Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by tinear (A) on January 11, 2007 at 17:57:43

by Anna Magnani as the prostitute mother of a young delinquent and her struggle to steer him away from crime.
Pasolini doesn't use many of the excesses of other great directors, nor does he use familiar actors (Magnani is the exception that proves the point) because he primarily is concerned with storytelling, not bravura.
This film is reminiscent of De Sica's "Bicycle Thief" and "Los Olvidados" by Bunuel but, with Magnani, we also have a woman at the peak of her acting skill portraying motherhood with a loving ferocity quite unmatched.
If he had not made another film, Pasolini would deserve a high ranking from this film alone.
The son, whom I imagine was not a professional actor, is memorable.
When one sees the characters in this film, all film language seems absent and we see human beings, not actors using mannerisms.
Though this major film speaks to politics, religion, and family structure, it also, like a true work of art, can be enjoyed for its simple narrative.