Year: 1909
Director: Luigi Maggi
Country: Italy
Language: N/A
The reign of Emporer Nero was as infamous as it was bloody. Obviously a silent film couldn't cover every moment of Nero's life (I doubt even a 10 season television show could either), but Nero gives great effort in being a grand spectacle. This film was released in 1909, the start of what is now known as the Golden age of Italian cinema. Though eventually it would be known for post-war realism, in the silent period Italian Cinema was known for sweeping epics.
The film two of Nero’s more infamous acts: his dumping Octavia in favor of Poppaea and the burning of Rome.
The narrative structure used in Nero is quite common of the pre-feature era; the vignette. It's a construction of the "good parts" of their material compacted into a highlight reel. This would mean a traditional narrative was missing, but the visuals were relatively easy to follow along to. Title cards would tell you where you are in throughout the story so you aren't left in the dark about what's happening if you don't know history.
The sets and performances are quite stagy, but the emperor's story fits well with the stage and with the exaggerated acting that goes along with it. The performers move with grace, despite some of their gestures being clearly intended to be seen live. The sets are not exactly convincing, but do their best to create an "epic" feel.
Clearly made with precision and dedication, Nero isn't a bad picture if you view it as a product of the pre-feature era. It's a fun mini-epic that has a certain appeal in its charm. At only 10-12 minutes (Youtube has different lengths), it's a breeze to get through.
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