if ..... there was such a drink as a peach Fellini I might order it. I would hope it would make me feel the way I did after watching Le Notti di Cabiria-The simple tragedy/comedy about a cynical but positive prostitute. She is cynical because life has given her heartache so much that, in knowing what life is, she has what she thinks is a positive attitude. But deep down, she is lonely and when someone comes around to offer her the "trust" of love she is afraid and suspicious like a beaten dog.
Why is a movie such an amazing movie? Old film is just like old music. You can listen to some contemporary song by, let's say Beck and we will say it is a song about heartache(a human and even animal condition) and it's layered with synths and drums and the artist took full use of the 132 track studio at Abbey Roads in London. Now, you can relate to the message or theme of the lyrics- but it is also well matched with the melody or music so that you "hear" the heartache as well. Fantastic. I should be using examples by name and not just idea..hmm.. Okay so the song "Lost Cause" by Beck which was just voted one of the top 25 sad songs of the world according to Spinner.com(really?)! So I am going to assume that this song was not done in live in a studio without the use of multi-tracking because I can immediately hear the tape or digital effects when it starts.;) Anyway!! If you are going to read this at least try to listen to the song as I will put a link to it below.
At this time, I'll use a bare, stripped down song recorded before the "magic" of multi-tracking (which even if you've only seen the movie "Ray", you might know that this was not really happening in most studios until the 60's) to illustrate a point. The song is an old version of "Gloomy Sunday" , or in it's original Hungarian title "Szomorú vasárnap". The song was written by László Jávor and set to music in 1933 by Hungarian pianist and composer Rezső Seress. Unfortunately, I don't know anything about this particular recording but that it was probably recorded on a wax cylinder which is basically to say that tape recorders for audio were still being invented! Please listen to it because in my opinion this song, like the other above, which is about heartache and the mourning of a loss has an overall "feeling" that hits me in the chest and bluntly put- makes you want to die!! (I won't even write about the history or mythology of the song because if you knew something of it, it might affect your opinion. But if you are interested you tube has some videos ranging from the really hokey to the really well researched.)
In my "human" opinion after experiencing some "conditions" I feel the older song's bare bones structure has a lot to do with the song having more of an impact. It's like- it doesn't need an electric guitar or huge MIDI interface device to create a piece of art that is timeless with instantly recognizable emotion pertaining to sadness or melancholy. And it does not have to make a huge production out of it, period.
After being incredibly moved after watching "Le Notti...", I was at a loss for words. Because so many movies on peoples top list are movies like Gondry's "Eternal Sunshine.." and even I am some what of a fan of his work("Science of Sleep")...But why do you need a deep philosophical context or strange twist or special effects when the deepest philosophical context, the most strange fucked up peculiar twists, and the most dazzling special effects are as simple as everyday experience. And if you don't see this in everyday life I am deeply sorry. Because everyday is an experience. You don't need a book to learn that.
So you say, "..why should I read Sartre's "Nausea" when I could read the script for "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf". And by that line of thinking why would I read when I could just live?!?!" Well, words put together in the right manner and scenes and sequences on paper and on film(audio or visual-photo or video) can create or tell fabulous stories that are true to life or be the medium for a fantasy. They can put accents on certain moments or artistically illustrate the stuff we might be too involved with to be able to see the whole "scene".
But the best to me always seem to be the ones that don't need a bunch of hoopla because the work speaks for itself. As it turns out "Le Notti de Cabiria" is said to be one of the best films of all time. I suppose if you are a big fan of film do yourself a favor and check it out. If you go to school it is definitely in your school's library. Then compare it to another award winning sad tale like "Titanic" (snicker--I'm sorry!). Or rather, just even a movie with a more-complex story which is is the true point. Hopefully, you feel the same way I did in that last scene of "Cabiria" crushed and uplifted.
Chau for Now
Patrick
ah cómo es magnífico y trágico
