The Comet Tail: Celestial Apocalypse in Silent Cinema
The Comet Tail: Celestial Apocalypse in Silent Cinema
Author(s): Delia EnyediSubject(s): Theatre, Dance, Performing Arts
Published by: Universitatea Babeş-Bolyai, Facultatea de Teatru si Televiziune
Keywords: silent cinema; Halley’s Comet; celestial apocalypse; Verdens Undergang
Summary/Abstract: The social disquiet associated with the 1910 apparition of Halley’s Comet echoed extensively in the field of cinema. Whether in a highly dramatic or a sharply parodic approach, a variety of silent films envisioned the aftermath of the collision of a comet with the Earth. The present paper proves the early cinematographic interest in this subject by providing an overview of significant screenplays with emphasis on the apocalyptic scenario depicted in August Blom’s 1916 science fiction drama Verdens Undergang (The End of the World/The Flaming Sword).
Journal: Ekphrasis. Images, Cinema, Theory, Media
- Issue Year: 08/2012
- Issue No: 2
- Page Range: 47-53
- Page Count: 7
- Language: English