We deplore Alberto Sordi and Monica Vitti, a movie made in Rome with the stars of the past. By now, they are all gone, leaving us with a series of ruthless and cruel stories on TV platforms, without feelings, humanity, simplicity of the past.
August 30 starts the 80th anniversary. International Film Festival Venice Biennale. It will end on September 9th. Participation expected Sofia Coppolaone of the most promising American directors (daughter Francis Coppola) and from Woody Allen. Moreover, even those Emma Stone, Jessica Chastain, Adam Driver, Bradley Cooper, Mickey Rourke, Pierfrancesco Favino, Tony Servillo AND Valerio Mastrandrea. Liliana Cavani90 years old, will take off Golden Lion to a career. But no one seems to care.
Once upon a time there was a film festival here.
About a month ago we were talking about this, about films, about possible guests, about disputes. Cinema was a topic of public and political debate, divas occupied the front pages of magazines and newspapers. Now the news about the Festival has passed almost slowly. Blame it on the platforms that brought cinema to our homes? Blame it on TV shows that replace the fun of stories in one solution?
Responsibility of the press, which covers topics that sell more, such as the incoherent proposals of certain ministers or generals, or the constant separation belem AND DeMartinoor statements of profanity from the side Rude? In fact, it seems that neither the public nor the newspaper editors care about cinema anymore, except when there is some kind of scandal.
Cinema used to be associated with Rome and Italy, now it’s just a product to sell advertising.
Rome has always been a city of cinema, cinema that the Italians liked, but I think it is also appreciated abroad. Here he was born Neorealism, Italian comedy, western spaghetti and unfortunately I was born here Chinepanettoni and with them the decline of the history of Italian cinema. Many directors, screenwriters and producers will not agree with me because Cinepanettoni made them collect many millions of lira and euros and gave jobs to many workers in the industry.
But I’m not a critic and not a person who lived cinema, how can a viewer dare to say that those films were really bad, even if they were shot and written by capable professionals, the result was a cut below the level of advertising. television since the 80s. No content, a lot of prejudice, barracks jokes, homophobia, plot obvious and repetitive: horns, horns and more horns.
Even now the sets “Ancient Rome” locations interesting
In the past, Rome and cinema experienced a better era. Thanks to this, they received several Oscars and international awards. Rome was, and to some extent still is, the ideal setting for cinema. He retains an exact identity, exceptional communication skills. So much so that there are many such films business is businessfrom Fast & Furious 10 To 007 Ghost With Aston Martin rushing at a speed of 200 km/h in front of St. Peter led Daniel Craig AND Mission impossibleWith Tom Cruise aged, breaking through the parapet trinity of mountains in Rome, deserted because of the covid, they come here to shoot them.
The contrast between these impossible and technological stories and the landscape of Imperial Rome, Baroque or Sixteenth century Rome, with its monuments, art-filled squares and ancient atmosphere, makes events that have neither logical foundation nor cultural uplift more vivid. but it’s just rhythm and murder and madness. In practice, these are video games brought to the cinema.
Rome of neorealism spoke to our feelings
Rome neorealism, one that retells the events of the war and the post-war period, born of a genius Roberto Rossellini, Mario Monicelli AND Victor De Sicawith dramatic faces Anna Magnani and from the first Aldo Fabrisispoke more to our hearts than to our retinas. There Gina Lollobrigida And Sophia Loren from variousBread, love and…they were both comical and tragic, like life. You left the room in tears or in delight, not in hallucinations. Then came Federico Fellini with his work, which, perhaps, did not bring billions, but taught cinema to entire generations, through the faces Deaf, Mastroianni, Ekberg, Milo.
“Sweet life”, perhaps outside the film itself, became an icon of the lifestyle of the time, which, however, had to be lived in Beautiful country, and became a conduit for fashion, gastronomy, automobiles and furniture. Comedy came in the 60s, with the ups and downs seen in Alberto Sordi, Virna Lisi, Nino Manfredi, Silva Koshina, Vittorio Gassman, Renzo Montagniani, Ornella Muti, Edwige Fenech, Stefania Sandrelli, Barbara Bouchet, Laura Antonelli some of the most important performers.
The Western was reborn in Rome, more truthful than the rhetorical John Ford.
Sergio Leonestarted a trendwestern spaghetti”, thanks to a formidable meeting with Ennio Morricone for soundtracks and with actors such as Mario Brega, Gian Maria Volonte, Clint Eastwoodwhich paved the way for various Franco Nero, Giuliano Gemma, Thomas Milianbefore Bud Spencer AND Terence Hill (Charles Pederzoli AND Mario Girotti). Masterpieces were filmed in this spirit, and some scenes will remain in the history of cinema as an opportunity to combine filming, acting and music.
Since then, the Western has shed its skin, and the genre invented by the Italians has completely changed it. Before the cult filmOnce upon a time in the West‘ which is over. Later, I think, Western films completely changed their plot and structure, they became cinematography, which is historically set in landscapes or past eras, but nothing more than stupid wars between fake good guys (cowboys) and fake bad guys (Indians).
Cinepanettoni: one of the lowest points in the history of our cinema
Cinepanettini belong to the era of commercial television. They refer to the small screen they’re meant for after they’ve collected what they can from theaters. For me, this is a series of pre-prepared jokes, the worst macho and racist thoughts of the average Italian of those years. Brothers Vanzin they became its inventors and most capable creators, assisted by a couple Christian De Sica AND Massimo Boldiwhat actresses with “large forms” and comedians from “Entry“.
Hollywood blockbusters of the past and mega productions
Rome was also the ideal theater for showing the great historical productions of the past, such masterpieces as Ben Hurdirector in 1959. William Wyler With Charlton Hestonwho won 11 Oscars. But there are many masterpieces set in Roman times, such as blockbusters such as CleopatraWith Richard Burton AND Liz Tayloror Spartacus From Stanley Kubrick With Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier, Tony Curtis, Charles Laughton, Peter Ustinov. Tunic With Richard Burton AND Victor Mature.
Romantic and unforgettable Rome, Roman holiday with the sweetest Audrey Hepburn AND Gregory Peck. Up to many other films set in contemporary Rome, or in the Rome of the Popes, in Imperial Rome, or in a film about the mysteries of the Vatican, such as Angels and DemonsFrom Ron Howard With Tom Hanks. Bye Gladiator it has almost nothing to do with the true history of Rome or the places it shows, but it certainly represents a strong advertising attraction for the city and its monuments.
New life from some authors inspired by the contradictions of modern society
More recently, they have been such directors as Nanni Moretti (Son’s room, Caiman, Habemus Papam, My mother, Three floors, Sun of the future), or Ferzan Ozpetek (Ignorant Fairies – series), Carlo Verdone (almost his entire production is dedicated to Rome), Paolo Virzi (Katerina goes to the city, August holidays) AND Paolo Sorrentino (great beauty) to give a new sheen to cinematic Rome with films that heralded a new glory for the city and stories it can still tell.
great beauty he gave further international prominence to Italian cinema through the recognition of the “Oscar”, which remains an award and an event that is still important and accompanies the panorama of cinematic communication. Far beyond awards David Donatello or fromBear From Berlin and European reviews, where the only Cannes it is still possible to talk about it.
The distance between the past (beloved) and the present (unknown) in cinema and music
returning to Venice Film Festival and the indifference it has fallen into on the part of the media and the public, one can only note the chasm dividing the current perception of cinema, I speak obviously for the general public and not for cinephiles, critics and insiders, and how it was lived in the past. One by one, the last great players disappear.
Recently Monica Vittiwho, however, has long since left the scene, the great Gigi Proietti, Ennio Fantasticini, Carlo Delle Piane, Gianfranco D’Angelo, Gina Lollobrigidaalthough they have been gone for many years. Alberto Sordi, Vittorio Gassman, Nino Manfredi, Aldo Fabrizi, Bombolo, Marcello Mastroianni, Arnoldo Foa, Renato Salvatori, Virna Lisi, Paolo Stoppa, Toto, Peppino De Filippo, Bombolo, Tomas Milian, Silva KoshinaI will only mention the ones that come to mind. However, their films are often re-offered on TV channels, they can be found on YouTube and paid platforms.
Thus, the pleasure of seeing these actors as our favorite characters is constantly renewed, and the displeasure of knowing that there will be no others, that this season is over, is closed forever. If we had the same passion that we have for these films and characters for today’s cinema, perhaps the Venice Film Festival would not be held almost anonymously.
The same thing happens with music. Lucio Battisti, Lucio Dalla, Fabrizio De Andre they still retain fans and attention, their songs are known by heart. Even seventies De Gregory and Vendittiand octogenarians Guccini AND Al BanoThen my AND Ranieri, Morandi AND Vasco Rossi they fill the stadiums and sell records, and new faces and abstruse names pasted over the years, you can hardly remember.
Photo from Cinecittà’s Facebook page
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