Really enjoyed the perspective of film maker Scorsese on these featured films in this documentary. Also useful to understand the links between transplanted Sicilians in NY and the TV demographic that Martin grew up with. I have to say that not all the movies are as powerful in their impact to me- a non Italian but that is not a criticism.
I really liked the way that a nations films convey a sense of history and culture and transmit that through universal themes to the present day and somehow translate further to other viewers in other cultures. It was great to have a context for many of the films reviewed. To balance the cultural resonance, universal themes and capture the human dimensions of the day is a grand thing and many of the movies featured did this. I particularly enjoyed the musical cadence influences in Senso. A great way to spend an afternoon.
Update - 2006: Original viewing (above) was a film festival and was a bit of a (4hrs) marathon at the time. More recently I have viewed a DVD version which is easier to absorb. As a study of mostly neo realism in Italian and French film it now seems much more powerful as we get to see how different directors responded to the changes around them to get their films made in difficult times. In effect it is personal fim criticism by a master who has used the films in the documentary as part of his film story.
As it includes clips from directors - Antonioni, Di Sica, Fellini, Renoir, Rossellini, Visconti and Blasetti as well as snaps from other films of the time - it is a great place to explore Italian cinema from.
I really liked the way that a nations films convey a sense of history and culture and transmit that through universal themes to the present day and somehow translate further to other viewers in other cultures. It was great to have a context for many of the films reviewed. To balance the cultural resonance, universal themes and capture the human dimensions of the day is a grand thing and many of the movies featured did this. I particularly enjoyed the musical cadence influences in Senso. A great way to spend an afternoon.
Update - 2006: Original viewing (above) was a film festival and was a bit of a (4hrs) marathon at the time. More recently I have viewed a DVD version which is easier to absorb. As a study of mostly neo realism in Italian and French film it now seems much more powerful as we get to see how different directors responded to the changes around them to get their films made in difficult times. In effect it is personal fim criticism by a master who has used the films in the documentary as part of his film story.
As it includes clips from directors - Antonioni, Di Sica, Fellini, Renoir, Rossellini, Visconti and Blasetti as well as snaps from other films of the time - it is a great place to explore Italian cinema from.