Thaïs (1917 Italian film)

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This article is about the 1917 Italian Futurist film. For other uses, see Thais.
Thaïs
File:Thais Bragaglia 1917 04.jpg
A scene from the movie
Directed by Anton Giulio Bragaglia
Written by Riccardo Cassano
Starring Thaïs Galitzky
Release dates
 1917
Running time
 105 minutes
Country Italy
Language Silent

Thaïs is a 1917 Italian silent film directed by Anton Giulio Bragaglia. The movie is the sole surviving Italian Futurist film, and currently kept at the Cinémathèque Française. It is not based on the novel of the same name by Anatole France.

Plot

The plot is fairly conventional and refers to the love stories of turbid "diva-film" typical of the period.

The beautiful Slavic countess Vera Preobrajenska (played by Thaïs Galitzy) is a seductress of married men, dragging them to the brink of ruin. Vera resolves to seduce Count San Remo, the lover of her best friend, the Countess Bianca Stagno-Bellincioni (played by Ileana Leonidoff). Bianca, in the midst of depression, falls off her horse and dies. Vera feels guilty and commits suicide.[1][2][3]

Characteristics

The film sets are characteristic of the Futurist movement. They were designed by Enrico Prampolini who used geometric shapes based on a strong black/white contrast: spiral, diamond, chess, symbolic figures (cats, masks spewing smoke). Painted scenes often interact with the characters, creating a world of illusions where it is difficult to distinguish fact from fiction. As the film progresses, it becomes more and more abstract to reflect Vera's increasing confusion.

The oppressive and anti naturalistic visions can be seen as a preamble to the German expressionist cinema, which was notably inspired by the style of Prampolini.

Gallery

  • Thais Bragaglia 1917 01.jpg

    A scene from Thaïs

  • Thais Bragaglia 1917 02.jpg

    A scene from Thaïs

  • Thais Bragaglia 1917 03.jpg

    A lattice of pointed poles

  • Thais Bragaglia 1917 05.jpg

    A scene with real smoke

See also

References

  1. ↑ Review, synopsis and link to watch the film: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Bibliography

  • Sandro Bernardi, L'avventura del cinematografo, Marsilio Editori, Venezia 2007. ISBN 978-88-317-9297-4
  • G. Aristarco, Teoria futurista e film d'avanguardia, ne «La Biennale di Venezia» n. 36/37 Luglio- Dicembre, Venezia, 1959
  • A. Bernardini, Cinema muto italiano, 3 vol., Laterza, Bari-Roma, 1980/81
  • R. Campari, Il fantasma del bello: iconologia del cinema italiano, Marsilio, Venezia, 1994
  • G. Lista, Cinema e fotografia futurista, Skira, Milano, 2001
  • M. Macola, Prima mostra di scenotecnica futurista, in «Il Secolo XIX», Genova, 11 febbraio 1933
  • F. T. Marinetti, Anton Giulio Bragaglia, in «Futurismo», n. 9, 6 novembre 1931
  • C. Tisdall e A. Bozzolla, Futurismo, Skira, Milano, 2003
  • M. Verdone e AAVV, La casa d’arte Bragaglia, Bulzoni, Roma, 1992
  • M. Verdone, Cinema e letteratura del futurismo, Manfrini, Calliano, Trento, 1990

External links


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