Customer Reviews

Dante's Inferno

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Ovation TV is showing this film in their animation week. Thank you, Ovation.
As Virgil says, "I don't like puppets." But I will make an exception for this work of art. The technique is similar to the Shadow Puppetry of SE Asia. At one point, Ulysses introduces a movie of what he did after Troy. The "movie" uses the traditional shadow puppets to show Bush's fantasy of bringing democracy to the Middle East. The entire movie is clever in its use of the puppetry.
This is the ultimate message movie with heavy-handed commentary. But hey, it's Dante's tour of Hell, no subtlety needed. I have only read summaries of the original story so cannot tell you how close it is to Dante's version. Beatrice makes a token appearance. But the people shown range from Lizzie Borden to the man who set up the Jews to be blamed for the crucifying of Christ. There's even a surprise guest from the Bush Administration. Fox News provides some transportation.
Gay men are shown being forced to dance to techno music. Someone is condemned for downloading Metallica. Several Popes show up, including John Paul II. Somehow you will be offended by this movie. Get over it.
I am looking forward to owning my own copy so that I can pause the film and read the signs on the scenery.

Likewise, I also saw this on OVATN. Despite this film being composed mainly of 2-D cardboard pieces (with the exception of God and Lucifer), the low budget doesn't stop this film from being entertaining. Theme and message aside, this film gives plenty of laughs for those who can appreciate it's various forms of humor (from political, historical, to some slapstick). Hilarious to see some famous political figures in certain levels of hell, especially Fox News somewhere in the 7th or 8th (can't remember exactly, but somewhere around there), thus making a statement at how fake and/or biased the news is when it comes to stories, implying that they tell half truths or blow a story out of proportions making them whole lies. That's just a tip at the iceberg when it comes to the parodies this remake of a classic story makes upon the modern world. If you can withstand the cardboard pieces, you'll be in for an interesting form of entertainment.

This isn't really the Inferno Dante wrote. Instead, it's a black comedy with a contemporary spin and more than a little of a liberal bent. Those looking for a rich interpretation of Dante had better stay home, because you won't find it here.

But it's a truly fun ride, largely because of the success of its whimsical animation style. This is a visually spectacular film, and the care with which it has been produced is evidenced on every frame of film. Beautiful work, and with enough jokes for Dante lovers to keep them entertained. Highly recommended.

Dante Alighieri's `Divine Comedy' is filled with vivid imagery and flowing poetry. It is one of the most celebrated pieces of literature of all time. It doesn't need many more translations. New ones are welcome, but it has been improved upon for the English reader time and time again. On the other hand, `Dante's "Inferno,"' the movie, takes many modern contexts and puts a new spin on the timeless classic.

Based on Marcus Doug Harvey, Sandow Birk, and Marcus Sanders' adaptation, the film is a cut-out puppet show--one with the wires still very visible attached to figures going across a mini stage with the finesse of amateurs using magnets and paper clips. The sets are a landscape of (mostly) urban decay--still lifes that are at best a bit impressive, but that`s the exception not the rule. The composite may seem like an A+ project by a high school senior, but on DVD, the results may be of interest only to hard-core Dante-philes or the uninitiated who only want to take the journey via 'Cliff Notes'.

Sight gags and funny references go along with literal passages, and true characters from the book go along with modern updates. (You get to meet Palo and Francesca, Ciacco, the Hog; and Brunetto Latini--as modern players, except their characters and sins are remarkably intact. However, this time you also get to meet Richard Nixon, Hitler, and Stalin along the way.)

The best aspect of the movie is the written material, which is mostly funny and favorable. Sometimes the modern update is right on the money. (Who can argue with Lizzie Borden being among the traitors against kin in the last circle of hell, Lake Coccyx?) Still, finding Hitler among the fortune-tellers doesn't exactly sound like poetic justice to me--even if their explanation does make a point. And, for that matter, I wouldn't put Cardinal John O'Conner in 'The Inferno' at all, but that's just me. I happened to notice that there were a lot more Republicans than Democrats in 'The Inferno,' but, 'The Divine Comedy' does have its political references. Instead of Ghelfs and Gibolenes (white and black), we get red and blue.

Anyway, I'm not God and Dante never pretended to be--it was all meant to be representations of sin and redemption with identifiable figures from Dante's neighborhood to fictitious people in Greek mythology.

`Dante's "Inferno"' entices as much as it repels. To keep a wider audience, the entertainment goes into full gear. "Every dog has his day," Dante quips after Virgil shoots the three-headed dog, Cerebus. At 1:18 the presentation does an admirable cross-section of some of the most memorable cantos. It is rated R for the language and for the explicit nudity during the first circle of the lustful. (I never thought paper puppets could leave so little to the imagination.)

Dermot Mulroney does a convincing modern everyman as Dante, the pilgrim, and James Cromwell is perfect for the voice of Virgil. Clocking in at such a short time, I'll bet a lot of college students and Dante aficionados will satisfy their curiosity for a thoughtful, but often bare bones presentation of a marvelous work.

(Those who are strict with literature interpretations of 'The Divine Comedy' should take consolation that at least this interpretation is closer to 'The Inferno' than the film 'What Dreams May Come'.)

The film is outstanding; one of the best films I have seen in my life. It is an excellent update of Dante's magnificant medieval poem, "The Divine Comedy." I originally saw the film at the San Francisco Film Festival and really had to own it. The concept of using paper puppets is an intriguing twist. I recommend the work to all.

I am a college professor and showed this to my World Lit. class. They loved it, but I was embarrassed by some of the profanity and sexual content.

I really wanted this to be a wonderful movie. I've been teaching The Inferno for years, and felt that something like this was long overdue. But the producers were so caught up in their political/anti-Catholic agenda, the magic and wit of Dante were altogether lost. In the end, it was just crude, offensive, and ugly.

Dante's Inferno is my favorite piece of literature and so I was very hesitant about this movie because I knew it was a modern adaptation and I was afraid that it would be ruined. This movie was fantastic! It was so creative and refreshing and surprisingly funny as well! The writers have managed to weave a lot of different threads together and they've done it with a humorous elegance I was not expecting. The fact that everything was done with hand/paper puppets was simply amazing. It's almost was if Trey Parker and Matt Stone made a movie about Dante. Almost. Nonetheless, check this out when you get a chance!

Most people who don't study literature may wonder 'where's the punchline?'

Right here, twirling a feather at your nose and tickling so hard that you feel the need to speak to a priest. This version of Dante's Inferno is nothing short of divine: the scenery, the characters, the portrayal of Hell... everything almost makes you forget previously reading Dante's illustrious epic poem if indeed you ever did. And if not, this is a great way to be introduced to the titan of classical epics. Despite the use of cardboard cut-outs as puppets, Dante's Inferno colours the realm so brightly that in many cases, I have seen folk read the poem based on their enjoyment of the film. And that says a few somethings to me.

The visuals are wasted upon any HDTV, but larger screens make the elaborate designs fuller and easier to make out the subtleties, and there are plenty. Ditto with the sound design. You aren't watching this for the HD experience. Not at all.

There are a few bonus features, most noteworthy being the commentary tracks, both of which are enjoyable; the second of the tracks, the recorded opinions of a renowned scholar makes quite a few poignant statements that will make most people begin to wonder.

Like most works of years gone by, everyone who is anyone in literature or criticism will cite various 'true meanings' of the 'literary intent' of the work. Shut off that part of your brain, please. Grab some popcorn. Invite some friends over and have a gas.

Then, when everyone leaves, you are free for your theological introspectives. Just don't forget to laugh at yourself.

This is a fairly brilliant retelling of INFERNO, using (strangely) cutouts shot in real-time. Excellent, funny and strange. Highly recommended, although the method of acting conveyance (is that a word?) may turn some viewers off. The main characters are, after all, well-drawn cutouts. I didn't have a problem with it (as a heathen liberal), but the movie also has a fairly clear agenda.