Dante 2 - Goals of the Film in Contrast to the Poem

The Inferno, written by Dante Alighieri in the Middle Ages, focuses on the details of Hell in poetic form, leaving much to the imaginative interpretation of the reader.  By contrast, it is more difficult for a film to deliver this type of artistic imagery given the nature of the media form.  Partly due to its flexible imagery, the poem has remained relevant to scholars for hundreds of years.  However, this is not to say that the film is irrelevant, it simply appears to be more focused on “timeliness” rather than “timelessness”.

This emphasis on contemporary relevance is one of the film’s greatest strengths, allowing it to suggest a modern view of sin through the lens of popular culture using politicians and entertainment figures as examples.  The use of recent historical figures makes the film a bit easier to digest for the casual audience, in comparison to the 12^th and 13^th century Italian political references made in the poem.  However, the use of these figures can be distracting to the audience given their close historical proximity to current political issues.  Political allegiance can pose a challenge to objective reception of the film’s message, but it is an obstacle that can be overlooked through an appreciation to the film’s allegiance to the poem.  Overall, it is interesting to see how several “sins” in Dante’s view have become widely accepted today (homosexuality grouped under sodomy).   Additionally, an interesting perspective on the modern sin of identity theft is found under the traditional definition of fraud.

Political grievances aside, the film seldom strays from its satirical purpose, which is to entertain while educating its audience on the political and historical significance of the original work.  Additionally, this satirical piece prompts the audience to ask the concluding question of whether or not this contemporary Hell might exist; and if so, does the hyperbolic toy theater backdrop do justice to the suggested punishments?  As the plot of the film progresses, it makes every effort to stay true to the events of the poem within the constraints of its format.  Director Sean Meredith shows his understanding of when it is appropriate to modernize the events of the poem, and when this tool is unnecessary.  In particular, the punishment for wrath is nearly identical in the film as it is in the poem.  Further, the film utilizes the instances of Dante’s fainting in much the same way as the poem, in order to transport the pilgrim between various stages of Hell.  Emphasizing Dante’s stress level remains an important part of the film, as it aims to show the audience factors of change in Dante as his journey through Hell progresses.