Kappler (Christopher Plummer): Che cos’è Roma? Tutta la sua grandezza è passata! Tutto ciò che resta è una cartolina, un cortile da ricreazione per cavalli e preti!

tratto dal film The scarlet and the black di Jerry London (1983)

Zenobia (Anita Ekberg): A Roma il clima è dolce come un’eterna primavera.
Marco Valerio (George Marchal): No a Roma no, dove regnano la corruzione e l’intrigo!
Nel segno di Roma di Guido Brignone (1959)

Il gerarca fascista (Eros Pagni): Nessuna cosa al mondo l’è maggiore di Roma: mollezze, tradimenti, sudiciumi, quanti ne nascondi, eh? Roma la capitale… Si, sette colli pieni di merda e di vipere!
Film d’amore e d’anarchia di Lina Wertmuller (1973)

Un cinematografaro: Ahò! Si vedi ‘a gente che lavora nun è RRoma!
Roma di Federico Fellini (1972)

Il Giudice (Fernando Rey): E poi io questa città la odio. Sono tutti falsi, cinici, traditori.
Corruzione al palazzo di giustizia di Marcello Alipandri (1975)

Il gigolo (Warren Beatty): Questa città ha tremila anni, e ognuno dei suoi conquistatori è ritornato nella polvere.
La primavera romana della signora Stone di Josè Quinterno (1961)

BiBi (Claudio Gora): Si può andare in ogni città e ognuno resta quello che è: il genovese un genovese, il fiorentino un fiorentino; a Roma, invece, dopo tre giorni si diventa tutti romani!
Il sorpasso di Dino Risi (1962)

Ognuno si guardi attorno e guardi se stesso, e vedrà la grandezza di Roma!
La caduta dell’impero romano di Anthony Mann (1964)

In un ospedale per anziani, in Belgio, lavora suor Gertrude, reduce da un delicato intervento al cervello per la rimozione di un tumore. L’operazione l’ha resa schiava della morfina, che la donna utilizza principalmente come antidolorifico; costretta suo malgrado a dover usare dosi elevate della droga, la donna inizia a rubare i beni dei ricoverati, e poi, vestita in modo civile, quindi tolti gli abiti religiosi, si reca in città dove oltre a vendere quello di cui si è imposessata, si concede avventure erotiche con occasionali personaggi.

Anita Ekberg è Suor Gertrude

All’interno del convento però iniziano ad avvenire fatti strani, come la morte di alcuni ricoverati; sono evidentemente morti non accidentali, come quella di una donna uccisa con degli aghi negli occhi. Le indagini della polizia portano ben presto a puntare i sospetti su suor Gertrude, che nel frattempo, come in un incubo, vede avvenire scene violente con protagonisti proprio i suoi degenti.

Anita Ekberg e Massimo Serato

Paola Morra è Suor Mathieu

Ben presto però i sospetti su di lei aumentano, e le autorità dell’ospedale, unite  a quelle religiose, decidono, per soffocare lo scandalo, di portare la religiosa in un convento, lontana dal teatro degli omicidi. Qui suor Gertrude muore, assassinata dalle sorelle di fede; ma non cessano gli omicidi, che sono opera di……….

Thriller ben congegnato, questo Suor omicidi (Killer nun), diretto da Giulio Berruti inserito per errore da molti recensori nell’elenoc dei nunexploitation, il filone erotico conventuale che si sostitui al decamerotico; il film è un vero e preoprio thriller, con tanto di omicidi e di colpevole una volta tanto non insospettabile. Nel cast figura una matura Anita Ekberg, in una prova appena dignitosa, mentre sicuramente più brava è la giovane Paola Morra, che interpreta sorella Mathieu, compagna di stanza di suor Gertrude, donna libertina e amorale; nel cast figurano anche Joe Dallesandro, il dottor Patrick Roland, che avrà una relazione proprio con sorella Mathieu, Lou Castel, che interpreta Peter, uno dei degenti destinato a finire ucciso e due vecchie glorie del cinema italiano,

Massimo Serato che interpreta il dottor Poirret e Alida Valli, sacrificata in un ruolo minore, quello della madre superiora.
Film non privo di un certo fascino, reso torbido anche dai nudi integrali della bella Paola Morra, e da qualche scena che però non sconfina mai nello splatter.

Suor omicidi, un film di Giulio Berruti. Con Anita Ekberg, Massimo Serato, Alida Valli, Paola Morra, Laura Nucci, Nerina Montagnani, Daniele Dublino, Lou Castel
Drammatico, durata 92 min. – Italia 1979.

Anita Ekberg     …     Suor Gertrude
Paola Morra    …     Suor Mathieu
Alida Valli    …     Madre  Superiora
Massimo Serato    …     Dr. Poirret
Daniele Dublino    …     Direttore dell’ospedale
Lou Castel    …     Peter
Joe Dallesandro    …     Dr. Patrick Roland
Laura Nucci    …     La Baronessa
Alice Gherardi    …     Nurse
Sofia Lusy    …     Janet
Nerina Montagnani    …     Josephine

Empecemos la semana bien. Hoy a las 20 h presentaré en compañía del crítico de cine Jean-Max Méjean, y del cineasta Dominique Delouche, la película La Dolce Vita de Federico Fellini y el libro Fellinicittá. París está dedicando un homenaje a Fellini, para lo cual se ha hecho una gran exposición sobre el cineasta en el Jeu de Paume, que durará hasta enero. La presentación de hoy en la que participaré será en la Filmothèque du Quartier Latin (Filmoteca del Barrio Latino), en la rue de Champollion. Aquí les dejo la célebre escena de Anita Ekberg y Marcello Mastroianni en la Fontana de Trévi:

How to have a Hollywood-inspired Roman holiday

For many, a trip to Rome is a lifelong dream, so once you get down to planning your trip, be sure to make your Roman holiday matter by seeing the sights that Hollywood has paid homage to.

Exuding an unbelievable character spun by the legacy of the past mixed with the energetic vibe of the future, Rome is indeed the Eternal City where time does not seem to rule. Both the new and the old find their place in Rome, which is full of timeless and significant monuments that appeal to every tourist’s need for awe-striking things to see. The classic multicultural tourism scene of Rome enjoys an enthusiastic mishmash of cultures and sensations and has made its appearance in popular films through the years.

Start Your Roman Holiday at the Piazza di Spagna

One of the most popular attractions of Rome is the Piazza di Spagna or the Spanish Square, a highly popular meeting place situated in the center of Rome’s historic district. The Piazza di Spagna is a good place to start your vacation in Rome, and the classic 1953 romantic comedy “Roman Holiday” attests to this.

The Piazza di Spagna is a long and spacious square flanked on three sides by three important Roman attractions, and “each, in its own way, is unforgettable,” as Hepburn’s Princess Ann expressed. These attractions are the Spanish Steps, the Barcaccia Fountain just at the foot of the Spanish Steps, and the Trinita dei Monti at the top of the Spanish Steps.

The unique shape of Piazza di Spagna makes it one of the most distinct plazas in the world, and it is surrounded by a rich and colorful Roman baroque environment that distinguished its many attractions, hotels, residences, inns, cafes, and restaurants.

This distinct area of Piazza di Spagna serves as the main setting of Roman Holiday, which was the first film that introduced film icon Audrey Hepburn. She was joined in the film by Gregory Peck and Eddie Albert. The film centered around the secret but carefree Roman holiday enjoyed by Hepburn’s character Ann, a princess who escapes from her official visit to Rome to be able to roam the city by herself. By the Spanish Steps, she meets Joe, played by Peck, who encourages her to try a gelato and loosen up so she can fully embrace her Roman holiday.

Wound Your Way through Rome by the Via Veneto

A few steps away from the Trinita dei Monti lies the Via Veneto, one of the most famous and most expensive streets of Rome. The famous street factors into certain significant scenes in the iconic 1960 film La Dolce Vita or The Sweet Life, an unforgettable film that offered an equally memorable mirage of classic and romantic Rome.

The film, directed by renowned director Federico Fellini, centered around the life of Marcello, a journalist exploring Rome and searching for real happiness and love. In the span of seven days, he meets two beautiful women, Maddalena and Sylvia, as well as an old friend and his father.

Due to the popularity sparked by the film, Via Veneto became a bustling market for the upper classes, and tourists looking for the sweet luxurious life of Rome need only to go to Via Veneto for the best cafes and shops. The street of Via Veneto is lined with trees and flower beds, as well as with famous celebrities from all over the world. The street then branches out into little lanes that lead to the famous trattorias of Rome.

Live the Sweet Life at the Trevi Fountain

The famous film, La Dolce Vita, also made another important Roman attraction, the Trevi Fountain, a world icon. The Fontana di Trevi is undoubtedly the most beautiful fountain in Rome. Fashioned in baroque style, the fountain now serves as an important Roman landmark where three roads and Rome’s ancient aqueducts met. It was commissioned in 1732 and completed in 1762. It was originally designed by Bernini, but the completion of the project was led by Nicola Salvi.

The fountain’s central figure is a statue of Neptune, the god of the sea, while riding on a shell-shaped chariot. The chariot is pulled by two sea horses of differing characters, one calm and the other restless. The site of the fountain is now often overflowing with tourists, and many can be seen tossing a coin into the fountain and envisioning their return to Rome.

This famous fountain was made even more famous thanks to the iconic and controversial scene in Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita. In the movie, Anita Ekberg played the role of Sylvia, a Swedish-American movie star Marcello desired. And in the unforgettable scene, Sylvia waded into the fountain and was followed by Marcello. In many reviews, Sylvia was later dubbed as Aphrodite incarnate. The scene fast became a cinematic revolution, and played a role in the fame of the Trevi Fountain.

Celebrate Rome at the Pantheon

Finally, don’t forget to drop by the Pantheon to complete your Roman holiday. The Pantheon is one of the most historically important monuments in Rome. It is considered as the temple of all the gods. It was constructed between 118 and 125 AD and is well-known for its large dome. Wonderfully preserved, the Pantheon provides a glimpse of the unforgettable past. It is now teeming with cafes and a piazza where Roman tourists and residents can mingle and relax.

The Pantheon was recently featured in the Hollywood film Angels and Demons, based on the famous novel by controversial author Dan Brown. In the film, Robert Langdon’s frantic search for the Illuminati led him to the Pantheon, which lies to the north of the Piazza della Rotunda. The Pantheon was already a famous monument prior to the making of the movie, but the recent film once again immortalized the historical story surrounding the ancient temple and celebrated the grandeur of Rome.

To experience the breathtaking history of Rome, book a room at the Hotel Barocco in Rome to make your Roman holiday an even more unforgettable one.

La Dolce Vita di Fellini

Anita Ekberg si è sentita male nella sua abitazione romana ed è stata portata immediatamente in ospedale dove sono stati fatti i primi accertamenti. Quando gli amici sono entrati in casa, hanno trovato l’attrice svenuta sul pavimento.

L’attrice svedese è stata prontamente portata nell’ospedale di San Giovanni. Pare che le condizioni dell’attrice 78enne siano buone, niente di eccessivamente preoccupante.

I medici hanno riscontrato solamente un ematoma, dovuto probabilmente alla caduta, per il resto non c’è nulla che desta la preoccupazione dei sanitari che l’hanno tenuta sotto osservazione.

Anita Ekberg è stata resa celebre dal film la Dolce Vita di Fellini. La scena del bagno nella Fontana di Trevi è rimasta incastonata nella storia del cinema italiano.

La scena è stata girata in marzo: mentre la svedese Anita Ekberg resistette senza problemi nell’acqua gelida per tutto il tempo delle riprese, per Mastroianni fu necessario indossare una muta sotto l’abito di scena per non soffrire il freddo.

La dolce vita è un film del 1960 diretto da Federico Fellini, vincitore della Palma d’Oro al 13° Festival di Cannes. È sicuramente uno dei film più famosi della storia del cinema. Viene solitamente indicato come il punto di passaggio dai primi film neorealisti di Fellini ai successivi film d’arte.

da blitz quotidiano

Anita Ekberg

Segundo a Folha Online, a atriz sueca Anita Ekberg, de 77 anos, foi internada em Roma:

(…) famosa pelo banho na Fontana de Trevi no filme de Federico Fellini “La Dolce Vita” (1960), foi internada em Roma após se sentir indisposta, afirmou neste sábado a imprensa local.

Ela se sentiu indisposta em sua casa perto de Roma e, apesar de seu estado não ser preocupante, está em observação.

Leia mais clicando aqui.

La Dolce Vita | Federico Fellini, 1960

Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita is to my knowledge the most important film Rome – even Italy – has ever produced. Undoubtedly a work of artistic depth and influence it also found relative success commercially, questioning the usual expectations that those in the industry held for so-called “art” films. The movie signalled a rebirth for Fellini as a director, just as the Italian film industry was itself experiencing new worlds of popularity. Fellini’s growth as an artist had taken place in the very heart of the Neorealist movement, so as such every film he’d been involved with so far boasted Neorealist roots. Even with his earlier title Le Notti di Cabiria (Nights of Cabiria) there are certain and obvious Neorealistic traits on show. La Dolce Vita is more concerned with imagery, dreams and surrealism as opposed to grounded realism or any forced political angling. Thus, many believe that the film symbolises Fellini’s split from Neorealism and entrance into a new and exciting world of filmmaking. La Dolce Vita was also a crowning moment for 36-year-old Marcello Mastroianni, who plays the film’s protagonist. His character Marcello Rubini is a talented journalist living in the fast lane, one who is obsessed with the decadence of sixties Rome and so spends his time hanging out with the local Paparazzi as opposed to shaping a career for himself. To the beat of Nino Rota’s exquisite drum we follow Marcello around a Rome of crumbling values and cultural confusion, as he searches for life’s meanings in the faces and bodies of the women he meets. He finds solace in a good friend named Steiner who shows Marcello that one must be detached from life and its ills in order to succeed. However Steiner is soon found dead in his apartment after committing suicide and murdering his children, a quite bold and conclusive statement that illustrates the emptiness of this life and its loss of values.

Federico Fellini has always seen life as a sideshow of sorts, and with La Dolce Vita he allows this to influence our own perspectives. Marcello’s ’sweet life’ is all façade and masquerade. It is a parade, a spectacle, a life revolving around public relations, sordid love affairs, drunken games and meaningless intellectual discussion. Rome is of course used to great effect here as the centrepiece for this life of disparity; a metaphor for Western culture and its ideologies to be viewed from both sides of the fence. Visually La Dolce Vita is a language all on its own, for there is such intricate and constant symbolism at work beneath every single bit of wonderful imagery. It is difficult to take everything in all at once. The film opens with one of the most talked about shots in all of cinema; a statue of Christ, suspended from a helicopter and flying over the city. Such an image should bring forth deep religious meaning but instead just helps aid the feeling of cultural confusion and the deterioration of Christianity in this new age. To me the most important aspect of La Dolce Vita is its women; the women that Marcello courts and his failure to connect to each of them. The iconic blonde figure of Anita Ekberg as Sylvia represents vanity and vitality, a character to which Marcello is drawn instantly. He convinces himself to follow her lead and slink into the Trevi Fountain in that particularly famous scene, but at once the water ceases to cascade which ruins the moment and signifies his own spiritual impotence. Emma and Maddalena stand for love and sex respectively, but of course Marcello confesses his desire to the wrong one after becoming suffocated by the other. Finally there is Paola who represents the innocence of youth, and whom Marcello cannot hear across the water towards the end of the film, blinded by the life he has chosen. La Dolce Vita is an engaging and deeply symbolic study of the high life through one man’s eyes. A film that only an auteur like Fellini could have crafted, it remains just as important today as it was back then.

Our Rating:

This is a continuing series of lists dedicated to the endangered art of movie posters. Each volume of Magnificent Movie Posters will contain five evocative, hand-picked examples intended to show just what movie posters are supposed to look like. Other volumes can be found here, and please click on each image for a larger version!

High Sierra | Raoul Walsh, 1941
Italian One-sheet by Luigi Martinati

More a personal favourite than anything else, this Italian poster for Raoul Walsh’s 1941 crime thriller High Sierra wasn’t seen until 1949 but does extremely well to encapsulate both the narrative nature of the film and its chillingly suspenseful climax.  High Sierra concerns an escaped convict named Roy Earle (played by Humphrey Bogart) and his flight from police after a robbery goes awry. Roy flees to the Sierra Nevada mountain range at which point a bloody siege ensues between him and the cops. The Italian title translation – A Bullet for Roy - is rather cringe-worthy, but the poster itself is stunning. The art was created by prolific Italian artist Luigi Martinati who has created posters for quite a few Bogart movies including Casablanca and The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. The piece was actually based on earlier American posters for the film, with the slight difference that Martinati chose to wrap his central illustration within the bound covers of a book for added effect.

Apocalypse Now | Francis Ford Coppola, 1979
Japanese Two-sheet by Haruo Takino

I remember being blown away by the original promotional image (used for posters, video cassette covers etc.) for Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now as a kid; the setting sun with helicopters passing through the orange glow. was something that I’m sure appealed to most young boys. This Japanese Two-sheet take on the poster also focuses on the film’s iconic helicopters but turns the ante up slightly to create something entirely more action-oriented. Ironically enough this is an extremely Americanized portrayal of what is very much an American film, but the artwork is actually done by a Japanese artist named Haruo Takino. If the original one-sheet could be described as somewhat romantic with it’s shimmering sunset, this version would most definitely be labeled ‘dramatic’. It’s also an extremely rare item, and one that has become sought-after by collectors who have been known to pay thousands of dollars for a copy.

La Dolce Vita | Federico Fellini, 1960
Italian One-sheet by Giorgio Olivetti

Another Italian poster, though this time for an Italian film. Federico Fellini’s iconic 1960 title La Dolce Vita is arguably his most commercial and ultimately famous effort, employing Fellini favourite Marcello Mastroianni as a budding journalist who falls for blonde bombshell Anita Ekberg. A suitably sultry poster was required, and for this Fellini and co. went to Italian artist Giorgio Olivetti. A traditional painter, Olivetti had already made some forays into film poster production and can be seen to implement his own raher conventional style quite beautifully here. The blacks and blues used to depict Mastroianni’s character do well to show how deeply engrossed the man is with the voluptuous object of his affection, and Olivetti brightens up the poster with Ekberg’s red dress and flowing blonde locks so as to add some contrast. The only flaw would be the title font, which doesn’t seem to fit with the poster’s overall style.

Metropolis | Fritz Lang, 1927
French Four-sheet by Boris Bilinsky

This poster for Fritz Lang’s 1927 film Metropolis is the oldest I’ve mentioned so far, but as you can see still holds some potency. Being such an iconic film it’s rather easy to find posters for Metropolis these days, especially the original German One-sheets which have become quite popular. This French version however is one of the more overlooked efforts, but perhaps because very few of them were made. It was created by acclaimed Russian artist Boris Bilinsky who made his living designing posters for the theater in Berlin before moving to France to pursue cinema. Bilinsky created quite a few posters for Metropolis but this landscape effort – in Four-sheet size, that’s 96 by 120 inches -  is definitely a favourite of mine. It continues the idea posed by Lang’s film of the sprawling advancement of a society yet also does wonders with shape and space – a poster that is quite unbelievable for its time.

Stalker | Andrei Tarkovsky, 1979
French One-sheet by Jean-Michel Folon

Another recent discovery of mine, this French One-sheet poster for Andrei Tarkovsky’s Stalker is perhaps the most abstract to be mentioned so far but remains a thing of beauty. It is the work of Belgian artist, illustrator, painter and sculptor Jean-Michel Folon. Folon was an extremely talented painter who is perhaps most well-known for his watercolour work – as seen here – though is also skilled in etching, mosaics etc. This particular piece was created in 1981 for the theatrical run in France, a few years after film’s initial release, and although Folon’s primary focus wasn’t on poster work he still managed to become known internationally for it. The Belgian artist is fond of softer colours, especially with his watercolour paintings, and this can be seen here in his attempt to replicate a particularly memorable scene from Tarkovsky’s film. His other notable poster was created for The Purple Rose of Cairo in 1985.

Thanks for reading, and expect another volume of Magnificent Movie Posters very soon! Meanwhile, please feel free to name your own examples from the magnificent world of movie posters!

More Magnificent Movie Posters can be found here >>>

In one of the most widely seen and acclaimed European movies of the 1960s, Federico Fellini featured Marcello Mastrioanni as gossip columnist Marcello Rubini. Having left his dreary provincial existence behind, Marcello wanders through an ultra-modern, ultra-sophisticated, ultra-decadent Rome. He yearns to write seriously, but his inconsequential newspaper pieces bring in more money, and he’s too lazy to argue with this setup. He attaches himself to a bored socialite (Anouk Aimée), whose search for thrills brings them in contact with a bisexual prostitute. The next day, Marcello juggles a personal tragedy (the attempted suicide of his mistress (Yvonne Furneaux) with the demands of his profession (an interview with none-too-deep film star Anita Ekberg). Throughout his adventures, Marcello’s dreams, fantasies, and nightmares are mirrored by the hedonism around him. With a shrug, he concludes that, while his lifestyle is shallow and ultimately pointless, there’s nothing he can do to change it and so he might as well enjoy it. Fellini’s hallucinatory, circus-like depictions of modern life first earned the adjective “Felliniesque” in this celebrated movie, which also traded on the idea of Rome as a hotbed of sex and decadence. A huge worldwide success, La Dolce Vita won several awards, including a New York Film Critics CIrcle award for Best Foreign Film and the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

Lady Lounge Kitten rose from the lounge to go out on the prowl…

Why else, but to get a sneak preview of the Wimbledon Fashion Week collection

Lady Lounge Kitten is made of the most elegant and soft feeling revealing see-through mesh ever made, the sleeves feature fabulous ostrich feathers, all finished with a velvet tie and sensuous gathering to accentuate and create the thin waist that Russ Myers so openly loved and adored.

Russ Myers the hollywood director that was acclaimed for many films including easy rider, was infactuated with curves. He loved Anita Ekberg the most. He went on record numerous times to say that Anita Ekberg was the most beautiful woman he ever photographed and that her 39DD breasts were the biggest in A-list Hollywood history

The Russ Meyer female physical archetype was fairly complex to decipher. Firstly, it’s not to be confused with today’s surgically enhanced Hollywood playboy starlets or even slim, naturally endowed actresses. Russ Meyer was almost as much about a shapely 1950s hip-to-waist ratio or “wasp waist” as he was about very large breasts.

The six-pack abdominal muscles and built-up squarish appearance of modern Hollywood figures do not mesh with his pin-up aesthetic. Secondly, he also required that even his most busty actress have the ability to look good braless; “gravity-defying” and “cantilevered” became two of his favorite expressions

That is indeed a lot to ask from lady lounge kittens..

Good thing we live in the 21st century and the real world were all that is needed is a big bubble bath, a bottle of Laurent Perrier Rose Champagne, a bowl of strawberry’s and two chilled champagne flutes to accessorise this ensemble. Enjoy

Long Live the London Look of the Lounge Kitten.

See you at Wimbledon Fashion Week 25-26th June 2009

Title: La Dolce vita
Year: 1960
Director: Federico Fellini
Writers: Federico Fellini, Ennio Flaiano & Tullio Pinelli, with Brunello Rondi
Starring: Marcello Mastroianni, Anita Ekberg, Anouk Aimée, Yvonne Furneaux
Music: Nino Rota
Distinctions: Oscar for best costume design (black-and-white); currently #239 on IMDb’s Top 250
Synopsis: jackass + 3 hours = movie!
How I saw it: on video (rented from Netflix), May 2008
Subjective Rating: 3/10
Objective Rating: 4/10 (gets points for cinematography, special effects/design, acting and music)

The sort of movie that gets heavily analyzed because the audience has Nothing Else To Do for 3 hours. No story. No dramatic tension of any kind. The characters are well developed, but I don’t have any reason to give a crap about any of them; they’re not remotely sympathetic, and they’re not doing anything. Given my (modern-day, American) taste, I think I’ve been remarkably tollerant of Fellini so far, but this one takes the self-indulgence way too far.

Tal día como hoy de hace cincuenta años, comenzó el rodaje de “La dolce vita” de Fellini, cúspide de la época de oro que vivió Italia.

Texto: Íñigo Domínguez. El Correo Digital. 16/03/2009.

El 16 de marzo de 1959, a las 11.35 de la mañana, la claqueta cortaba el aire para rodar la primera escena de “La dolce vita”, de Federico Fellini. Marcello Mastroianni seguía a Anita Ekberg en la cúpula de San Pedro, en Cinecittà, claro. “Anitona” bañándose en la Fontana de Trevi, una de las secuencias más célebres del cine, fue rodada un mes más tarde, con nueve grados. Cuando se estrenó, once meses después, dio un vuelco a Italia. Fellini contó que una viejecita se apeó de su Mercedes en Piazza di Spagna, dando manotazos al chófer y se colgó de su corbata para gritarle: «¡Mejor atarse una piedra al cuello y tirarse al mar que dar escándalo!». Italia era un país antiguo, como hoy, que se miraba al espejo. A muchos no les gustó nada.

En “La dolce vita” se ve la fealdad de la explosión inmobiliaria, el aburrimiento de una nobleza decadente, la frivolidad de los nuevos ricos, el circo religioso de los milagros, el mundo homosexual oculto… Roma era así, y así se ha quedado, parada en el tiempo, con similares ritos y personajes. “La dolce vita” atrapó algo que estaba en el aire: la época, su tiempo. Pocas películas lo consiguen. El cine italiano mostró una lucidez única en esos años dorados, para no recuperarla más. En “La dolce vita” coincide el talento de Fellini, Flaiano y el tercer guionista, Tullio Pinelli, que acaba de fallecer con cien años. Tipos geniales. También el músico Nino Rota, y Mastroianni, que hizo de su mirar y hablar cansino el gesto del desencanto. Italia se estaba haciendo moderna de golpe.

La película inventó un término muy vigente: los “paparazzi”. Por primera vez se ve la obsesión de la fama y el cotilleo. En 1957 la televisión llegaba a toda Italia y se presentaba el Fiat Cinquecento. Era el inicio del espectáculo de masas y la fiebre del consumo. Flaiano, que murió en 1972, dijo que Italia en 30 años sería como su televisión. Sólo hay que ver su actual primer ministro. “La dolce vita”, como otras joyas del cine italiano, lo captó todo enseguida. Es una película sobre la superficialidad, el cinismo, la frustración, la amoralidad, la inocencia perdida, en medio de la belleza.

Paradójicamente, la “dolce vita” dio nombre a algo que entonces empezó a morir, porque el país entró en un declive que aún dura, pero ha quedado como modelo de la vida abúlica y feliz que se puede encontrar en Italia. Aún se siente la nostalgia de su ‘belle epoque’, cuando Roma era el centro del mundo -en 1960 acogió los Juegos Olímpicos – y una ciudad donde se conocían todos. La ”dolce vita” nació del ‘boom’ económico italiano y, en Roma, del mismo sueño del cine: Hollywood había desembarcado gracias a una ley de 1948 del subsecretario de cine, un tal Giulio Andreotti, otro que ahí sigue. Prohibió a las productoras sacar del país los ingresos de sus películas, de modo que debían invertirlos en rodar en Italia. Al mismo tiempo, en la onda del plan Marshall, EE UU permitía a los actores trabajar libres de impuestos en el extranjero. Para los actores americanos era el paraíso, y escapaban a la presión de los estudios y al puritanismo del público estadounidense. Lauren Bacall se hacía trajes a precios tirados con las hermanas Fontana y Bogart podía darle al frasco sin reparos.

Media ciudad vivía del cine. Se pasaba la mañana rodando peliculones religiosos, como “Quo Vadis” o “Ben Hur”, y la noche, de juerga salvaje. “Vacaciones en Roma”, de Wyler, con Gregory Peck y Audrey Hepburn, lo retrató primero en 1952. Otro periodista con otro ‘paparazzo’. ‘La dolce vita’, película de amaneceres, muestra la resaca. La primera crítica de la Iglesia fue positiva: «Nunca el cine había insertado en el pecado un sentimiento tan profundo de amargura, aburrimiento, desolación». El “Osservatore Roman”  pensó que podía dar ideas o envidia y la masacró. Fue un éxito enorme. En España se estrenó en 1980. Obviamente, no ganó el Oscar, sólo uno de vestuario. Sigue siendo hipnótica y misteriosa. Según explicó Fellini, «sólo quería decir que, no obstante todo, la vida tiene una dulzura profunda, innegable».

YouTube – La Dolce Vita – Trevi Fountain Scene.

Una fuente de cine – Magazine- El mundo.es Nº 646.

Foto sem flash. Tocar as duas únicas músicas no violão que eu aprendi. Dormir, agrada demais. O Cartola cantando “Ensaboa”. A foto do Chico Buarque jogando futebol com Bob Marley.

o Bob, com certeza, seria flamenguista(K)

O Rio de Janeiro, e Nikiti também. Piaf.  Maria Bethânia, te amo demais. A voz rouca da Elza Soares. A Edith Piaf, até tenho uma câmera com o mesmo nome. Índia. Minha Zinhas. Amo cadernos, bloquinhos, canetas, lápis de oncinha, haha. Sou aloka dos bazares da Farm, junto com minha brother, a Raquel. Manoel de Barros. Twix. O apanhador no campo de centeio. Os documentários do Eduardo Coutinho. O mar sereno da Clara Nunes. O nordeste da Elba Ramalho. Pernambuco. Flamengo. Frida Kahlo, grande mulher. O requebrado do Ney Matogrosso. Listras. Coco Chanel. A Anita Ekberg, do La Dolce Vita.

La Dolce Vita, de Federico Fellini.

Tartarugas podem voar. Discrição e sensatez. Chorinho. Brasília.Yoga, futebol, correr e andar de bicicleta. Ouvir mil vezes a mesma música. Ver o mesmo trecho de Mamma Mia! O pôr-do-sol. E, finalmente, as queridezas que convivem comigo, suportam meu drama, me fazem rir, acompanham minha comilança (Subway, brother). Dentre essas pessoas, as meninas de rádio, as de jornal, o coral Na Boca do Povo, minha família, o Parafernália, os velhos amigos, né, Kel? Haha. Os novos amigos.  Enfim, atóron as coisas boas dessa vida marota.

Beijomeliga(K)

En 1960 Federico Fellini filma La Dolce Vita. Anita Ekberg era la actriz que iba a dar cuerpo a ese tipo de mujer emblemático. Marcello Mastroianni había sido el elegido para cubrir el protagónico masculino. Aquí relata en pocas líneas cómo fue la cita que inauguró una de las duplas históricas del mejor cine italiano.

Tuvo lugar en la playa de Fregene, donde Federico tenía una villa, cuando me llamó para hacer La dolce vita. A pocos pasos de nosotros, bajo una sombrilla, es­taba Ennio Flaiano, por entonces su estrecho colabora­dor en la redacción de los guiones.

Naturalmente, yo estaba muy excitado. Y Fellini, con aquel aire de encantador de serpientes, aquella vocecilla que sonaba como una flauta mágica, exclamó de inmediato:

—¡Ooooh, mi querido Marcellino! (Siempre utili­zaba diminutivos, en mi opinión porque le servían tam­bién para mantenerte «calmado».) Querido Marcelli­no, me alegro mucho de verte. Tengo un proyecto para rodar una película; el productor es Dino De Laurentiis. De Laurentiis quisiera a Paul Newman para el papel de protagonista. Ahora bien, Paul Newman es un gran actor, una estrella, desde luego, pero es demasiado impor­tante. A mí me sirve una cara cualquiera.

Yo no me sentí en absoluto vejado.

—Muy bien, arreglado. La cara cualquiera soy yo.

—Pues sí, porque el personaje es una especie de ma­riposón. No tiene que tener la personalidad de Paul Newman.

—Perfecto —repuse. Luego, para darme un mínimo de tono, un poco de dignidad, dije—: Siento una gran curiosidad por echar un vistazo al guión.

Quería dármelas de profesional, naturalmente.

—¡Por supuesto! —Fellini sonrió y llamó a Flaia­no—. Ennio, ¿te importaría traerle el guión a Marcel­lino?

Ennio Flaiano, con aquel aire guasón que tenía, me trajo una carpeta. La abrí. No había nada dentro. Tan sólo una de las caricaturas que Fellini dibujaba conti­nuamente: en ella había representado a un hombre que nadaba en medio del mar, con un sexo larguísimo que llegaba hasta el fondo; y alrededor del sexo, como en las películas de Esther Williams, evolucionaba un ballet de sirenas.

Yo, naturalmente, me sonrojé, no sé, me puse ama­rillo, verde, de todos los colores. Me sentí como si estu­vieran tomándome el pelo. Comprendí que pedir el guión había sido demasiado pretencioso. ¿Qué podía decir?

—Me parece muy interesante, mucho. Acepto, ¿dón­de tengo que firmar?

Éste fue mi primer encuentro con Fellini.

El siguiente dibujo fue el guión que Fellini le mostró a Mastroianni en esa ocasión.

Que las Cabalgatas respeten la dignidad de los Magos...

Durante años, el concejal Filomeno, de Izquierda Unida, había criticado la Cabalgata de los Reyes Magos. Le parecía, en primer lugar, innecesariamente monárquica, en segundo lugar anacrónica, en tercer demasiado cara para el erario público y finalmente poco solidaria con los más necesitados. La Cabalgata discurría por la zona más céntrica de la ciudad, donde justamente se ubicaban las viviendas más caras. Y mientras los ricos podían ver a los Magos desde sus terrazas y balcones, aprovechando incluso el acontecimiento para abrir salones y hacer relaciones públicas con sus amigotes, las clases humildes pugnaban entre el gentío por hacerse un hueco en la calle, abrir su escalera portátil y encaramar a sus críos a tan inestable observatorio. Muchos eran  los llamados a los fastos del acontecimiento, pero pocos los elegidos que acababan viéndolo en condiciones.

-Qué claudicación intolerable-comentó la primera vez que uno de sus correligionarios aceptó el dudoso privilegio de encarnar a Baltasar.

La tradición decía que el partido del alcalde elegía la persona que encarnaría a Melchor, el segundo partido en número de concejales la que haría el papel de Gaspar e Izquierda Unida se encargaba de designar al rey negro. Aunque Filomeno era, como es lógico, agnóstico, africanista, partidario del Frente Polisario, devoto de Martin Luther King y simpatizante de Obama, como pedagogo de profesión no se mostraba partidario de prolongar la ingenuidad de los niños con un ritual que además tenía sus raíces en lo que contaban los Evangelios. Además, él no había superado la frustración que las huellas del engaño y la simulación habían dejado en su personalidad. A los siete años descubrió con sólo fijarse en la pechuga banca que asomaba por el cuello de la túnica del Baltasar de su pueblo que éste en realidad era Vitillo, el alguacil, indecorosamente embetunado. Y años después padeció un trauma aún más grave cuando, creyendo haberse ligado a una sueca tipo Anita Ekberg comprobó al tacto que en realidad se estaba enrollando con un travelo que de día repartía butano y de noche hacía servicios especiales. Así que este año que, por fin, le había caído en suerte el discutible honor de ser él el rey negro, se comportó con coherencia y le ofreció a Ambrosio Bongueme su puesto.

-Ambrosio, ¿no decías que te hacía tanta ilusión ser rey mago?…Pues ea, aquí tienes la oportunidad. Y sin tener que teñirte ni nada…Porque hay que ser coherente, y si Baltasar era negro, lo lógico es que sea encarnado por uno como tú.

En realidad, ese cinco de enero el concejal Filomeno había sido invitado a una montería a la que iba a asistir Marianín, el ministro de Justicia, al que le quería pedir un favor. Y temía no regresar a tiempo para la cabalgata. Además, así podría cumplirse uno de los sueños más largamente acariciados por el pobre Ambrosio.

Ambrosio Bongueme era un médico guineano huído de la tiranía de Teodoro Obiang. Deslumbrado, como todo el tercer mundo, por la prosperidad de Europa, se había ganado la vida en España como jardinero, camarero, paseador de perros, enfermero de de ancianos impedidos y últimamente como secretario in péctore de Filomeno, al que servía como conductor, recadero, pinche de cocina eventual y chapuzante cuando se obstruía el bote sifónico del cuarto de baño o había que montar un mueble de IKEA. Bongueme no aspiraba a ejercer su profesión, no, porque no pedía tanto a la vida. Se limitaba a soñar que algún día demostraría que un negro puede ser mejor que un blanco. Además, estaba muy ilusionado porque le habían dicho que cuando los Reyes Magos visitan los hogares la noche del cinco al seis de enero, solían encontrarse una bandeja con roscón, turrones, y otras golosinas, y el hombre estaba canino. Así que se tomó muy en serio su papel, y durante una semana estuvo ensayando sonrisas, modales mayestáticos y lanzamientos de caramelos. La tarde decisiva, Ambrosio se probó el disfraz, se miró al espejo y se sintió tan identificado con Baltasar que pidió a Dori, la secretaria de Filomeno, que le hiciera una foto de recuerdo para mostrar a sus descendientes la altísima dignidad a la que había llegado. En esas estaba, cuando sonó el móvil de Dori. Fue una conversación breve, en la que ella sólo emitió monosílabos y un tranquilo, jefe, no te preocupes para cerrar la conversación.

-Lo siento, Ambrosio-le dijo al rey Baltasar después de colgar- Pero el ministro se ha descolgado de la montería, y además al final de la cabalgata hay una recepción a la que tiene interés en asistir el jefe, porque van los patrocinadores y Vanessita, su hija, está moviendo el currículum…Ya sabes, otro año será.

La cabalgata de aquel año mostró al rey negro más deslucido que se recuerda. Unas barbas postizas impresentables, un embetunado que no engañaba a nadie, un turbante improvisado con un foulard de Loewe y la cortina del despacho del concejal a modo de costrosa capa. Además, mientras Melchor y Gaspar cabalgaban sobre camellos, Filomeno tuvo que conformarse con un jaco que le prestó un policía municipal. Mientras tanto, por los arrabales de la ciudad, Ambrosio Bongueme, repartía caramelos a manos llenas mientras proclamaba a voz en cuello desde el camello robado que él era el auténtico rey Baltasar, y que no hay que creer en los Reyes Magos cuando quienes los representan no les respetan como se merecen.