Basil Allen Cabiria review

I didn't expect to like Cabiria as much as I did, although it was quite long and (at times) very slow. It felt like a theater production to me, which had both pros and cons. For example, the acting. The acting was very over-the-top and not "realistic", but it communicated emotion well and was entertaining to watch. The characters, too, were over-the-top, but the more I thought about them the more complex I realized they were, especially Cabiria herself. 

In terms of just things I liked, I enjoyed the set design, especially the exterior and interior of the Temple of Moloch and Sofonisba’s living space. I also thought the special effects and stunts were very impressive for the time. I particularly liked the shot of the volcano erupting and the dream sequence because they were both very visually interesting and added a lot to the story in terms of tone and atmosphere. 

Overall, I liked the movie. It worked well for the time and it was enjoyable to watch (for the most part). I recommend the movie primarily to those interested in history. 

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