique and beautiful incarnation in this hand-tinted silent classic. Pierre Magnier brings true pathos to the chivalrous lover who dares not reveal his face with its monstrous nose to the woman he loves. Carlo Moser's score complements the excitement of this romantic, action-filled film. Three years were devoted to the meticulous hand-coloring of this historic picture. With French and English Augusto Genina---Italy/France---1925---114 mins.
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FRATE FRANCESCO/ BROTHER FRAN
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Our Price: $24.95
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This mammoth, lavish production exemplifies the spectacular Italian historical epics made during the era of silent films. The story is based on the life of the saint. He was born to a life of ease, only to reject everything for a vow of poverty. Alleged to have experienced the stigmata (wounds like those suffered by Christ on the cross), this holy man's spiritual ways remain inspirational. Includes original musical score with sound effects. Guilio Antamoro---Italy---1927---75 mins.
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GOODBYE YOUTH- ADDIO GIOVINEZZ
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Our Price: $17.95
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This rare Italian silent feature was the third screen adaptation of a popular play by Sandro Camasio and Nino Oxilia. Walter Slezak stars in this version of the comedy-drama about bohemian student life. Director Augusto Genina's long and versatile career began in 1913 and included some 150 films over 40-plus years. Italian title cards. Augusto Genina---Italy---1927---64 mins.
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LAST DAYS OF POMPEII
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Our Price: $29.95
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This influential Italian epic is representative of the lavish style that Italy became known for in the early years of feature filmmaking, and it set the stage for the masterful Cabiria a year later. In romantically tragic fashion, the film depicts the final hours of the ill-fated souls living in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, as portrayed in Edward Bulwer's novel. This is considered one of the last important "tableaux films," a theatrical style in which scenes are played out mainly in single, wide shots, as if the audience were watching a stage play. Digitally mastered from a fine 35mm print and color tinted according to original specifications, with newly translated intertitles. Piano score by Beatrice Jona Affron. Mario Caserini---Italy---1913---88 mins.
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MACISTE ALPINO
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Our Price: $24.95
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Maciste, the legendary strongman of Italian cinema, takes to the battlefield in this scarcely seen silent feature. Bartolomeo Pagano, who played the part many times after debuting in the classic Cabiria, returns to the role, with the character updated as a World War I soldier of super-human strength. As the title indicates, there is some exciting Alpine footage. Silent, with Italian title cards. Romano Borgnetto/Luigi Maggi/Giovanni Pastrone---Italy---1916---66 mins.
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MACISTE IN HELL
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Our Price: $19.95
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Bartolomeo Pagano, the great strongman of the silent screen, returns to the role he played in the 1914 landmark epic Cabiria. Powerful and virtuous Maciste is targeted by the demons below and eventually lured into hell. Once there, however, he regains his strength and takes on an army of rebellious devils. One of a series of popular "Maciste" films that Pagano starred in, this feature boasts an imaginative visualization of hell and some fine cinematography. Transferred from a tinted and toned 35mm nitrate print. Guido Brignone---Italy---1926---66 mins.
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QUO VADIS ( SILENT )
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Our Price: $24.95
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The first cinematic adaptation of the Henryk Sienkiewicz novel about Nero and ancient Rome, this original Italian large-scale silent epic was probably cinema's first blockbuster. Italian with English titles. Enrico Guazzoni---Italy---1912---45 mins.
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RAPSODIA SATANICA
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Our Price: $17.95
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A woman bargains with Satan to restore her youth and beauty in this historic silent feature based on Faust. This is one of only a handful of films completed by director Nino Oxilia, who was considered one of the great young talents of early Italian cinema. His death at the age of 28 in World War I ended a promising career. Nino Oxilia---Italy---1915---44 mins.
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SILENT DISCOVERIES (YESTERDAY AND TODAY/AFTER SIX DAYS)
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Our Price: $19.99
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Includes a documentary on silent film and a spectacular example of one. George Jessel narrates Yesterday and Today (Abner J. Greshler, USA, 1953, 57 mins.), a fun biography of primitive pre-1910 films, many of which cannot be witnessed anywhere else. The audio commentary provides additional insights and facts about the footage. This is joined by After Six Days (Pier Antonio Gariazzo, Italy, 1920, 62 min.), an expensive religious spectacle that was very popular, yet little is known about the actual production. The transfer was from the only known complete copy--a 16mm print from when the film was reissued with sound.
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