Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1912-01-22
THE STORY OF THE "INFEREO.'


n ~H - 4
All who have read Dante's Divine
Comedy. Inferno" are looking for
ward eagerly to the presentation OF
this famous production In moving
pictures. which Il advertised bY the
Grand Theatre for Wednesday anS
Thursday. Jan. cath and 25th.
The filming OF DANES Inferno"
marks a new epoch In moving pic.
lures in more respects than one Tn
til now the moving picture has been
housed IN humble quarters compar-
ed 10 the legitimate stage. and It's en-
vironments have beer or 4 c~orrespon-
ding character. Indeed the legitimate
stage kept the moving picture at a
distance a. All undesirable relative
All this has now been changed. and
the picture has made a Triumphant
entry into the best show houses Ct
the country. Il 5 not. II course, he
ordinary moving picture a which
the doors Or the rrca; theatres have
been opened. tut the feature film,
dealing with a subject rich and In
teresting enough 70 constitute an ev-
eninEs entertainment. or these
feature films easily the first In DAN
ties "Inferno.'' Only those who are
az least In a fair degree familiar
with the poem can appreciate the
seemingly insurmountable obstacles
which met the maker ambitious
enough to render this great creation
iTlt0 moving pictures. There was
but way to solve the problem,
and this was the most difficult way
OF all-to follow with literal fidelity
all the conceptions and fancIes or
the poet. This is the way that the
makers % the film have chosen. and
Il has Ted them to success
From the first canto to The last
one i struck by the startling real
ism or each foot 81 film. Take. for
instance. the first cant0: The wan
dering OF the poet through the dark
and gloomy forest; his adventures
with Wild beasts. his repeated ct
tempts TO ascend the hill OF saliva
ton; the flight from the famiFhed
wolf: the descent Of Beatrice from
the realm Of the blessed into the
limbo Of, Virgil the pious poet .of.
pagan antiquity. are rendered with
such a fascinating power that ono
loses sight or the fact that he IL
watching a picture and not realities.
The wonder grows as the picture
. progresses.
The arrangement OF the guilty
souls before the internal Judge. tho
heat stirring scene on the banks Of
the River Acheron are rendered with
a dramatic rover and Intensity d:
which words can give but a faint
idea. The height u moving picture
\ realism. however, Is reached when
the two poets on their journey
through hell arrive Al the gray and
withered cliffs OF the stygian
Swamps. whore the violeat are con-
fined. The system or signals oy
which the internal powers send news
Of the coming and passing Of guilty
souls through the various regions.
50 graphically described by Dante. 4
shown with a thrilling and over
whclming realism In the pc.ure.
The great dramatic moment in
Dante's poem comes with he arrival
Of the poet at the gl.es 81 the City
OF Dis. The scenes here fDlllw each
otter in rapid succession. reaching a
nr'sr powerful climax when Virgil
seems filled with despair and InclIn-
ed TO retrace his steps. The makers
Of the film have done suil Justice 70
his most exactinE potion of the
poem. and the spectator finds him
self thrilled and awad In turns Nor.
Is there any abatement III rrtiss &c
power and Retirement as The poem
approaches its end. The last circle
In the Inferno. lepicting he punish
ment cf traitors. Is among the most
impressive. Every step increases
our admiration for the film makers
and renews and enhances L nm
dcrstanding and enjoyment Of the
poem. Numerous instances could BE-
cited showing how. even in the mi
nutest detail. the picture seized the
conceptions OF Dante and worked
them cut with patient and artistic
endeavor. A few may suffice. We
mention the flight OF the evil spir-
its like frogs before the serpent. at
the approach Of the angel before the