HOMER'S ODYSSEY [L'ODISSEA] (1911) 24156

Description

Original Monopol Film Company Half Sheet Poster. Linen Backed
An incredible ancient poster for a 1911 Italian film L’ODISSEA directed by Francesco Bertolini. Surprisingly the poster is in pretty nice condition. Here is certainly the first offering in cinema of a story that has been told and retold many times. Ulysses is played by Giuseppe de Liguoro. The film was distributed in America in February 1912 by the Monopol Film Company. Unlike many films from this early in the cinema’s history, this movie still exists. In fact it was shown in London in 2013 and reported on at londoncitynights.com: “It turns out that Homer’s Odyssey and modern CG blockbusters have more in common that you’d think. Michelakis entertainingly explains how the film was marketed. Notable tactics were; securing the recommendations of Classics academics in what are now the Ivy League universities; offering reprints copies of Homer’s Odyssey (in English or Greek); an essay writing competition (which had 100,000 entries!); offering busts of Homer for cinema owners to display; and, brilliantly, offering university lecturers toga costumes to wear whilst delivering lectures about the film. Then for the US premiere they invited President Taft and former President Roosevelt, as well as the Deans of all the major US universities. Impressive stuff. All this effort suggests Homer’s Odyssey as a summer tentpole blockbuster of its day; an early ‘event film’.” An incredibly rare artifact from the first years of filming. MovieArt Austin guarantees this poster to be a vintage, authentic poster for this ancient film. MovieArt Austin will sell NO reproducitons.
FRANCESCO BERTOLINI – Director
GIUSEPPE de LIGUORO – Actor/Director
ADOLFO PADOVAN – Director