Giuseppe Tornatore

Every now and then a movie viewer will catch on that some individuals  are worth following.  Some are very prolific and they learn and develop, but they aren't as selective as others.  First saw a Giuseppe Tornatore film probably ten years ago and thought it was good, but wasn't paying enough attention to realize it was special.

He was born in Sicily in 1956.  Giuseppe started with television in the early 1980's.  His first film, a documentary was released in 1985 and won an award at the Salerno Festival.

In 1988 he wrote and directed "Cinema Paradiso" which won the Oscar for best foreign language film.  It was about his child hood and the local movie theatre.  Partnered with Ennio Morricone, one of my favourite composers and one way I discovered some of these movies.   A scene where the boy's mother accuses her son of using milk money to attend the movies reminds me when I had a paper route I used to collect enough to go to the Saturday matinee with popcorn and afterwards scramble to pay my bill.  Film clips including American and French as well as Italian movies.  Interesting was that he included French actors in prominent roles.  Also I completely misunderstood the surprise at the end, but have since noticed there is usually something unexpected at his conclusions.

For movie lovers this is an excellent movie to dwell on.  The early parts of the movie were somewhat autobiographical.  There was a priest that signalled to the projectionist to cut out all scenes with kissing and later in the movie this has a dramatic twist.  The movies focus on one projectionist, but apparently young Giuseppe related to a few.  The director's love of movies comes from the reactions of his fellow movie goers shown frequently laughing, being scared, crying and being fascinated by the stories.  Giuseppe said that the love story woven in the film was completely fabricated.

We meet a young boy learning from the projectionist and one point was that film was flammable which leads to a major plot development.  The projectionist tells about his early day when the films were silent and had to be cranked.  Later, after a tragic fire we see film that isn't flammable.  As time moves on we learn about DVD for the movie theatre.

There are multitudes of little details that are used for dramatic effect.  In one scene there is a slight focus on one man who is not acting scared at a horror movie and then the camera moves a little further away to show a woman also not afraid.  They notice one another.  A bit later you see them as a couple.  Then much later you see them both much older, but still a couple.  The camera focuses on the audience and how much they enjoyed a movie--sometimes crying, sometimes scared and often laughing.  Enjoying movies was a community affair.

I owe my sister an apology.  Several years ago she had recommended at least 3 foreign films including Cinema Paradiso.  I watched it while multi tasking and thought it ok, but not special.  What prompted a second viewing at least ten years later was another Tornatore movie.  I already acknowledged a similar apology for a Mexican film she touted, but she did successfully steer me towards Bollywood.

His first feature in 1986 was "The Professor" with American tv star Ben Gazzara.  Unfortunately it is not available at my usual sources.  Blasco Guirato as a cinematographer.    Nicola Pionvani composed the music.

"A Pure Formality" was released 1994 with Roman Polanski and Gerard Depardieu in French.  Originally saw several years ago on a VHS tape, but the library has not upgraded to a DVD .  I remember it had clever dialogue and was a tricky cat and mouse game with a twist ending.  Ennio Morricone and Blasco Giurato teamed up.

"The Legend of 1900" was released in 1998 starring Tim Roth as a man who spends his whole life on a big ocean liner.  What is remembered by many is a piano duel.  Ennio Morricone composed the music with Lajos Koltai provided cinematography.  Massimo Quaglia was the editor.   Editing is critical as the first version of "Cinema Paradiso" at 170 minutes and was panned by almost all critics.  It was trimmed down in two stages. and won awards and fan appreciation.

"Malena", was released in 2000.  Monica Bellucci played a beautiful woman who attracted a lot abusive attention during World War II in Sicily.   Morricone again wrote some memorable music.  Lajo Koltai  handled the cinematography and Massio Quaglia edited the film.

"The Unknown Woman"  another award winner on the film festival tour. was released in 2006  Teamed up with Morricone, Fabio Zamarioin, cinematography and Massimo Quaglia as editor.  It was a well layered plot unraveled teasingly.  The Russian actress, Kseniya  Rappoport, was excellent.

"Baaria" released in 2009  was more recounting of his boyhood.   Politics is integral with Communists at one point challenging corruption.    It was a pleasure to watch special features that included Ennio and Giuseppe discussing a tune (Ennio trying to get Giuseppe to accept a change.    Giuseppe used a Sicilian dialect from his home town.  Enrico Lucidi was cinematographer and Massimo Quaglia edited.

"The Best Offer"  released in 2013 in English staring Geoffrey Rush, Jim Sturgess, Donald Sutherland and Sylvia Hoeks.  I found the trailer mis-leading, but perhaps deliberately.  It helps if you appreciate art, but not necessary.  Again details matter and the plot moves steadily to a twist ending.  Ennio Morricone, Fabio Zamarion and Massimo Quaglia together.

It is quite awhile between Tornatore movies, but look forward to his next offering.  "La Correpundenza" is scheduled for a 2016 release with Olga Kurylenko and Jeremy Lyons.  Once again a winning combination with Ennio, Fabbio and Massimo contributing.

TWO LATIN AMERICAN MOVIE MAKING POWERS

Argentina and Brazil aren't thought of much when it comes to commercial movies in North America.  That is a shame and perhaps one that will be corrected.  Recently I watched a Latin American double header which reminded me of a few other worthy ones I have seen.

The first Brazilian movie I saw was "Central Station".  One thing that struck me about it was that it did  not have a glamorous cast. It was Oscar nominated as best foreign language film and for best actress for Fernanda Montenegro.  The story is unusual in that an older very cynical single  woman finds herself wanting to help a young boy who had just lost his mother.  It takes her away from the big cities of Brazil and into different cultures.  The ending is a bit of a surprise, but somehow settling.

Another I remember was  "Dona Flor e Seus Dois Maridos"  It is about a woman who with a little fantasy has the best of two worlds--a husband who provides for her and another who excites her.  A song by Chico Bauraque "O que Sera"at the end credits has haunted me since.  Brazilians make some of the best music in the world.  So we know they are creative.

"City of God", a very violent movie that gets into the drug war culture and is regarded as a masterpiece of its genre.  It shows how even young children are brought into the culture of violence.

"The Year My Parents Went On Vacation" was highly rated and I naively assumed by the title it was about the trouble a young boy could get into while his parents were enjoying a holiday.  The year was 1970 which was a year in which Brazil again won the World Cup and also the worst of a dictatorship, both themes of which are interwoven in this film.  The director thought he could make his view known more effectively by this indirect manner than directly.  For a non Brazilian it may take you a little longer to get the message.  They show a lot of diversity in Brazil, but most of the action takes place within a Jewish community.  All segments of the population were very involved following the World Cup and also with the heavy handedness of the dictatorship which was shown enough to make you aware of it, but not so much that it dominated the film.  Taking a "vacation" was an expression used by political foes of the state when they wanted to hide from the authorities.  This was the first feature of two I watched recently.

The first Argentine movie I remember was "The Aura" which I saw through the Art Gallery of Hamilton.  The main character was an epileptic who just before he had a seizure would have a sense of calmness, or an aura.  He planned a very daring robbery. Have since seen three others with the same leading actor, Ricardo Darin.  "The Secret in Their Eye"s won an Oscar.  Another one "Carancho" was what is called a film noir focusing on auto accidents and the lawyers who chase after them.  "XXY" tackled an unusual difficult topic with a lot of serious implications.  A child is born with duo sexual identities and the parents are protective.

I re-discovered Norma Aleandro, not realizing I had seen her in a few other movies.  A year or so ago I had seen "City of your Final Destination", an English language movie where she had a minor role.  More recently I had seen her in "Andres Doesn't Sleep in the Afternoon" set in Buenos Aires. where she played a major role, but as a grandmother.

Very recently I saw her in one of her most critically acclaimed roles, ''The Official Story.'  It was the second of my Latin American doubleheader and this one was also political.   It was filmed in 1985 and told of a very sensitive issue where the military junta amongst other things took newborn babies from dissenters and gave them to those with connections.  Another Latin American movie recognized by the Oscars and Cannes Film Festival.

All the movies I have described have high quality in terms of script, direction, production, acting, and cinematography. You will feel like they are high end films and very enjoyable to watch except for those annoying sub-titles.  They are well worth the effort.  I would like to add that I have found often that the winner of the foreign language Oscar is usually better than the best picture winner.