The life and activities of a young count (Helmut Berger) of a crumbling industrialist family just before and just after the Nazi Party came to power.
Visconti was not really a realist at heart, but as his works progressed, he revealed a latent theatricality, let's say. A preference for high-emotion performance, dare I say camp. Problem with this is, to play a scene at the highest level of emotion, the actors are so much more vulnerable, and if they aren't 100% in their characters, it looks fake.
So while The Damned is an absolutely fascinating concept and screenplay, its execution suffers from the same artifacts of Visconti's other late works: crazy over-use of the zoom lens and over-the-top performances. But this actually works in the film, which is self-referential and about performance: note the strategic placement of theatrical makeup, lighting, stages, costumes and make-up rooms at various places throughout the film - and Helmut Berger's marvelous Marlene Dietrich impersonation at the beginning.
(SPOILERS: the meaning of the film)
At the centre of The Damned is the fact that the rules of morality are set by the government - so you're only damned if your government considers you so. Another irony that gives the film a livelihood is the fact that the Nazis were such crusaders against immorality (homosexuality, gypsy-ism, Judaism and other things they considered immoral) because they were immoral themselves: its the old homophobic homosexual syndrome.
Its undoubtedly one of his most compelling, fascinating films, and no doubt i'll see it again soon. But note well that its also one of his darkest. The characters are REALLY damned - so be prepared to watch evidence of this. Plus, remember to concentrate like a demon during the first half hour to figure out who is who and who's manipulating who. Even though its in English, i'd put the subtitles on to make sure you've got it down pat exactly what's going on.
4/5
Disclaimer: ABSOLUTELY not for the young or impressionable, since it features scenes of pedophilia, incest, cross-dressing, homosexuality and other forms of what the MPAA politely called "aberrent" sexuality. Also contains a depiction of the Knight of Long Knives (or some such massacre), with ample ketchup.
Visconti was not really a realist at heart, but as his works progressed, he revealed a latent theatricality, let's say. A preference for high-emotion performance, dare I say camp. Problem with this is, to play a scene at the highest level of emotion, the actors are so much more vulnerable, and if they aren't 100% in their characters, it looks fake.
So while The Damned is an absolutely fascinating concept and screenplay, its execution suffers from the same artifacts of Visconti's other late works: crazy over-use of the zoom lens and over-the-top performances. But this actually works in the film, which is self-referential and about performance: note the strategic placement of theatrical makeup, lighting, stages, costumes and make-up rooms at various places throughout the film - and Helmut Berger's marvelous Marlene Dietrich impersonation at the beginning.
(SPOILERS: the meaning of the film)
At the centre of The Damned is the fact that the rules of morality are set by the government - so you're only damned if your government considers you so. Another irony that gives the film a livelihood is the fact that the Nazis were such crusaders against immorality (homosexuality, gypsy-ism, Judaism and other things they considered immoral) because they were immoral themselves: its the old homophobic homosexual syndrome.
Its undoubtedly one of his most compelling, fascinating films, and no doubt i'll see it again soon. But note well that its also one of his darkest. The characters are REALLY damned - so be prepared to watch evidence of this. Plus, remember to concentrate like a demon during the first half hour to figure out who is who and who's manipulating who. Even though its in English, i'd put the subtitles on to make sure you've got it down pat exactly what's going on.
4/5
Disclaimer: ABSOLUTELY not for the young or impressionable, since it features scenes of pedophilia, incest, cross-dressing, homosexuality and other forms of what the MPAA politely called "aberrent" sexuality. Also contains a depiction of the Knight of Long Knives (or some such massacre), with ample ketchup.