University College London Department of Greek & Latin and University of Bristol Department of Classics proudly present

THE ANCIENT WORLD IN SILENT CINEMA (2)

An afternoon & evening of silent film screenings with piano accompaniment and related talks for silent films with settings in Biblical or Near Eastern Antiquity. As with the first screening of films set in ancient Greece & Rome which we held in January, almost all of the films to be screened in June are not available for purchase in video or DVD format, and are rarely shown in cinemas. They survive as viewing copies in film archives. The event is open to the public and admission is free. ALL ARE WELCOME.

Monday 22 June 2009,
at UCL Bloomsbury Theatre, 15 Gordon Street, London, WC1H 0AH

http://www.thebloomsbury.com/

Podcast by Professor Wyke on representations of the ancient world in silent films - and why they remain so under-studied.

AFTERNOON SCREENINGS (2-4PM):

PHARAONIC EGYPT, BABYLON & OLD TESTAMENT

• Wanted a Mummy (UK 1910) 4 mins
• Sposa del Nilo/ The Bride of the Nile (IT 1911) 11 mins
• Vergine di Babilonia / The Virgin of Babylon (IT 1910) 9 mins
• Caïn et Abel / Cain and Abel (FR 1911) 5 mins
• Sacra Bibbia / The Sacred Bible (IT 1920), episode of ‘The Story of Joseph in Egypt’ 9 mins.
• Moïse sauvé des eaux / Moses Saved from the River (Fr 1910) 8 mins
• L’exode (FR 1910) 13 mins
• La vie de Moïse (FR 1910) interspersed with Life of Moses (US 1909-10) 13 mins
• Jephthah’s Daughter (US 1909) 6 mins
• Jephthah’s Daughter (US 1913) 25 mins

TEA/COFFEE BREAK (4-4.30PM)

SPEAKERS (4.30-6PM)

David Mayer (University of Manchester), Margaret Malamud (State University of New Mexico), and Judith Buchanan (University of York)

EVENING SCREENINGS (7-9PM):

OLD & NEW TESTAMENT

• Samson et Dalila (FR 1902) 3 mins
• Samson (FR 1908) 11 mins
• David et Goliath (FR 1910) 8 mins
• Reine de Saba / Queen of Sheba (FR 1913) 19 mins
• Giuditta e Oloferne (IT 1908) 6 mins
• Judith (FR 1910) 8 mins
• Aveugle de Jérusalem / The Blind Man of Jerusalem (FR 1909) 8 mins
• Vie de Jesus (FR 1905-14) 8 mins, episodes from childhood to transfiguration
• Vie de Jesus (FR 1905-14) 18 mins, episodes from annunciation to ascension

FILM SYNOPSES THE AFTERNOON: EGYPT, BABYLON & OLD TESTAMENT (2-4PM)

Wanted – A mummy (UK, A. E. Coleby, 1910) 3.5 mins. Two poor unemployed men read an advertisement in a newspaper which announces that Professor Antique will pay good prices for mummies. Bill persuades Tom to be a mummy and dresses him in linen bandages. Incomplete.

Sposa del Nilo, La [The Bride of the Nile] (Italy, Enrico Guazzoni, 1911) 11 mins. Ranses, a young Egyptian, explains to his betrothed, Amebi, that the streets of Thebes are crowded with people waiting for the Nile to flood the country and give fertility to the soil. Prayers are offered up and offerings made at the Temple. The goddess Isis responds that a young virgin should be consecrated to her in the Nile. Amerbi joins the throng of virgins circling the image of the goddess and, to her lover's dismay, she is chosen to be sacrificed.

Vergine di Babilonia, La [The Virgin of Babylon] (Italy, Luigi Maggi, 1910) 9 mins. Ninia, King of Babylon, comes upon Esther with her sweetheart and orders his men to grab her and carry her off to his palace. He attempts to woo her but she refuses to become his queen and is thrown into a pit of lions. The lions lie at her feet and the populace rises against the King. Esther is reunited with her sweetheart.

Caïn et Abel [Cain and Abel] (France, Henri Andréani, 1911) 5 mins. Cain argues with Abel but their mother (Eve) separates them and their father (Adam) sends him off. Abel sacrifices a lamb, which burns properly, but Cain's sacrifice of farm produce does not. Cain fells Abel with an axe, and covers his body with stone slabs. He is struck by lightning, and an angel appears who causes the stones to fall from Abel's body. His crime revealed, Cain stumbles away until he is stopped by a vision of Abel's body, which turns into the angel.

Sacra Bibbia, La [The sacred bible] (Italy, Piero Antonio Garazzo, 1920) – the episode of ‘The story of Joseph in Egypt’. 9 mins. Pharoah's wise elders are unable to interpret his dreams of the cows and ears of grain. Pharoah summons the Hebrew Joseph from his prison cell. Joseph interprets Pharoah's dreams correctly as portending seven good harvests followed by seven lean ones. A grateful Pharoah appoints Joseph to oversee the collection and storage of grain during the years of plenty. Moïse sauvé des eaux [Moses saved from the river] (France, Henri Andréani, 1910) 8 mins. The father of Moses is seen at work with the Israelites. An edict is read by Pharaoh's messenger announcing that all newborn male sons of the Israelites must be put to death. Pharaoh's soldiers arrive to collect the newborn boys. Moses is hidden in a basket hanging from the roof. His mother takes Moses to the Nile and sets him adrift in the rushes. Pharaoh's daughter discovers and adopts the baby. Moses' mother imposes herself on Pharaoh's daughter and offers her services as a wet nurse.

Exode, L’ [Exodus] (France, Louis Feuillade, 1910) 13 mins. The elderly, bearded Moses foretells the tenth plague. The Israelites mark their doorposts with the blood of lambs. Moses celebrates the first Passover: he preaches and prays, and distributes food to those around the table. Pharaoh's son dies, followed by other firstborn sons of the Egyptians who bring the bodies out into the street in grief. Pharaoh tells the Israelites to leave the city. The exodus.

La vie de Moïse (France, 1905) interspersed with The Life of Moses (US, J. Stuart Blackton, 1909-10) 13 mins. Moses is discovered in a basket in the Nile. The grown-up Moses is saddened at the sight of the Hebrews working as slaves. He defends two workers from being beaten and kills the slave master, but is identified as the culprit. In a pauper’s disguise, he wanders the desert and rescues a group of goat- and sheep-herders from attack. Moses tends his flocks, a bush begins to burn, an angel appears, and Moses’ staff turns into a snake. When the Pharoah refuses to allow the Hebrews to leave, Moses threatens him with the plagues. The parting of the Red Sea, manna from Heaven, the rock that brings forth water. Moses reaches Mt Sinai and God appears with the Ten Commandments. Moses is angered by the Hebrews’ construction of a deity in the form of a golden calf and smashes it with the Ten Commandments. Moses is deified.

Jephthah’s Daughter (US, J. Stuart Blackton, 1909) 6 mins. Jephthah sets off with his troops to fight the Ammonites. Before battle, he vows that he will sacrifice to Jehovah the first creature to greet him, should he return victorious. The Ammonites are defeated. The first creature to greet Jephthah on his return is his daughter. On learning of her fate, she begs for two months' grace. Together they break the news to Jephthah's wife. The daughter plays with her friends during the two months' grace. Finally, she mounts the sacrificial altar, and her father raises his dagger. He subsequently sets fire to the pyre, and the flames engulf her corpse. Her spirit appears above the pyre.

Jephthah’s Daughter (US, J. Farrell Macdonald, 1913) 25 mins. ‘A tragedy from the scriptures’. In battle, Jephthah vows that if he is victorious he will sacrifice to God the first creature he meets on his return. His daughter and her servant Deborah (awaiting news of the outcome) meet Deborah’s long-lost brother, the wily robber chief Zebah. The victorious Jephthah is greeted by his daughter and reveals to her his vow. Zebah sends spies to follow the daughter and capture her as she rides in a wagon. He holds her in the woods and tries to woo her. Two months later, Deborah chooses to betray her brother in order to protect her mistress. Zebah is wounded and captured, accompanied by the daughter who is now in love with him. She asks her father to spare Zebah in return for her readiness to be sacrificed, but the two lovers die.

THE EVENING: OLD & NEW TESTAMENT (7-9PM)

Samson et Dalila [Samson and Delilah] (France, Ferdinand Zecca, 1902) 3 mins. Delilah cuts off Samson's locks. Bereft of his strength, he turns a millstone in prison. Brought back, the shackled Samson tears away the pillars of the temple where he has been publicly humiliated, causing it to crash down in pieces. Samson's triumphant spirit, accompanied by angels, rises out of the ruins.

Samson (France, Albert Capellani, 1908) 11 mins. While Samson’s father is out, an angel visits the household and tells his mother of Samson's impending arrival. When the child is born, friends visit the house to see the baby. Later Samson throws down the gates at Gaza. In an attempt to undermine his power, the King of the Philistines visits Delilah and persuades her to betray Samson. Samson visits Delilah who charms him and finally, when he is asleep, betrays him by cutting his hair which (he has told her) is the secret of his strength. In his weakened state, he is arrested by the king who puts out his eyes. Samson is then set to work on a treadmill. He is sent for by the king who is with his followers at the temple. Samson arrives and destroys the temple and the Philistines and himself by pulling down the pillars. Samson ascends into heaven.

David et Goliath (France, Henri Andréani, 1910) 8 mins. David plays his lyre to entertain his three brothers. Messenger brings news of war from King Saul. Despite David's pleadings, his father will not allow him to go to war. While herding the sheep, David defends them from an eagle killing it with his slingshot. David sets off to take food to his brothers. He fends off some robbers, killing one. He arrives at the camp just as the Philistines attack it. Goliath presents his message of single combat to King Saul. David pleads with Saul to fight. The two men circle each other, David takes aim and strikes the giant dead. The Philistines run in panic. David rides in triumph to Saul.

Reine de Saba, La [The queen of Sheba] (France, Henri Andréani, 1913) 19 mins. King Solomon displays his judgment and wisdom in and around Jerusalem. The Queen of Sheba hears of the fame of Solomon and, following an exchange of letters between them, travels to Jerusalem in a great procession to meet him. She is awed by his wisdom and wealth. Solomon reciprocates with gifts. The jealousy of the queen’s follower Horam is aroused by the feasts given by Solomon. Horam is killed by Solomon’s guards outside the royal bedroom. Messengers from the queen’s court bring news of disorder in her country, so King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba are forced to part.

Giuditta e Oloferne [Judith and Holopherne] (Italy, Mario Caserini, 1908) 6 mins. The Israelites, besieged in Bethulia, bemoan their fate. In Judith's palace, an angel appears and instructs her to help. Judith is led into the tent of the Assyrian leader Holophernes. He, much taken, orders everyone out including his protesting concubine. Judith is reluctant but, after the reappearance of the angel, submits to his embrace. Holophernes feasts with his concubine and court. Judith enters and feigns pleasure. He leads her to bed, but falls drunkenly asleep. The angel urges the reluctant Judith to kill him. Judith returns to the Israelites and shows them his head.

Judith [Judith et Holopherne] (France, Louis Feuillade, 1909) 8 mins. The Israelites, besieged in Bethulia, beg their leader to hand over the town to the Assyrian commander, Holofernes, but one of their number, the widow Judith, decides on an alternative plan. Adorned, she goes to the camp of Holofernes, who becomes enamoured of her. After a feast at which he gets drunk, she escorts him to his bedchamber and there chops off his head with his own sword. The besieged Israelites await her return. Incomplete.

Aveugle de Jérusalem, L' [The blind man of Jerusalem] (France, Louis Feuillade, 1909) 8 mins. Christ restores the sight of a wealthy man of Jerusalem who returns home only to find out that his daughter has a lover and that his servants have been robbing him. He turns them all out into the street, but later feels compassion for them after witnessing Christ's journey to Calvary.

Vie de Jesus [Life of Jesus] (France, 1905-14) 8 mins. Episodes from childhood to transfiguration. Birth: The annunciation to Mary. The nativity and adoration of the Magi. The massacre of innocents. The flight into Egypt. Child: The Holy Family at Nazareth. Jesus and the Doctors in the Temple. Adult: Baptizing Christ. Turning water into wine at the marriage of Cana. Mary Magdalene at the feet of Jesus. Jesus and the Woman of Samaria. Raising the daughter of Jairus. Walking on the waters. The wonderful draught of fishes. The raising of Lazarus. The transfiguration.

Vie de Jesus (France 1905-14) 18 mins. Episodes from annunciation to ascension (brief overlap with the previous version). Birth: The annunciation to Mary. The nativity and adoration of the Magi. The massacre of innocents. The flight into Egypt. Child: The Holy Family at Nazareth. Jesus and the Doctors in the Temple. Adult: Baptizing Christ. The entry into Jerusalem. The money changers. The Last Supper. Judas’ kiss and the arrest of Jesus. The crown of thorns. The miracle of Saint Veronica. The crucifixion. The Death of Jesus. The descent from the cross. Jesus’ tomb. Ascension.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The greatest thanks are due to the following for their early and sustained support for this project: Frank Penter (Bloomsbury Theatre Coordinator); Hamish Stewart (UCL Futures); Michael Worton (Vice-Provost, UCL); Chris Carey (UCL Dept. of Greek & Latin); Stephen Hart (UCL Dept. of Spanish & Latin American Studies); Lee Grieveson (Director Graduate Programme in Film Studies, UCL); Andrea del Duce & Lisa Gosbee (UCL Film Society); UCL Students Union. Colleagues in UCL, Bristol and elsewhere were very generous in their help to publicise this event. We are very grateful to our pianist Stephen Horne and our projectionist Owen Armstrong for their enthusiastic participation in our event, and to Sound Associates for additional labour to bring the Bloomsbury film projectors up to scratch. We are also deeply indebted to the BFI National Archive and its staff for the loan of these precious films from their collection, and to Kathleen Dickson, Bryony Dixon, and Jo Botting for their research in the archive on our behalf. The plot summaries we provide above are edited versions of those available on the BFI Film & TV database. The event has been supported financially by UCL Futures (Encouraging Innovation & Opportunities), the Department of Greek and Latin, UCL, the Bristol Institute for Research in the Humanities and Arts, and the Department of Classics and Ancient History, University of Bristol. Our thanks also go to Amanda Cater and Joanna Fryer for their administrative support.

THE ANCIENT WORLD IN SILENT CINEMA – RESEARCH PROJECT

In the first four decades of cinema, more than 800 films were made which drew their inspiration from ancient Greece, Rome, Egypt and the Bible. Only a few of these films have been studied. No one has yet attempted to collate them or analyze them as a group despite their many commonalities (of actors, directors, studios, and mode of representation). Film histories and databases usually reproduce their titles as disembodied entities, devoid of detailed subject matter, cultural context and historical significance. While the strong cinematic interest in the ancient Mediterranean since the 1950s has resulted in a steady flow of publications in recent years, the breadth and persistence of fascination with the ancient world in the first decades of cinema have been largely ignored. The films in question, ranging from historical and mythological epics to adaptations of ancient drama, burlesques, animated cartoons and documentaries, suggest a preoccupation with the ancient world which competes in intensity and breadth with that of Hollywood’s classical era. Existing prints as well as production stills, posters, pressbooks, reviews, and other ephemera scattered in film archives and libraries around the world constitute an enormous field of research that awaits exploration.

We are now also planning the next stage of the project, after the two film screenings in January and June 2009. It will involve the investigation in detail of a broad range of silent films set in antiquity leading to the production of a special issue on The Ancient World in Silent Cinema. We are also in consultation with archivists, librarians, scholars, and festival curators in the UK and abroad to extend the project into an international network of experts, leading to an online database, conferences and publications and, perhaps most importantly, preservation, digitization, and exhibition. If you would like to inquire further about the research project or about these events, please contact Maria Wyke (m.wyke@ucl.ac.uk).

We are deeply indebted to the BFI National Film Archive and its staff for all their help, and to UCL Futures and the University of Bristol for their generous financial support for the first stage of our project.

ORGANISERS

Maria Wyke (Department of Greek and Latin, UCL)

Pantelis Michelakis (Department of Classics, University of Bristol)

supported by UCL Futures – Encouraging Innovation & Opportunities

and by the Dept. of Classics and Ancient History (University of Bristol)