alan_dammit

The Italian TV RAI 3 transmitted this movie yesterday (June 07, 2008), even if at impossible hour as usual for interesting movies of the past. Being very interested in Greek Religion I had to see it and I have been a little bit surprised by its good qualities; in fact the movie has many qualities. Actors were all fine especially Alberto Lupo in the Pentheus role: he is still today a very lamented actor in Italy. He was the kind of actor that you can't replace easily for his personality. He managed to make of Pentheus a credible King, who never seem stupid nor ridiculous as somewhere else may appear. Being a musician I have to say that I appreciated the soundtrack, it is really very good. After a brief research I discovered that The music was composed by Mario Nascimbene (who also worked for Hollywood and won a David Donatello for the career) and directed by Franco Ferrara. Nascimbene did an excellent job both with themes and making all sound not too romantic or modern especially considering the bad tendencies during the fifties and the sixties. Another incredible point of quality in this movie are dialogues: there are many sentences and aphorisms that watching the movie you would like to write down on paper and remember. The story is of course somewhat naive, especially the easiness with which Dionysos earn the popular trust and consent is a bit exaggerated and the deep reasons could be better explained. Sexuality is cited but just passed over and so on. All the same this is a well equilibrated and pleasing movie to see even more than one time. And most of all one of the few movies about ancient Greek Gods in which the ancient believes are a bit respected and not insulted. Of course it is only cinema. There is enough adventure, suspense and educational material (music, some dance, aphorisms) in this movie that you can watch it both with your partner, your children, just for yourself.

The first part (instalment 1 of 5) of the movie has been telecasted tonight Aug 16, 2004 on RAI 3. I saw it in the Italian language (which I know perfectly). The story is very interesting and the movie is typically '70 sci-fi style. It reminded me a bit the UFO series. About the actors job: in my opinion the actors Giampiero Albertini (Gen. Vandenberg) is excellent here, as ever. And also the beautiful Paola Pitagora (Judy Adamson) which is not one of the bigger stars in Italy did a fine Job. For the rest, recitation is sometime too much theatre-like and scenography could be better but both are excellent for the times and quite good also nowadays. The original book (by scientists Fred Hoyle and his collaborator John Elliot) was published in 1962. In Italy the book was edited in 1965. In 1971 RAI started the production. The first part was telecasted on January, 4, 1972 with a mysterious writing: "This story take place in England... the next year". Music was written by Mario Migliardi.

This movie is just funny. I do not believe that the writers wanted to make a movie other than funny. Surely they didn't mean to make a masterpiece you could compare to the best comedies in the history of the cinema. This is just entertainment, to help you let go heavy thoughts for a while. That's it. Monica Potter's acting is the best thing in the film. She is really communicative and can be as expressive as a child. She is lovable. In the first part of the movie she strongly reminded me a young Monica Vitti; an Italian bright actress. Even in the look. I wonder if she knows Monica Vitti and I would like to know what does she think about her. The first part of the movie was very promising. In the second part, the movie is a bit too banal, even for a movie intentionally based on common places. Anyway all the clueless situations in the movie are there to put in evidence the "story of love" in it. So the movie is not stupid or clueless itself, nor a file of gags. In the end, head over heels wants us to notice the value of sincerity, contrasting with all the incredible, absurd and clueless situations of life. Amanda is the only one that, in the middle of confusion, tries to keep her "head on the shoulders" and coherently searches for a true love. But she is a bit unsure. So Jim/Bob is the x along the story until the happy end. So the movie speaks about... you know, the old good sincerity that wins against appearance and oddity. The old good values. Nothing more, nothing less. :) Alan Dammit