Home Films/DVD Asylum

Movies from comedy to drama to your favorite Hollyweird Star.

One to look for, even if it may be not easy to find: Ettore Scola´s "La Cena" ("The Dinner", maybe "Dining Out"...?)

It´s simply wonderful!

At first sight, it simply depicts an evening at a Roman trattoria, with the camera looking both at people dining there and at those serving them nice Italian food..., while it is a distillate of human behaviour, plenty of flavors and nuances, with a nice touch of surrealism here and there..., and it reaches deep into human condition, with very well drawn characters, a wonderfully weaven plot (which even seems not to be there...), excellent photography, and a filmic rhythm which lets life flow all around.

In more that one aspect, it has an atmosphere reminding "The Dead", with the final epiphany of Huston´s film being diluted all along a whole set of magnificent smaller ones, well punctuated to keep the film growing and growing, always absorbing you, never disappointing you the least: a wonderful choral film, with superb soloists singing their parts always in tune!

Worth seeing one, two, three, and more times, as it will grow up with every viewing: just looking at the old waiter´s professionality is a delight..., while there´s nobody whose role isn´t played to perfection.

The interpreters? Fanny Ardant, splendid as ever; Vittorio Gassman, playing an old teacher in a most measured way; Giancarlo Giannini, who I never admired much, grew quite a few points in my appreciation; Stefania Sandrelli..., and a few more, less known, but equally wonderful.

Nothing spectacular, nothing flashy..., just life flowing.

Highly recommended, worth any pains to find, and to buy it.

Regards

BF


This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:
  Kimber Kable  


Topic - One to look for, even if it may be not easy to find: Ettore Scola´s "La Cena" ("The Dinner", maybe "Dining Out"...?) - orejones 03:13:21 06/20/05 (0)


You can not post to an archived thread.