Carl Theodor Dreyer - Leaves Out of the Book of Satan (1920)

This film is in many ways quite similar to Griffith’s Intolerance (1916). The script to Leaves Out of the Book of Satan is however from 1913 so it can't have been influenced by Intolerance. Most likely, both films were inspired by Satanas (dir. Luigi Maggi), an Italian film from 1912. Still, Dreyer did probably know about and see Griffith's film so it must have been there somewhere in his head when he was making this.

The film is in four chapters, four stories about how Satan temps people, the first in the last days of Jesus, the 2nd in the Spanish inquisition, the 3rd in the French Revolution…

Leaves From Satan's Book is a minor work from the Danish masterclass director Carl Theodor Dreyer. While knowing that in advance and not having large expectations, I still wanted to see this film for the interesting concept and story. It is a four part segmented story each taking place in a different major event in history all with Satan embodying a certain figure of that era and is from his perspective.

But the result I got even with lowered expectations was pretty much what many of the reviews I had read warned about. Overall I would say the major issue with this film is it is a non-visual silent film which is doomed to fail. Silent cinema relies on visual…

Carl Theodor Dreyer - Leaves Out of the Book of Satan (1920)

This film is in many ways quite similar to Griffith’s Intolerance (1916). The script to Leaves Out of the Book of Satan is however from 1913 so it can't have been influenced by Intolerance. Most likely, both films were inspired by Satanas (dir. Luigi Maggi), an Italian film from 1912. Still, Dreyer did probably know about and see Griffith's film so it must have been there somewhere in his head when he was making this.

The film is in four chapters, four stories about how Satan temps people, the first in the last days of Jesus, the 2nd in the Spanish inquisition, the 3rd in the French Revolution…

Leaves From Satan's Book is a minor work from the Danish masterclass director Carl Theodor Dreyer. While knowing that in advance and not having large expectations, I still wanted to see this film for the interesting concept and story. It is a four part segmented story each taking place in a different major event in history all with Satan embodying a certain figure of that era and is from his perspective.

But the result I got even with lowered expectations was pretty much what many of the reviews I had read warned about. Overall I would say the major issue with this film is it is a non-visual silent film which is doomed to fail. Silent cinema relies on visual…

4 Pages of the Book. (1-2-3)-4
Temptations, not assaults from the Satan; the Evil is just there, doing its duty as it is supposed to do, the conscience lies on the individuals, on whether they are going to make a certain decision or the other. We, as selves, are emotional, thinking that external events (politics, religion, wars) are emotional as well. Satan is emotionless, only hinting at regret when he succeeds in his temptations. Until the final decision is made, he is going to push the envelope until the end.
As the saying "Do the right thing" is simple and hypocritical, Dreyer's Leaves, a collection of allegories across history, the everlasting cycle, is perfectly lucid, yet painful in drawing out…