The Last Days of Pompeii

The Last Days of Pompeii 1913

5.40

Well-respected Pompeiian Glaucus performs an act of kindness by purchasing Nydia, a blind slave being mistreated by her owner. Nydia falls in love with her new master, but he only has eyes for Ione. Ione in turn is lusted after by Arbace, an Egyptian high priest of Isis. When Nydia beseeches Isis for help in capturing Glaucus' heart, Arbace gives her a "love" potion-- an elixir made to drive Glaucus mad, securing Ione for himself. Ultimately, Mount Vesuvius will end their lives and seal their fates in a terrible, glorious eruption.

1913

Parsifal

Parsifal 1912

6.90

A fantasy film about the knight Parsifal, who has to protect the Holy Grail from wizards.

1912

Nero, or The Fall of Rome

Nero, or The Fall of Rome 1909

5.50

Roman emperor Nero is used to getting what he wants. He has grown tired of his wife Octavia, and has become infatuated with Poppea. He succeeds in making Poppea the new empress, but soon he faces opposition from an outraged populace. Informed of the danger of an imminent popular uprising, Nero orders to set fire to the city, which he watches from a terrace, rejoicing and playing his lyra.

1909

The Last Days of Pompeii

The Last Days of Pompeii 1908

5.14

Pompeii 79AD, mere days before the Vesuvian eruption. Glaucus and Jone are in love with each other. Arbaces, the Egyptian High Priest, is determined to conquer Jone. Glaucus purchases Nydia, the blind and long-suffering slave. Nydia falls in love with Glaucus and asks Arbaces for his help. He gives her a potion to make Glaucus fall in love with her-- In fact, a poison which will cause violent insanity.

1908

The False Oath

The False Oath 1909

7.00

An adaptation of Balzac's La Grande Bretêche

1909

Ashes

Ashes 1917

5.80

Dame Eleonora Duse plays a poor woman who, incapable of raising and feed him, leaves her illegitimate son with foster parents. Before she leaves her boy, the woman gives to the child an amulet in order to protect him. The amulet will be the key to put him in connection with his old mother when the boy grows up.

1917

La nuova cameriera è troppo bella

La nuova cameriera è troppo bella 1912

5.00

The new maid and her mistress devise a plan to foil the men in the house. ...[The mistress of the house finds her chambermaid using her toiletries.]... She is dismissed and the lady advertises for a new maid. The new maid arrives at the front gate and the bemused gate keeper lets her in. The page boy sees her walking up to the house and admires her beauty. She is shown in to meet her new master, who also admires her, and mistress.

1912

Othello

Othello 1914

1

The 1914 Italian version of William Shakespeare's Othello.

1914

Tweedledum's Itching Powder

Tweedledum's Itching Powder 1910

1

Fricot finds his father asleep and takes advantage of the opportunity to pour down his parent's hack a handful of itching powder. The poor man's antics in attempting to relieve himself of his distress are ludicrous and finally result in incurring the wrath of his wife and her mother, who set upon him and beat him until exhausted. To his amazement he discovers that the blows have a salutary effect and he submits to the thrashing. When the women finally leave him alone he arises well pleased, as his affliction has been overcome.

1910

If One Could See Into the Future

If One Could See Into the Future 1911

6.40

A mother confronts Death as to why he has to take her young boy. And he shows her the future to explain why he need to be eliminated.

1911

Miss Tweedledum

Miss Tweedledum 1912

4.30

Robinet disguises himself as a woman to get away from his girlfriend’s husband, and discovers the unexpected pleasures of public drag amidst mobs of flirtatious men. (MoMA)

1912

The Extraordinary Adventures of Saturnino Farandola

The Extraordinary Adventures of Saturnino Farandola 1913

5.60

Saturnino Farandola: Raised by monkeys, taken in by sailors, captain of a frigate. He sets off to chart unknown worlds with his loyal crew. Beneath the sea he encounters love in the person of Mysora the beautiful. On land he comes up against a mad wise man, a Machiavellian mandarin and bloodthirsty Apaches, but nothing will be able to stop his desire to explore.

1913

Tweedledum as Aviator

Tweedledum as Aviator 1911

6.70

Robinet, the lead in this Italian slapstick comedy, wants to be an aviator in the worst way, and this being an Italian slapstick, that's how he does it. Italian slapstick in this period was absolutely bone-breaking, so much so that it makes Keystone slapstick look like drawing-room comedy by contrast.

1911

The Gorgona

The Gorgona 1915

1

Pisa, 11th century. Spina, a young priestess daughter of Peter, is devoted to keeping a flame burning that illuminates the way back for those returning from the Crusade. But the Florentine knight Lamberto falls in love with her and the two young men fail in the vow of chastity that Spina committed. The shame for having betrayed the promise of purity made pushes Spina to suicide and Lamberto kills himself with her.

1915

The Devil on Two Sticks

The Devil on Two Sticks 1910

3.70

A young man befriends a limping demon to get rid of a woman who's after him.

1910

Butalin troppo onesto

Butalin troppo onesto 1912

5.00

A man emerges from the bank with his wallet full. He drops it on the ground. A workman spots it and tries to give it back. Fearing he is about to be mugged, the first man flees, with the second pursuing.

1912

Pedestrian Love

Pedestrian Love 1914

5.10

The story of the meeting and falling in love of a man and a woman. The story is told by showing the characters from below the knees only. A man in smart shoes prepares to go out. His maid gives him his coat, he dusts off his shoes and leaves. As he leaves the building an elegant woman drops her purse. He returns it to her and follows her home.

1914