US poster for the Italian film QUO VADIS? (1912)
This poster is registered in the year 1913. It says at the very bottom that this is to be used for cinemas in New York city, Chicago and St-Louis. In the 1951 film made by MGM, Lygia is not bound to a bull but to a post, which, imo, was wrong. This is so much more dramatic.
Lygia being bound to a bull is clearly much more dramatic. I strongly suspect this is the way it was described in the book (which admittedly I have not read).
ReplyDeleteObviously there was no CGI when QUO VADIS was made by MGM in 1951, so Deborah Kerr had to be tied to a stake.
The alternative would have been to tie a dummy to a bull, which I surmise was done for the 1912 silent version.
The book says that Lygia was bound naked to the bull. I have a polish movie Quo Vadis, and shows Lygia naked bound to a bull. If I'm not mistaken the 1924 Quo Vadis, has Lygian bound naked on the bull too.
ReplyDeletePaul:
ReplyDeleteThanks for your most interesting information.
Surprised the Polish movie Quo Vadis features nudity in view of the heavy Catholic Church influence in that nation.
Is the Polish movie you refer to the 2001 version or another film? There was also a 1985 TV mini-series treatment of the novel.
The 1924 silent film is of course pre-Code.
The 1912 silent QUO VADIS (Italian) has been restored with European Union funds and can be watched for free on the Vimeo website.
ReplyDeleteIt has English language intertitles and is in relatively good condition for a film of this vintage. The print is extensively tinted.
In this version Lygia is fully clothed when tied to the back of the bull.
Hi Scott. It is the 2001 version. The 1985 Quo Vadis is a Miniseries transmitted on RAI TV in Italy. I have the original DVD running at a massive 270 minutes uncut. The nudity is there, but of course hair and flowers cover the body to cover the important parts.
ReplyDeleteScott, I'd like to add that I have 3 versions of the movie. 132m, 225m and the one mention running at 270 mins.
ReplyDelete