Durham E-Theses Emilio Ghione and the Mask of Za La Mort NORTH, JOSEPH,ALBERT How to cite: NORTH, JOSEPH,ALBERT (2011) Emilio Ghione and the Mask of Za La Mort, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/3427/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk EMILIO GHIONE AND THE MASK OF ZA LA MORT By Joseph North Master of Arts by Research (Italian Studies) School of Modern Languages and Cultures, University of Durham Year of Submission: 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Figures.................................................................................................................iii Introduction......................................................................................................................1 Introduction Endnotes.....................................................................................................5 Chapter One: The apache craze : from brutal criminality to passionate performance.....................................................................................................................6 1.1 Introduction...................................................................................................6 1.2 The apache identity: from real-life to serial fiction and film...................8 1.3 Criminaltà all'italiana: defining the Italian-made crime film...............16 1.4 Italian serial heros......................................................................................21 1.5 From the café-concerts of Montmartre to the film studios of Rome: the cultural adventures of the apache....................................................................25 1.6 Chapter Endnotes......................................................................................38 Chapter Two: The Za La Mort Filmography..............................................................43 2.1 Introduction..................................................................................................43 2.2 Nelly La Gigolette.........................................................................................43 2.3 Za La Mort ...................................................................................................45 2.4 L'Imboscata...................................................................................................46 2.5 Anime Buie....................................................................................................47 2.6 Il Numero 121...............................................................................................49 2.7 L'Ultima Impresa..........................................................................................49 2.8 Il Triangolo Giallo........................................................................................50 2.8 Nel Gorgo......................................................................................................53 2.9 I Topi Grigi....................................................................................................56 2.10 Sua Eccellenza La Morte............................................................................66 2.11 Dollari e Fracks...........................................................................................68 2.12 Il Castello di Bronzo...................................................................................75 2.13 Quale dei due?.............................................................................................76 2.14 Un Frak e Un Apache.................................................................................77 2.16 Zalamort-der traum der zalavie..................................................................77 2.17 Ultimissime della Notte...............................................................................81 2.16 Chapter Endnotes......................................................................................82 Chapter Three: Za La Mort's paper and stage adventures.......................................91 3.1 Introduction..................................................................................................91 3.2 Le Maschere Bianche...................................................................................94 3.3 Za La Mort....................................................................................................98 3.4 Ghione and theatre....................................................................................104 3.5 L'Ombra di Za La Mort.............................................................................106 3.6 Chapter Endnotes......................................................................................113 Chapter Four: The Failed Revival of Za La Mort....................................................117 4.1 Introduction................................................................................................117 4.2 Fumeria D'Oppio........................................................................................118 4.3 The Za La Mort fumetto............................................................................121 4.4 The death of Za La Mort...........................................................................123 4.5 Chapter Endnotes......................................................................................128 Chapter Five: Understanding Za La Mort's Serial Appeal: A View From The Audience.......................................................................................................................129 5.1 Introduction...............................................................................................129 5.2 The Italian silent film audience: methodological problems...................131 5.3 The Italian serial and adventure audience: “...la solita folla di ammiratori...”..................................................................................................134 5.4 The Za La Mort films: meaningless narratives or texts of attractions? ….......................................................................................................................145 5.5 Emilio Ghione and Louis Feuillade..........................................................149 5.6 Unstable attraction: the mask of Za La Mort.........................................154 5.7 Chapter Endnotes......................................................................................156 Conclusion....................................................................................................................159 Conclusion Endnotes...................................................................................................164 Bibliography.................................................................................................................165 Films Bibliography......................................................................................................172 List of Figures Figure 1: Photographer unknown. Postcard of Emilio Ghione and I.Sambuccini [sic]. Bologna, G.Vettori. Author's collection. Figure 2: [Motion picture still]. (From: Zalamort-der traum der zalavie, 1924. Directed by Emilio Ghione. Germany: FAI-National.) Figure 3: [Motion picture still]. (From: Triste Fascino, 1911. Directed by Oreste Mentasi. Italy: Itala Film.) Collection of the Museo Nazionale del Cinema, Torino. Figure 4: Image of Za La Vie and Papà Bru. Published in: Al Cinema, Year 1, Number 3. 16th July 1922. Turin, Al Cinema. Page 4. Collection of the Museo Nazionale del Cinema, Torino. Figure 5: [Motion picture still]. (From: Zalamort-der traum der zalavie, 1924. Directed by Emilio Ghione. Germany: FAI-National.) Figure 6: Toppi, Giove. Untitled illustration. Published in: Ghione, Emilio. Za La Mort. 1928. Florence, Nerbini. Page 225. Figure 7 : [Motion picture still]. (From: Fumeria D'Oppio, 1946. Directed by Raffaele Matarazzo . Italy: Labor-Metropa.) Figure 8: [Motion picture still]. (From: Maciste, 1915. Directed by Giovanni Pastrone. Italy: Itala Films.) Collection of the Museo Nazionale del Cinema, Torino. Figure 9: [Motion picture still]. (From: Maciste, 1915. Directed by Giovanni Pastrone. Italy: Itala Films.) Collection of the Museo Nazionale del Cinema, Torino. Figure 10: [Motion picture still]. (From: Dollari e Fracks (La sedia elettrica), 1919. Directed by Emilio Ghione. Italy: Itala Films.) Collection of the Museo Nazionale del Cinema, Torino. Figure 11: [Motion picture still]. (From: I Topi Grigi (Aristocrazia Canaglia), 1918. Directed by Emilio Ghione. Italy: Tiber Film.) Figure 12: [Motion picture still]. (From: I Topi Grigi (Aristocrazia Canaglia), 1918. Directed by Emilio Ghione. Italy: Tiber Film. ) Thanks to Kimberley, for her invaluable assistance, patience and support. Introduction-Page 1 Introduction As recently as twenty-five years ago, Italian silent cinema was generally ignored by academics