The magic of cinema conquered the world at the beginning of the 20th century. Even with the serious restrictions affecting the technology of the time, millions of people did not hesitate to go see those "moving images", spurring the development of different genres. When it came to scaring an audience, few things were as effective as adaptations of the "Inferno" canticle from The Divine Comedy, and that includes the Italian silent film L'Inferno from 1911, which we can watch online today.
A Descent into Hell
Imagine a place where soothsayers are forced to wander with their heads twisted backward, unable to see what's in front of them, where the indifferent are condemned to chase a distant and worthless banner, and where the lustful are whipped by an implacable storm. A place full of misers and prodigals pushing terrible weights, and wrathful people tearing each other apart with bites. A dreadful place, marked by brutal and endless punishments. That place is none other than Hell according to The Divine Comedy. If simply accompanying Dante and Virgil on this disturbing adventure gives us goosebumps, imagine its effect when it was adapted to cinema at the beginning of the 20th century.
The 1911 Film
L'Inferno was directed by Francesco Bertolini, Adolfo Padovan, and Giuseppe De Liguoro. Its official premiere takes us to March 10, 1911 (after more than three years of work), and with an official duration of 68 minutes, it became one of the first full-length films in the world. The scenes describing Hell are based (or should I say inspired) on the works of French artist Gustave Doré, probably the most recognized by the general public. At least two editions other than the original are known, released in 2004 and 2011 respectively. On both occasions, its soundtrack was replaced (Tangerine Dream in 2004, and the Edison Studio collective in 2011).
Thanks to the powers of YouTube and the public domain, accessing L'Inferno is easier than ever. I suppose each one must check for themselves which version they prefer. Each soundtrack has its strong point in certain scenes, while in others they don't fit quite well. However, the attention to detail and the use of special effects have turned "L'Inferno" into a true pioneer, and we're glad to see it has been preserved as it deserves.
