About the film: Tarantellen af Napoli

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Tarantellen af Napoli
Tarantella in Napoli
Year: 1903


This unconventional, frenzied tarantella comes to us straight from Southern Italy! The name of the dance is derived from the word tarantula – the infamous spider whose bite was said to cause delirium.

Denmark’s first film-maker, Peter Elfelt, captured these mischievous steps on film with a carefree touch. The dancers, however, were a little cramped for space, since Elfelt filmed in his studios to ensure proper lighting. The pirouettes are taken from Napoli, a ballet by August Bournonville (1805-1879), star dancer of the Danish Royal Ballet.

Director: Peter ELFELT
Nationality: Danish
Length: 1' 13"
Genre: dance
Sound: silent with soundtrack
Original elements: black & white
Composer: Antonio Coppola (2008)
Original language: Danish
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1942 - American
1939 - Finnish
1907 - Italian
circa 1904 - French