User Reviews

While it's unfortunate that this film as it exists is no longer 100% complete, we should be thankful that it is nearly so, with only fairly small fragments of footage having been lost. Just as much to the point, the footage that was lost generally does not seem to have been any that is essential to the plot in a way that other frames are not. With this said, it's a great joy that a title from 1917 still survives at all, and has been restored, with meticulous and varied tinting that provides marvelous garnishes of color to most every frame. Even once filming was complete it's obvious that immense care was taken to make this as much of a spectacle as it could be for early theater audiences, and for as much of a pleasure as it is to watch over 100 years later I can imagine the reaction must have been much the same in contemporary times. Of course, that post-production ardor only accentuates the splendor that this already represents: beautiful filming locations, gorgeous costume design, and lovely hair and makeup, all marked by exquisite detail. Just from a standpoint of the visuals 'Satan's rhapsody' ('Rapsodia satanica') is pretty fantastic.

Speaking of fantastic, the story treads familiar but excellent territory in relating a deal with the devil and the drama that follows. However, this facet may be the one sticking point of the extant feature, for whether or not we assume that important intertitles were among the lost footage, I don't think this is great about communicating the details of the plot. We get the broad strokes, and the broad strokes are duly compelling: a vain woman bargains with the devil for youth in exchange for rejecting love; in failing to wholly reject love, consequences of fate follow for the lovers, and for the woman. This is firm foundation for a tale, but wherever one may lay blame for the storytelling shortcoming (writing, or lost footage), a more fleshed-out narrative would have only benefited the whole. As points indicating the writing, I would observe that other early Italian pieces, like 1911's definitively complete 'L'odissea,' were also nevertheless marked by toying with only the very broad strokes of the plot. More relevantly, it would make sense that plot-heavy intertitles would come in scenes with the devil, but the missing footage doesn't necessarily seem to reflect portions where those intertitles would come. One way or another, the story as we see it is fine - but could have been better, especially if the protagonist's character arc had been more drawn out and dramatic.

I would also note that like some other very early silent movies, the pacing is extra lax as filmmaker Nino Oxilia lets scenes linger long. Of course the intent of so doing is to allow the cast to emote and act all the more, conveying characters' thoughts, feelings, and indeed communication through their body language and expression alone. And that's fine! That's what the silent era did, and why we love it! Still, in this case I wonder if that pacing isn't a hair too restrained. Be that as it may, the cast give commendable performances commensurate with contemporary standards of performance. Naturally Lyda Borelli, given the lead role and the most time on-screen, stands out the most, though Ugo Bazzini clearly delights in the playful deviousness of Mephisto. All around 'Satan's rhapsody' is rather well made, and should be treasured both on its own merits and as a surviving picture of so long ago. I don't think it's perfect, or a must-see, and it's unlikely to appeal to anyone who isn't already enamored of the silent era. Emphasizing the point, while the film does play with the classic horror trope of the Faustian bargain, the horror here is purely thematic and not something that we feel. Regardless, this is a vestige of another era in cinema that's worth checking out if you have the opportunity, and 'Satan's rhapsody' is a minor pleasure.

"Rapsodia satanica" is one of the most known silent film works from Italy and it has its 100th anniversary next year. The version I watched went on for 45 minutes, but there may be some lost scenes as the original is even longer or this one I saw just had more frames per second. Anyway, it was one of the latest efforts by Nino Oxilia, who died only in his 20s in World War I and was already a very prolific filmmaker at this point. The fate of most of the actors in this poem-based film wasn't much better. They may not have died early, but nobody from them managed a really successful transition from silent to sound film, especially not lead actress Lady Borelli who played her part well and was quite a star in Italy back then. The story is about an old woman who makes a deal with the Devil and becomes young again. Complication ensues when 2 men fall in love with her. So yes there is a touch of Mephisto and Faust in here for sure. Sadly, overall I did not find the watch rewarding enough. Keep in mind this is silent and black-and-white, so if you want the original feeling make sure you don't catch a copy that has sound or color added later. Or just don't watch it at all. Not recommended.