Christian Martyrs
"A Vivid Reconstruction of Biblical History and Roman Cruelty"
Plot
Set in Rome during the year 66 AD following the Great Fire, the film opens with a grand spectacle in the circus where gladiators and soldiers parade before Emperor Nero and his court. Amidst this display of Roman power, a young Christian is seized and bound to a cross in the center of the arena as an act of religious persecution. The scene shifts to the Old Testament with the story of Daniel, who is cast into a pit of lions by order of the king but miraculously remains unharmed by the beasts. The anthology concludes with the dramatic 'Feast of Belshazzar,' depicting the Babylonian king's decadent banquet which is interrupted by a divine, floating hand writing a message of doom upon the wall. This final segment visualizes the fall of Babylon as Persian forces invade the city during the king's moment of ultimate hubris.
Director
About the Production
The film was produced during a period when Pathé Frères was the dominant global force in cinema, often releasing 'anthology' style films that combined several related tableaux. Director Lucien Nonguet utilized the 'tours de force' of the era, including the use of real lions provided by a professional tamer named Juliano. To ensure the safety of the actors while maintaining a sense of gruesome realism, the production famously used a dummy stuffed with horse meat for the scenes where lions appear to devour a human. This technique was highly advanced for 1905 and contributed to the film's reputation for graphic intensity.
Historical Background
In 1905, the French film industry was leading the world in artistic and technical innovation. This was the era of the 'Cinema of Attractions,' where the spectacle of the image was often more important than a complex narrative. The film was made during a time of intense religious debate in France, coinciding with the 1905 French law on the Separation of the Churches and the State. Biblical films were a safe and popular choice for producers because they appealed to a wide audience and utilized well-known stories that didn't require extensive intertitles to explain.
Why This Film Matters
This film is a landmark in the development of the 'peplum' or 'sword-and-sandal' genre, establishing visual tropes—such as the decadent Roman emperor, the arena spectacle, and the miraculous divine intervention—that would be expanded upon in later epics like 'Quo Vadis' and 'Ben-Hur.' It also demonstrated the commercial viability of graphic spectacle in cinema, proving that audiences were drawn to realistic (if staged) depictions of danger and violence.
Making Of
The production of 'Christian Martyrs' was a significant undertaking for Pathé Frères, requiring elaborate sets and the coordination of large groups of extras for the circus parade. The most challenging aspect was the integration of live animals; the lions were kept in cages just off-camera and released into the set under the supervision of Juliano. To create the illusion of a martyr being eaten, the crew constructed a life-sized mannequin filled with raw horse meat, which the lions naturally attacked with ferocity, creating a visceral effect that shocked early 20th-century audiences. The 'Feast of Belshazzar' segment required careful timing to align the live-action actors with the double-exposed 'floating hand' effect, which was filmed separately against a black background.
Visual Style
The film uses a static camera typical of the period, with the action staged like a theatrical tableau. However, it is notable for its use of deep staging in the circus scenes and the sophisticated use of double exposure for the supernatural elements. The use of stencil coloring (Pathécolor) allowed for specific elements, like the red of the fire or the gold of the Roman armor, to pop against the black and white background.
Innovations
The film is technically significant for its early use of 'substitution splices' and double exposure to create special effects. The realistic 'gore' effect achieved with the horse-meat dummy was a pioneering moment in practical special effects, moving away from the more whimsical 'magic' tricks of Georges Méliès toward a more naturalistic (if still sensational) style.
Music
As a silent film, there was no recorded soundtrack. Original screenings would have been accompanied by a live pianist or organist, often playing standard dramatic cues or religious hymns to match the biblical themes.
Famous Quotes
Ave Cesar, morituri te salutant (Hail Caesar, those who are about to die salute you)
Memorable Scenes
- The lions attacking the horse-meat dummy on the cross
- The floating hand writing on the wall during Belshazzar's feast
- The grand parade of gladiators and legionnaires in the Roman circus
Did You Know?
- The film is one of the earliest examples of an anthology film, combining New Testament and Old Testament stories under a single thematic title.
- Real lions were used in the production, handled by the famous tamer Juliano, who also appeared in the film.
- The scene featuring the 'Writing on the Wall' at Belshazzar's feast used a double-exposure trick to make the hand appear to float in mid-air.
- In the United States, the film was distributed by Sigmund Lubin in 1907 as part of a 'Biblical Scenes' catalog.
- The film's depiction of the Roman arena was heavily influenced by the academic paintings of Jean-Léon Gérôme, specifically 'Ave Caesar, morituri te salutant'.
- Many copies of the film were hand-colored or stenciled, a common but expensive practice for Pathé's premium releases at the time.
- The segment 'Daniel in the Lions' Den' is considered one of the first cinematic depictions of this specific biblical story.
- Despite the title focusing on 'Christian Martyrs,' half of the film's segments are actually from the Old Testament (Daniel and Belshazzar).
- The film was noted for its 'violence' in 1905, particularly the realistic depiction of lions attacking a cross-bound martyr.
- Lucien Nonguet was a frequent collaborator of Ferdinand Zecca, and they often shared directorial duties on Pathé's large-scale historical productions.
What Critics Said
At the time of its release, the film was praised for its 'clarity and effectiveness' in depicting historical scenes. Critics and trade journals noted that the realism of the lions brought 'gasps of horror' from the audience. Modern film historians view it as a crucial step in the evolution of the historical epic, though they often point out the 'circus-like' quality of the lion-taming scenes which reflect the film's roots in vaudeville and fairground entertainment.
What Audiences Thought
Early audiences were reportedly enthralled by the film's technical wizardry and the presence of real wild animals. The hand-colored prints were particularly popular, as they added a layer of prestige and beauty to the otherwise grim subject matter. In the U.S., it was a staple of nickelodeons and traveling cinema shows, often presented with live narration to explain the biblical context.
Film Connections
Influenced By
- Jean-Léon Gérôme (Paintings)
- The Bible
- Quo Vadis (1895 Novel by Henryk Sienkiewicz)
- Victorian Stage Melodramas
This Film Influenced
- Quo Vadis (1912)
- Intolerance (1916)
- The Ten Commandments (1923)
- Ben-Hur (1925)
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Film Restoration
Preserved. A print exists in the Archivio Davide Turconi and other film archives; the film has been digitized and is available in various silent film collections.