I just finished watching this on DVD and have to say it was an interesting experience. I have been a watcher of animation and a reader of classic books, but to see the two combined in such an unusual manner was well... refreshing. I love the fact that the movie was an updated telling of Inferno. I think that the retelling of the original would be lost to most moviegoers, heck unless you happen to be a historian specializing in the day and age of Dante, you would probably be scratching your head at obscure Italian politicos of the 13th century. That's why footnotes are lovely in books. The film seemed to carry the same spirit of the book, in that it was a rousing social and political poem. But it does carry a strong leftist theme that most conservatives would rather not endure. The look of the film is, to me, very fresh and amazing. The amount of work and care in the puppetry is spectacular. If you are open to a new experience of an old tale give it a try.
15 Reviews
Enjoyable tribute to Dante
DarthPaul8528 October 2008
You never know what you're going to get with an independent film...Even one that's "won awards." I'm pleased to say that this film both entertained and impressed me visually. The art style had me nervous at first, but as the film progressed it was clear that these filmmakers put a lot of effort into the look of the film.
Of course, you should know this film has no insights to speak of. This gives a very surface-level account of the inferno...which I read once 8 years ago, and still remember details this film left out. The film basically defines each level, provides one or two examples, and moves on. History and philosophy aside, the film does well to keep things low-key, and uses that to their comedic advantage wisely. The film is never laugh-out-loud funny, but it definitely aims to be a comedy.
I wasn't watching this movie for a thought-provoking film, I was just looking for a visually entertaining movie, and it was.
8/10
Of course, you should know this film has no insights to speak of. This gives a very surface-level account of the inferno...which I read once 8 years ago, and still remember details this film left out. The film basically defines each level, provides one or two examples, and moves on. History and philosophy aside, the film does well to keep things low-key, and uses that to their comedic advantage wisely. The film is never laugh-out-loud funny, but it definitely aims to be a comedy.
I wasn't watching this movie for a thought-provoking film, I was just looking for a visually entertaining movie, and it was.
8/10
Great adaptation!
brother_malthius22 July 2009
Yes, this is a puppet show. Yes, the puppets are kind of cheesy, hand-drawn paper animated with visible sticks. You know what? It fits. The art design is really interesting. Seeing Hell represented as an allegory of a crowded urban city is very interesting. They do a very good job of mapping (mostly) outdated "sins" to modern ones. If you liked the original poem, or even better Larry Niven and Jerry Pournell's novel "Inferno" than you'll enjoy this movie. To those that say it mocks Dante's beliefs, well, most of the people he populated hell with were political enemies, either contemporaneous or historical, and in those terms the source material could be seen as less about his vision of the afterlife and more a book of schadenfreude celebrating his enemies downfall. Funny how his allies with similar flaws as his enemies mostly wound up in Purgatory. I hope they consider making both Purgatorio and Paradiso.
I spelled Allegeri correct the first time!
ElijahCSkuggs16 December 2008
It's been around 10 years since my last run in with anything related to Dante Allegeri. Junior year of high school we had a project where we had to make our own circle of hell. Ya know, cut outs, drawings etc. My circle of hell was dedicated to Pedophiles and Rapists, and it turned out pretty good. Though I was frowned upon by the nudity. So getting back on track, I enjoyed Dante's Inferno back then, and when I had the opportunity to watch this version of Dante's Inferno I became pretty excited. And when it was all said and done, I was pretty impressed with this unique little flick.
Present day Dante Allegeri is brought by Virgil (Roman someone) to the 9 circles of hell. From circles that have places chosen out for Money-Launderers, the angry, and even plain old fashion murderers. They go from the beginning right to the end, being circle 9. A linear story, but still a fun one with plenty of creativity.
Sometimes the film does feel like it's sole purpose is to be creative in the sense that they're just trying to throw certain celebrities in the circle of hell where they belong. Like you'd find Marilyn Monroe in the circle where you'll find suicides, and you'll find Cleopatra with all the whores. Eh, see what I'm saying? Actually trying to think of people that they mentioned is kinda tough. They used a ton of well-known people from history and it just kind of mashes together by the end. But that's not a complaint perse, since the movie showed intelligence and again, creativity.
With a witty, and intelligent approach to telling this story, and to the detailed art style it had, the film is definitely recommendable to the right viewer. Anyone who can appreciate films that clearly are labors of love, like let's say City of Rott or Blood, Tea and Red String, or hell, any film by Jan Svankmajer should find this film to be a welcome addition to their well-rounded viewings.
Present day Dante Allegeri is brought by Virgil (Roman someone) to the 9 circles of hell. From circles that have places chosen out for Money-Launderers, the angry, and even plain old fashion murderers. They go from the beginning right to the end, being circle 9. A linear story, but still a fun one with plenty of creativity.
Sometimes the film does feel like it's sole purpose is to be creative in the sense that they're just trying to throw certain celebrities in the circle of hell where they belong. Like you'd find Marilyn Monroe in the circle where you'll find suicides, and you'll find Cleopatra with all the whores. Eh, see what I'm saying? Actually trying to think of people that they mentioned is kinda tough. They used a ton of well-known people from history and it just kind of mashes together by the end. But that's not a complaint perse, since the movie showed intelligence and again, creativity.
With a witty, and intelligent approach to telling this story, and to the detailed art style it had, the film is definitely recommendable to the right viewer. Anyone who can appreciate films that clearly are labors of love, like let's say City of Rott or Blood, Tea and Red String, or hell, any film by Jan Svankmajer should find this film to be a welcome addition to their well-rounded viewings.
The Old Tale Performed in Puppetry
elicopperman6 March 2024
If you ever wanted to see a film based on Dante's Inferno that was performed with cutout puppetry, then you'll get just that with this 2007 unknown indie project. I never thought I'd see the day when Alighieri's work would be adapted into the world of puppets that look like they were done by Mike Judge, Robert Crumb, and Rob Zombie. The many different vignettes that our leads roam through are impressively crafted, but they do go on a bit too long, although that is depending on your appreciation for the music on display. Besides, the two dimensional puppetry allows for some creative design work that makes one feel like they're seeing a puppet show caught on film. The film is sadly hard to find nowadays, but for what it is worth, there's a lot to appreciate in the craftsmanship.
Innovative take on a literary classic. Well done!
Apologetickid22 April 2007
I saw this film at the Huntington Beach Film Festival in April 2007, and I loved it! Sandow Birk has an amazing ability to modernize classics, and his adaptation of the Divine Comedy is a prime example. I was delighted to see that he still isn't afraid to use popular culture in his work (as evidenced by the many food chains displayed blatantly in the background sets). Anyone could have made a half-decent film adaptation of the Inferno, but Birk and his crew went above and beyond to display innovation and creativity. I've never seen a puppet show on film, but this film manages to employ humor with a modern twist, without sacrificing the details of Dante's work. Really well done. Granted, this film will not please all audiences and I would be surprised to see it anywhere other than indie-theaters or film fests, but if you have an opportunity to see this, take it!
A wonderfully fun, unique spin on a literary masterpiece
RMHolt7720 June 2008
If you haven't read Dante's INFERNO (part 1 of THE DIVINE COMEDY), you should. And once you have, you should check on this delightfully innovative spin on that classic tale.
This isn't the INFERNO as Dante wrote it. Dante has been completely modernized; Hell resembles Los Angeles, the punishments aren't quite what you remember, and the people populating Hell are now familiar faces (Ronald Reagan, Strom Thurmond, Condoleeza Rice). There's also a good dose of Monty Python and Mike Judge in the black humor that drenches every scene.
And while the take has its own novelty, what really elevates the film from good to great is the consistently enjoyable animation. The use of hand-operated paper cut-out puppets is wonderful. The care that has gone into crafting the sets and characters themselves is quite impressive indeed.
Highly recommended.
This isn't the INFERNO as Dante wrote it. Dante has been completely modernized; Hell resembles Los Angeles, the punishments aren't quite what you remember, and the people populating Hell are now familiar faces (Ronald Reagan, Strom Thurmond, Condoleeza Rice). There's also a good dose of Monty Python and Mike Judge in the black humor that drenches every scene.
And while the take has its own novelty, what really elevates the film from good to great is the consistently enjoyable animation. The use of hand-operated paper cut-out puppets is wonderful. The care that has gone into crafting the sets and characters themselves is quite impressive indeed.
Highly recommended.
Nothing especially noteworthy
vic-23217 September 2008
A group of young filmmakers with virtually no budget set out to make something clever and original -- and while there is a bit of originality and some skilled drawing in this slacker puppet show take on "Dante's Inferno," there is nothing especially clever. Dante's "Divine Comedy" was a brilliant piece of social commentary. This film is a vaguely moralistic student film with pretensions to High Art.
I suspect those who loved this film were those readily amused by the sophomoric pokes at some icons of the political and/or religious right, and that those who hated it took offense at seeing their favored icons poked. Be that as it may, few of those pokes actually rose to the level of satire.
The high point of the movie is a sudden outbreak of "Schoolhouse Rock" on the subject of lobbying and the "revolving door." It's really a shame that the entire film couldn't have been a musical. That would have stripped away a great deal of the annoying film school pretentiousness and added a far stronger element of fun.
I suspect those who loved this film were those readily amused by the sophomoric pokes at some icons of the political and/or religious right, and that those who hated it took offense at seeing their favored icons poked. Be that as it may, few of those pokes actually rose to the level of satire.
The high point of the movie is a sudden outbreak of "Schoolhouse Rock" on the subject of lobbying and the "revolving door." It's really a shame that the entire film couldn't have been a musical. That would have stripped away a great deal of the annoying film school pretentiousness and added a far stronger element of fun.
I loved this movie!
xoroxieblackx313 August 2008
I had been flipping through the channels and I saw a preview for this movie and I thought it looked very interesting so I watched it and fell in love with it. I went out and bought the modern version of the book. I loved the art work in the book and being an artist myself I decided to draw a few pieces based on the art in the book. I latter went back to watch the movie again and found that almost all of the sets (backgrounds) were almost identical to the artwork in the book and the banter between Dante and Virgil was about the same also (although the movie is MUCH more humorous) I think it's a great modern spin on the old classic.
Warning: Anti-conservative propaganda piece.
Karaokephile14 March 2009
Warning: Spoilers
I was surprised to discover Michael Moore or Bill Maher wasn't involved with this "movie". An American leftist laundry list of axes to grind, with a distinct sparseness of democrats in Hell. Mao Zedong and Karl Marx didn't make an appearance in Hell, but Ronald Reagan is in the same room with Hitler? Perhaps we'll have to wait for these California spin doctors to butcher Paradiso for them to show all of their pet ideologue political figures.
Cheap shots at religion, right-wing politicians, corporations and their lobbyists, Fox News, even SUVs. All the radical leftist talking points were too completely covered - while conspicuously omitting references to wrongdoing from the "other side of the aisle" - to not have been a conscious effort. The singular exception I noticed, in the hour and a half, is JFK has to have sex with Marilyn Monroe for eternity: The token inclusion in these propaganda pieces in a pathetic attempt at appearing non-partisan.
Cheap shots at religion, right-wing politicians, corporations and their lobbyists, Fox News, even SUVs. All the radical leftist talking points were too completely covered - while conspicuously omitting references to wrongdoing from the "other side of the aisle" - to not have been a conscious effort. The singular exception I noticed, in the hour and a half, is JFK has to have sex with Marilyn Monroe for eternity: The token inclusion in these propaganda pieces in a pathetic attempt at appearing non-partisan.
Darkly humorous with a unique presentation
deideiblueeyez6 November 2015
Having read the Inferno of Dante's works, it can become a bit stale with all of the adaptations and re-adaptations. The video game based on the works was okay but limited only to the horror/action genre that it had set itself up to be. I find this take on the classic to be NOT watered down, but a modern interpretation that a layman can view and perhaps be inspired to look more into it.
All of the snobs that say that it's dumbed down apparently don't realize that very old classic literature--especially ones with heavy religious themes--don't click with everyone and can appear on the surface as holier-than-thou to a modern reader. With this film the basics of not only the horrors of Hell and Dante's enduring love for Beatrice (which would probably seem obsessive and maudlin for today's audience) are presented in a digestible way. I was already acquainted with the Circles of Hell even before watching this film, but making parallels and connections to what I knew and the "updated" version of it proved to be just as entertaining as if I came knowing little about the source material.
All of the snobs that say that it's dumbed down apparently don't realize that very old classic literature--especially ones with heavy religious themes--don't click with everyone and can appear on the surface as holier-than-thou to a modern reader. With this film the basics of not only the horrors of Hell and Dante's enduring love for Beatrice (which would probably seem obsessive and maudlin for today's audience) are presented in a digestible way. I was already acquainted with the Circles of Hell even before watching this film, but making parallels and connections to what I knew and the "updated" version of it proved to be just as entertaining as if I came knowing little about the source material.
Unfortunately cannot find any more
jami051927 September 2015
It was a good modern take on "Inferno" and delivered well. Often movies of Inferno are tedious, but this kept me interested without straying from the text too much. You've got a Dante walking around in a hoodie in a big city through the levels of hell. He and Virgil meander through airport security, strip malls and less desirable parts of a modern city. The punished souls of presidents, politicians, popes and pop-culture icons are sentenced to eternal suffering of the most unusual kind. The two dimensional paper characters tell the story in a simplistic yet imaginative way. The artistry matches the level of entertainment in the storyline.
I am disappointed that I cannot find it for sale or anywhere to stream.
I am disappointed that I cannot find it for sale or anywhere to stream.
A Contemptible Counterfeit
funzone200430 August 2008
Warning: Spoilers
This demented left-wing wipe-out trivializes Dante's great work, distorts the genius of the author out of all recognition, inserts hateful ideology, incompetent satire and moronic political commentary in every imaginable place, and itself deserves a place in the Eighth Circle, Tenth Bolgia with the rest of the falsifiers. Sandow Birk has reserved himself a spot next to it.
Stocking Hell with Republican political figures, Fox News helicopters and Christian conservatives is a work of literary sacrilege, to say nothing of extreme liberal bias. It is, however, unoriginal, tedious and trite. Nothing in Birk's unworthy and heretical revision is in the least relevant to the original text or is in any way entertaining, humorous or enlightening, despite his smug pretension to the contrary.
I could have eaten a reel of video tape and PUKED a better movie. I regret the two hours of my life that I lost watching this insult to the very concept of poetry. Calliope will weep forever.
Stocking Hell with Republican political figures, Fox News helicopters and Christian conservatives is a work of literary sacrilege, to say nothing of extreme liberal bias. It is, however, unoriginal, tedious and trite. Nothing in Birk's unworthy and heretical revision is in the least relevant to the original text or is in any way entertaining, humorous or enlightening, despite his smug pretension to the contrary.
I could have eaten a reel of video tape and PUKED a better movie. I regret the two hours of my life that I lost watching this insult to the very concept of poetry. Calliope will weep forever.
this is a disgrace to Dante's inferno
myhiddenskulls6 May 2007
Dante would of been mortified, if he knew that his masterpiece was being ACTED OUT PUPPETS!!! Also the actors who played the puppets are sell outs. Due to the fact that playing a puppet is not acting it is just basically doing nothing. No one really will care who the puppet was. people only care who played a major role in like an actual movie. this is just annoying how you could mock such an amazing man and his belief, by this dumb little movie. This should be a crime and.... I cant believe you would ruin a book like that. I thought the movie was absolutely ridiculous and should be destroyed!!!! It totally ruins what your suppose to be getting from reading it. Your just making it a big joke.
They are talking about a new movie.
hansbedlam23 August 2015
Warner Bros.'s is talking about making a movie of Dante's Inferno. I'm hoping that they don't screw it up like 90% of the movies that come out of Hollywood. Lets try not to be cutting edge about it. Stay from the video game version of it. This was one of the best film version that was ever done. It had a modern twist yet kept the spirit of the book. As of right now all I can see is over bloated CGs and some bad acting. Tim Bruton would be able to pull it off. Please Please no more M Night Shyamalan. That one trick pony died years ago. Side note: NO MORE SPIDERMAN MOVIE!! Uncle Ben was the lucky one, He got to die in the beginning and did not have to watch any of them.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
