Monday, April 28, 2003
Nights of Cabiria
Directed by Federico Fellini
DVD Criterion Collection
Countless reviews have been written of classic movies. Critical reviews of Nights of Cabiria praise the restored scene of the man with the sack which was originally rumored to have removed for fear of offending the church which sees itself as the provider of the poor or how Cabiria - Feliini’s wife, Giulietta Masina is a female Charlie Chaplin with her “clownish” makeup – arched artificial looking eyebrows; black umbrella and the swagger or strut that exudes self-confidence. Her pantomine movements reflects an acting style of the 20s – harking back to the era of the silent movie. Nights of Cabiria was also Fellini’s less well known film as compared to say 8 ½, or Amarcord but many of its scenes will be borrowed and used in La Dolce Vita.
Like most Fellini’s films, Nights of Cabiria has a shimmering childlike fantasy quality attached to its characters woven around a simple plot. Cabiria is a prostitute who was pushed down the river by her boyfriend for 40,000 lira. After much thought and a confrontation with her friend, Wanda, she burnt the things she had bought for him in a fit of fury. As she went about plying her trade along the street, she meets movie star Alberto Lazzari and went with him to a dance before heading his home for supper. Their night was interrupted; Cabiria, forced to locked up in the bathroom; when Alberto’s beau whom they quarreled earlier had came back for a reconciliation. Cabiria fascinated by the huge splendour of the house the night before, lost her way finding a way out, and even bumps into a glass door.
Until then, Cabiria remains very much typical cut out character - innocent (she could not believe she was pushed by her boyfriend; meeting Albert and kissing his hands like a child), catty (fighting with other prostitutes) and almost superficial (her proud insistence that she owns a house and a thermometer). The turning point came when she met the man with the sack. She seems to become more withheld and introspective when she sees the people that the man visits – the poor living in caves. She also sees the ageing destitute poor prostitute that must have struck a chord with her. Hence, upon visiting a reputed appearance by the Virgin Mary, with her friends that was cramped with faithful followers; and to hear a sermon delivered by the priest; asking for miracles/ forgiveness from The Virgin, she breaks down and asks for Maria to change her life. One cannot help feel with her as she kneels and begs, tears streaming. The humor is not lost because the next scene immediately is one of pagan contrasts – Cabiria and her gang are now picnicking and listening to music. Cabiria feels that nothing has changed despite her pleas and went on to shout at a group of nuns passing by; asking them if they had been saved.
Forgotten by many critics, the definitive scene where Cabiria was hypnotized to tell her childhood story when she was watching a show; reveals an inner innate beauty that was concealed by her initial rough mannered appearance – something she herself was probably unaware of. This illustrates how despite everything and what we think, that she is like most women, hoping to settle and build a happy family with children and a husband. The laughter from the audience highlights how cruel society can be sometimes.
She was to meet her knight in shining armour, Oscar, whom she believes will rescue her from the old way of life. From doubting his sincerity to finally accepting him, Cabiria transforms into a loved woman filled with hopes. While many have viewed the ending as one of hope bordering on uncertainty and Fellini even mentioned that, “I myself have worried about her fate ever since” from I, Fellini (1995) by Charlotte Chandler; Cabiria remains on screen a character with a pure soul on the search for love which we witnessed earlier despite all her ordeals. As she walks along the road, with tears in her eyes while children play happy music, one cannot help think this is Fellini’s vision of strength after a fall; and that one has to continue to believe.
Directed by Federico Fellini
DVD Criterion Collection
Countless reviews have been written of classic movies. Critical reviews of Nights of Cabiria praise the restored scene of the man with the sack which was originally rumored to have removed for fear of offending the church which sees itself as the provider of the poor or how Cabiria - Feliini’s wife, Giulietta Masina is a female Charlie Chaplin with her “clownish” makeup – arched artificial looking eyebrows; black umbrella and the swagger or strut that exudes self-confidence. Her pantomine movements reflects an acting style of the 20s – harking back to the era of the silent movie. Nights of Cabiria was also Fellini’s less well known film as compared to say 8 ½, or Amarcord but many of its scenes will be borrowed and used in La Dolce Vita.
Like most Fellini’s films, Nights of Cabiria has a shimmering childlike fantasy quality attached to its characters woven around a simple plot. Cabiria is a prostitute who was pushed down the river by her boyfriend for 40,000 lira. After much thought and a confrontation with her friend, Wanda, she burnt the things she had bought for him in a fit of fury. As she went about plying her trade along the street, she meets movie star Alberto Lazzari and went with him to a dance before heading his home for supper. Their night was interrupted; Cabiria, forced to locked up in the bathroom; when Alberto’s beau whom they quarreled earlier had came back for a reconciliation. Cabiria fascinated by the huge splendour of the house the night before, lost her way finding a way out, and even bumps into a glass door.
Until then, Cabiria remains very much typical cut out character - innocent (she could not believe she was pushed by her boyfriend; meeting Albert and kissing his hands like a child), catty (fighting with other prostitutes) and almost superficial (her proud insistence that she owns a house and a thermometer). The turning point came when she met the man with the sack. She seems to become more withheld and introspective when she sees the people that the man visits – the poor living in caves. She also sees the ageing destitute poor prostitute that must have struck a chord with her. Hence, upon visiting a reputed appearance by the Virgin Mary, with her friends that was cramped with faithful followers; and to hear a sermon delivered by the priest; asking for miracles/ forgiveness from The Virgin, she breaks down and asks for Maria to change her life. One cannot help feel with her as she kneels and begs, tears streaming. The humor is not lost because the next scene immediately is one of pagan contrasts – Cabiria and her gang are now picnicking and listening to music. Cabiria feels that nothing has changed despite her pleas and went on to shout at a group of nuns passing by; asking them if they had been saved.
Forgotten by many critics, the definitive scene where Cabiria was hypnotized to tell her childhood story when she was watching a show; reveals an inner innate beauty that was concealed by her initial rough mannered appearance – something she herself was probably unaware of. This illustrates how despite everything and what we think, that she is like most women, hoping to settle and build a happy family with children and a husband. The laughter from the audience highlights how cruel society can be sometimes.
She was to meet her knight in shining armour, Oscar, whom she believes will rescue her from the old way of life. From doubting his sincerity to finally accepting him, Cabiria transforms into a loved woman filled with hopes. While many have viewed the ending as one of hope bordering on uncertainty and Fellini even mentioned that, “I myself have worried about her fate ever since” from I, Fellini (1995) by Charlotte Chandler; Cabiria remains on screen a character with a pure soul on the search for love which we witnessed earlier despite all her ordeals. As she walks along the road, with tears in her eyes while children play happy music, one cannot help think this is Fellini’s vision of strength after a fall; and that one has to continue to believe.
Sunday, April 27, 2003
Yellow Submarine
Director George Dunning
Designer Heinz Edelmann
A fascinating piece of adult animation featuring flamboyantly exotic colourscape and a wide range of drawing styles from Pop art to Salvador Dali, Yellow Submarine is a kaleidoscope of the emerging psyechedlic era that bewitches.
The plot is simple. Main Meanie is blue and his army has invaded and turned Pepperland into a sorry place by getting rid of their music, happiness and love.
Captain Fred, the sole survivor, manages to escape via the Yellow Submarine to get help. he meets The Beatles – Ringo, John, Paul and George who accompanied him on a “Modyssey” that includes sailing through the Sea of Time – becoming young and old, Sea of Monsters -running away from vacuum monsters and enlisting the help of nowhere man - physicist, classicist, botanist, essayist, satirist and artist Jeremy Hilary Boob PhD who is capable of doing everything, anything and talks in rhymes.
The captivating thing with Yellow Submarine besides its colour, eclectic animation style and even using real life photos and patches of moving images, is its soundtrack that boasts easy singalong Beatles songs that makes you feel good happy and reminiscent of the trippy 60s.
It is funny to see the animation doing their things– the tea and tea cup monsters for example, pouring tea over and over again or the vacuum monster that sucks every monster it sees.
The weird LSD drug led hallucinated sequences which acts out in their adventure is also embedded with metaphysical/ social connotations. Such as the “Eleanor Rigby” sequence which features a soldier’s procession footage or when we first see of Ringo, who complains that nothing ever happens in Liverpool.
Yellow Submarine stands as an artefact capable of watching over and over again. Its message of music and love endures the testament of time.
Director George Dunning
Designer Heinz Edelmann
A fascinating piece of adult animation featuring flamboyantly exotic colourscape and a wide range of drawing styles from Pop art to Salvador Dali, Yellow Submarine is a kaleidoscope of the emerging psyechedlic era that bewitches.
The plot is simple. Main Meanie is blue and his army has invaded and turned Pepperland into a sorry place by getting rid of their music, happiness and love.
Captain Fred, the sole survivor, manages to escape via the Yellow Submarine to get help. he meets The Beatles – Ringo, John, Paul and George who accompanied him on a “Modyssey” that includes sailing through the Sea of Time – becoming young and old, Sea of Monsters -running away from vacuum monsters and enlisting the help of nowhere man - physicist, classicist, botanist, essayist, satirist and artist Jeremy Hilary Boob PhD who is capable of doing everything, anything and talks in rhymes.
The captivating thing with Yellow Submarine besides its colour, eclectic animation style and even using real life photos and patches of moving images, is its soundtrack that boasts easy singalong Beatles songs that makes you feel good happy and reminiscent of the trippy 60s.
It is funny to see the animation doing their things– the tea and tea cup monsters for example, pouring tea over and over again or the vacuum monster that sucks every monster it sees.
The weird LSD drug led hallucinated sequences which acts out in their adventure is also embedded with metaphysical/ social connotations. Such as the “Eleanor Rigby” sequence which features a soldier’s procession footage or when we first see of Ringo, who complains that nothing ever happens in Liverpool.
Yellow Submarine stands as an artefact capable of watching over and over again. Its message of music and love endures the testament of time.
