2023.06.30
Distance to America
The ashes continue their journey. At times, he is surrounded by respect from people, and at other times, he provokes irreverent laughter. The Taviani brothers' films have a brutality that comes out unexpectedly. For example, the scene where Pirandello's coffin is cremated. There is something ruthless about the act of forcing the coffin into the flames. Although it is not drawn in an unnatural way, the moment the coffin is pushed in with an iron rod is shocking. The works of the Taviani brothers, including ``Leonora addio,'' seem to have a love for the course of life rather than a love for humans themselves.
In that sense, the second part of the film, which depicts ``The Nail,'' which Pirandello is said to have written before his death, can be said to approach the essence of Taviani's films. Bastianed, the boy from `` Chaos Sicily, '' appears as an immigrant in Brooklyn. The ``distance'' between Italy and America is a recurring theme in the Taviani brothers' films, as is the case with the episode with the American soldiers in the first part. The woman in `` San Lorenzo's Night '' (1982) begs a soldier to take her to America. “ Good Morning Babylon! (1987), the brothers headed to Hollywood to work on the art for Intolerance (1916).
“Leonora addio” © Umberto Montiroli
The cart that suddenly passes in front of Bastianed has a surreal feel, as if it had come from Sicily rather than Brooklyn. A "nail" dropped by a wagon. The boy picks up a "nail". Coincidentally, the girls are having a grappling fight (it looks like a fight between beasts, which is great). Then a mysterious crime occurs. What kind of journey did this "nail" go through, and what kind of "determination" did it have? ``Nails'', like ``ashes'', tell us nothing. There is no answer to the beauty of Sicily's extremely blue skies and emerald green sea. Living people find meaning in beauty and give it a name.
Life may end unfinished. This work, which began as a solitary stage where Pirandello receives the Nobel Prize for Literature, concludes as a stage-movie. Paolo Taviani takes over the unfinished will of Pirandello and his older brother Vittorio, and dashes away toward the next story. An unfinished will, a requiem, is passed on as a baton for the future. My heart is filled with gratitude for the fact that this is a movie that trusted the audience forever.
Text: Daiji Miyashiro (maplecat-eve)
Movie criticism. Contributed reviews to ``Leos Carax: Movie Wanderer'', Eureka's ``Wes Anderson Special'', Real Sound, Soen, otocoto, Toshio Matsumoto Special Pamphlet, etc.
Pre-order “Leonora addio” now ↓
"Leonora addio"
From Friday, June 23, 2023
Human Trust Cinema Yurakucho, Shinjuku Musashinokan and other theaters nationwide
Distribution: Mviola
© Umberto Montiroli
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