Comments on: Oscar Anti-Climax: The Meteoric Downfall of Roberto Benigni http://blog.spout.com/2008/10/20/the-meteoric-downfall-of-roberto-benigni/ Daily coverage of what is truly interesting in the film world Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:45:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Giovanni http://blog.spout.com/2008/10/20/the-meteoric-downfall-of-roberto-benigni/#comment-119033 Giovanni Thu, 01 Jan 2009 06:58:44 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=6387#comment-119033 I'm sorry but you just show your ignorance on Italian culture. Benigni in Italy is revered as one of the most amazing, poetic, knowledgeable, geniuses Italian history has ever produced. He was extremely famous before Life is Beautiful and very wealthy. The Pinocchio movie cannot be understood by Americans because they have a distorted vision of the story given by Disney that americanized (that means as in Americanizing a food item, taking away all the flavor and making it flat and colorless) the beautiful and profound fairytale. Benigni humor is based on popular comical theater tradition that has its root in Greek and Roman performance. Benigni Dante Divine Comedy interpretation is one of the most viral, deep and beautiful work of embodied knowledge and poetry that you could imagine. Benigni is a walking encyclopedia and an amazing artist. America was lucky to share even a moment of his creativity. But Dante is too deep for the average American. Please guys stick with cartoons and Coca Cola. I'm going to listen to Benigni recite Dante and drink some fragrant Chianti. I’m sorry but you just show your ignorance on Italian culture. Benigni in Italy is revered as one of the most amazing, poetic, knowledgeable, geniuses Italian history has ever produced. He was extremely famous before Life is Beautiful and very wealthy. The Pinocchio movie cannot be understood by Americans because they have a distorted vision of the story given by Disney that americanized (that means as in Americanizing a food item, taking away all the flavor and making it flat and colorless) the beautiful and profound fairytale. Benigni humor is based on popular comical theater tradition that has its root in Greek and Roman performance. Benigni Dante Divine Comedy interpretation is one of the most viral, deep and beautiful work of embodied knowledge and poetry that you could imagine. Benigni is a walking encyclopedia and an amazing artist. America was lucky to share even a moment of his creativity. But Dante is too deep for the average American. Please guys stick with cartoons and Coca Cola. I’m going to listen to Benigni recite Dante and drink some fragrant Chianti.

]]> By: Samuele Falcone http://blog.spout.com/2008/10/20/the-meteoric-downfall-of-roberto-benigni/#comment-117649 Samuele Falcone Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:28:54 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=6387#comment-117649 Roberto Benigni is not only a movie actor and director, but also a cultural institution in Italy. His Tutto Dante was simply the best tv program of last 10 years here and spread italian culture everywhere. I think that is his best succesfull production. I found Pinocchio very boring but I don't know what you /americans) are saying about The Tiger and the Snow! It was a very beautiful film, had very good critics and got very much respect about war and all. So, I think that you can't value movies since they are successfull in USA or not. There are many artists that work in Europe and I think it's rather a problem of you if you can't enjoy them! Roberto Benigni is not only a movie actor and director, but also a cultural institution in Italy. His Tutto Dante was simply the best tv program of last 10 years here and spread italian culture everywhere. I think that is his best succesfull production.

I found Pinocchio very boring but I don’t know what you /americans) are saying about The Tiger and the Snow! It was a very beautiful film, had very good critics and got very much respect about war and all. So, I think that you can’t value movies since they are successfull in USA or not. There are many artists that work in Europe and I think it’s rather a problem of you if you can’t enjoy them!

]]> By: 10/21 Oscarweb Round-up | In Contention http://blog.spout.com/2008/10/20/the-meteoric-downfall-of-roberto-benigni/#comment-115781 10/21 Oscarweb Round-up | In Contention Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:00:51 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=6387#comment-115781 [...] • The meteoric downfall of Roberto Benigni. [Spout Blog] [...] [...] • The meteoric downfall of Roberto Benigni. [Spout Blog] [...]

]]> By: Stefano http://blog.spout.com/2008/10/20/the-meteoric-downfall-of-roberto-benigni/#comment-115780 Stefano Tue, 21 Oct 2008 12:53:15 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=6387#comment-115780 Though Benigni's international downfall is hard to deny, this article happens to be a little too "U.S.-centered". Benigni career has reached its climax with "Life is Beautiful", but he's not just a movie director. Actually he's a talented show man (see his show "TuttoBenigni 95/96", a masterpiece of comedy) and, even if "The Tiger and the Snow" and "Pinocchio" were terrifying, there are some pretty good movies of his like "The Little Devil", "Johnny Stecchino" (wonderful!) and "Berlinguer: I Love You". Truth is that he's getting older and, consequentially, he's getting more conservative, losing the charme he has as a funny rebel provocateur. He was a symbol of the Left political movement in the '80s, a major comedian and a straightforward anti-papist. Now (maybe thank to the Oscar too) he's been institutionalized as an Italian artistic heritage (which he is), but at the prize of becoming less effective and too easy-going. With his stinger cut, Benigni now dedicates himself to spiritualism, love, joy and God, reading Dante in theatres (and distorting him in a way even more bigot!). He wrapped himself with the aura of a poet (which he is not), teaching his lessons about love ex cathedra. He is still histrionic but he lost his themes. And that's sad, even if the italian people loves him more than ever and his shows are always full. So yes, it's a downfall. But not because of low ratings or poor earnings: it's just because he's losing his topics. He doesn't scratch anyone now: it's love and joy for all. That's boring, as his last pathetic and pretentiously poetic movies have pointed out. Nevertheless, in Italy he is not suffering any downfall. Now that he doesn't criticize anyone (the Pope, Berlusconi...) anymore, he is getting more attention than ever from the press, the tv and the establishment in general. Though Benigni’s international downfall is hard to deny, this article happens to be a little too “U.S.-centered”. Benigni career has reached its climax with “Life is Beautiful”, but he’s not just a movie director. Actually he’s a talented show man (see his show “TuttoBenigni 95/96″, a masterpiece of comedy) and, even if “The Tiger and the Snow” and “Pinocchio” were terrifying, there are some pretty good movies of his like “The Little Devil”, “Johnny Stecchino” (wonderful!) and “Berlinguer: I Love You”.
Truth is that he’s getting older and, consequentially, he’s getting more conservative, losing the charme he has as a funny rebel provocateur. He was a symbol of the Left political movement in the ’80s, a major comedian and a straightforward anti-papist. Now (maybe thank to the Oscar too) he’s been institutionalized as an Italian artistic heritage (which he is), but at the prize of becoming less effective and too easy-going. With his stinger cut, Benigni now dedicates himself to spiritualism, love, joy and God, reading Dante in theatres (and distorting him in a way even more bigot!). He wrapped himself with the aura of a poet (which he is not), teaching his lessons about love ex cathedra. He is still histrionic but he lost his themes. And that’s sad, even if the italian people loves him more than ever and his shows are always full.
So yes, it’s a downfall. But not because of low ratings or poor earnings: it’s just because he’s losing his topics. He doesn’t scratch anyone now: it’s love and joy for all. That’s boring, as his last pathetic and pretentiously poetic movies have pointed out.
Nevertheless, in Italy he is not suffering any downfall. Now that he doesn’t criticize anyone (the Pope, Berlusconi…) anymore, he is getting more attention than ever from the press, the tv and the establishment in general.

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