Musical accompaniment by the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra
The divine Lyda Borelli is the aging Countess d’Oltrevita, who makes a Faustian bargain to regain her youth and beauty. But a deal with the devil always exacts a painful cost and she’s forbidden to ever fall in love again. The primordial diva of the Italian silent era Borelli’s electric presence and distinctive acting style began the cultural phenomenon known as Borellismo, with fans imitating her hair styles, clothes, and gestures. An artistic collaboration of the highest order, Rapsodia Satanica counts on her performance at the center of a film lush with ornate interiors and sumptuous costumes, as well as some very handsome suitors. The real star here however is the film’s color, not only tinted and toned in atmospheric sepias, blues, greens, and golds but also with added stencil-color to selectively highlight crucial details, like a demonic red for Mephistopheles’s cape and a soft pink to contrast with the purity of Borelli’s bridal shroud.
Preceded by a sample of beautiful Kinemacolor shorts presented by Cineteca di Bologna director Gian Luca Farinelli from the archive’s prized collection.
Rapsodia Satanica runs 43 minutes. The preceding Kinemacolor presentation will be approx. 25 minutes.
Print courtesy of the Cineteca di Bologna
Special Support by Istituto Italiano di Cultura