Wednesday, August 15, 2012

184. Paisa

Paisa
Paisan
1946
Directed by Roberto Rossellini


Still not sure how to paste pictures with the new computer.  Damn kids with their newfangled contraptions...

Unfortunately, this is another Italian film.  I don't think I have ever watched an Italian movie I like.  I might be stuck in some sort of vicious movie cycle where I don't like Italian movies and then I just don't like the movie because it is Italian.  They are just all so pretentious.  I may use the word "temerity" more often than I should but even I put my foot down at a certain point.

All right, so this movie is divided into six vignettes.  The book apologizes for the boredom and bad acting but insists the movie is still worth it because of...um...let me go check.  Oh right, it is bleak and stark in its depiction of the horrors of war.  The problem with this is how easily it becomes dated.  We are so jaded now with war images, books, and movies that this is simply nothing new.

Now I am personally challenged.  Will there ever be an Italian movie I like?  Stay tuned if you can stand the suspense.

RATING: **---

Interesting Facts:

The monks in this movie are actual monks.  Yes, I know that is not remotely intriguing.  Really do not have a lot to go on here.

11 comments:

  1. Had to watch this without subtitles. Did not help. In glimpses it is interesting, but in between... I feel like jumping forward to see if you liked Bicycle Thieves. That was the Italian highlight for me.

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    1. I have found a few Italian movies I like now, but I don't think I liked Bicycle Thieves.

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  2. I assumed you were going to slate this, but I thought it was great. I often like lo-fi things such as music, so maybe this is an extension of that. Some of the bad acting was pretty stilted, but overall I'd rather that than some Hollywood star playing to the cameras. Humphrey Bogart wouldn't have suited the piece.

    Each little section beautiful in its own right, also helps keep things fresh that there isn't time to hang around.

    I'm going to risk your wrath and say that I prefer the Italian films to the French, including your beloved Renoir!

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    1. Woah. Well, my team has Catherine Deneuve.

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    2. My team has Sophia Loren, yours has Inspector Clouseau

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    3. I don't actually know any of his films, so you'll have to wait at least a couple of years until the list brings me to him before I can launch an impassioned defence of the man. In the mean time, I note that you have Abel Gance who brought us The Wheel and Napoleon in the twenties.

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  3. Stop it you two! Come on, we can all agree both countries can produce damn good stuff as well as .. well.. over blown pretentious (Amanda, are other people allowed to use your word without paying copyright fees?) films. Yes Godard I'm looking at you. but even I will admit that Pasolini can be a bit .... err...up his own arse?
    But if you INSIST on arguing for foreign language .. I'm afraid I'm going all North European on you. Yes Amanda, I see your Pasolini and raise you with Bergman. Ahhh sorry. Please continue to speak to me.

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    1. Actually, if I had to pick one country from the list so far, it would be Germany without a doubt. With Italy I'm essentially gambling with a hunch on cards that haven't been dealt to me yet.

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  4. All right, I'll settle for Germany.

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  5. For the sake of unity, I will settle for Germany as well..

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  6. And so the great peace accord of 2017 was agreed

    All that remains now is for us all to sign "Here's looking at you, Kid" at the bottom and we can all move on

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