This film is terrific, at the same level as Risi's The Easy Life. Each of the 19 episodes works wonderfully. The two principal actors, Gassman and Tognazi are superb. I laughed loudly many times during the film, shown in Paris where I am currently spending three months, as the first film in an Italian Comedy series running at the Reflet Medicis cinema. The final episode, The Noble Sport,was tragic in its denouement, just as the final scene in The Easy Lifeis tragic. In that film, the Gassman character, Bruno, walks away,physically unscathed. In I Mostri, the character played by Gassman in the final episode, does not get off so lucky. It is inexplicable to me that these films are not available on DVD (or video) in the United States. Of course many great films are not available, but do not hesitate to go significantly out of your way to see this film.
Review of The Monsters
