ENZO G. CASTELLARI Everybody knows Tarantino’s fascination for 70’s and 80’s Italian B-Movies, especially for genres such as, the Italian Sexy Comedy, the Italian Detective Stories and the Western made in Italy or better called “Spaghetti Western”. In fact, Italians were for a long period of time pioneers of a cinematic trend that influenced the American film industry and many directors among which one of the greatest cult movies directors of our time: Quentin Tarantino.
Tarantino has always been fascinated by Italian Big Battle movies that were symbols of the excess characterising Italian trash movies considered at that time undemanding and of poor execution.
In somehow one can say that Taratino gave back to this genre, dignity and artistic recognition, in Italy and worldwide.
One of my favourite Tarantino’s recent movies is famous :
“The Inglorious Basterds” released in 2009. The movie received many nominations and awards travelling in the circuit of many Film Festivals, including Cannes Film Festival in which Christoph Waltz won the Best Actor Award.
However, what I didn’t know about it, as probably some of you, is that the worldwide box office successful Tarantino’s movies is not just a tribute to the Italian B-Movie genre but actually a remake of the English namesake Enzo Castellari’s movie “Inglorious Bastards” directed in 1977( “Quel maledetto treno blindato” in Italian).
The plot in Enzo Castellari’s movie is just an excuse to show on screen a series of gunfire and explosions which unfold one after the other, giving no rest to the spectator. Enzo Castellari with is direction is able to convey the vitality and the enthusiasm which he is full of...Tarantino's admiration doesn't surprise.
This May I will have the chance to meet the actor and director,Enzo Castellari personally and I have the feeling that is going to be terrific! Photos and a special interview will come very soon!
DO YOU WANT TO SHARE THIS CHANCE WITH ME?
Come on
FRIDAY 25TH OF MAY
@ THE ITALIAN CULTURAL INSTITUTE
CINE-EXCESS GALA DINNER : Professor Mary P. Wood (Birkbeck College) in discussion with Enzo G. Castellari and Sergio Martino on
"EUROPEAN CULT FILM ADAPTATION"
"EUROPEAN CULT FILM ADAPTATION"
SERGIO MARTINO
A man of multiple pseudonyms: Julian
Barry, Martin Dolman, Serge Martin, Christian Plummer, George
Raminto…
Can you guess who am I speaking of?
Hard to tell! But if you are Italian or
just a fan of Italian 70’s Italian sub-genre’s movies of the so
called Italian Golden Era, you probably will guess the real name
behind all these pseudonyms
SERGIO MARTINO, one of the most
prolific and versatile directors of documentary, sex-comedy, war and
westerns made in Italy will be one the honoured guests of Cine-Excess
Film Festival IV edition. I won’t miss the occasion to ask him the
reasons of so many pseudonyms.
Looking at his Filmography some of his
movies have particular struck my attention:
“Your Vice is a Room and only I have
the Key”(1972) and “ The scorpion with two tails” (1982).
The first one is a very loose
adaptation of the Edgar Allan Poe’s novel: “The Black Cat”. Martino's scenes of Sapphic love-making, series of
mysterious murders and a thrilling set, makes many directors of the
same genre, quite jealous of his work.
In line with the current
revival of the 70’s mood, clothes and icons, the Martino’s
vintage sexy giallo turns to be very contemporary and worth watching.
Maybe that’s the reason why I have been so quickly captured by the
plot and some of its sequences. Not to mention the movie poster, just
amazing! Something you would like to hang on your wall!
Excess is the key word to understand
and appreciate Cult movies in which Marino’s cinematic production
takes part. The Excess is expressed since the beginning by the title
that is always recognisable for its length and for the impact of its
words, as well as the violent and dramatic sequences.
“ The scorpion with two tails”
(1982) is another masterpiece of the Italian B-movie genre. Drawing
on the earlier 1972 picture by Armando Crispino “The Etruscan Kills
Again” (L’etrusco uccide ancora ) Martino uses the Italian
history to create a sucessuful thiller that succeds in giving a new
wave of energy to the giallo genre of which is an unquenstioned
master!
IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE
MULTIFACED ITALIAN DIRECTOR SERGIO MARTINO...
come
@FRIDAY
25TH OF MAY
@
THE ITALIAN CULTURAL INSTITUTE
CINE-EXCESS
GALA DINNER :
Professor Mary P. Wood (Birkbeck College) indiscussion
with Enzo G. Castellari and Sergio Martino on
"EUROPEAN CULT FILM ADAPTATION"
"EUROPEAN CULT FILM ADAPTATION"
(Separate
Booking Required)
For more info contact the Italian Cultural Institute : icilondon@esteri.it
For more info contact the Italian Cultural Institute : icilondon@esteri.it
For more info contact the Italian Cultural Institute : icilondon@esteri.it
