Does a corpus of aesthetically acceptable decadent cinema, or a cinema of beauty in abundance and sharp human observationmovies of rich human and psychological content that take a decided aestheticisminformed stance, exist? At a first sight, the answer is far from obvious.
There are a number of decadent wannabe directors, yet obviously too uncultured and incompetent to may raise any significant claim. The genre requires subtlety, sharpness, intelligence, taste, finesse, vigor.
The primary thing to be acknowledged is that DIVINA is not a _bibelot or a highly decorated , ornate oddity ,but a true strong insightful drama.
Take a look, if you please, at Wikipedia's article about master Stampthere, DIVINA CREATURA is not even mentioned! Obviously, the authors (whom I most wrongly presumed to take some degree of interest into Stamp's career ) of that article found this film to be negligibleafter all, it's only Stamp's leading role in the most beautiful movie ever! I assumed a Stamp fan ought to be particularly sensitive about each and every Stamp leading roleI presume they're not so many, after all .
DIVINA CREATURA is a cherished, lovable wonder of emotional richness; it's as well a commending film, deeply respectable for its craftsmanship and competence. Style and content, to use this wornout dichotomy, are equally commending and important and of vigorous beauty.
Movies being so expensive an amusement or creation, it seems unlikely that a man of professed decadent and individualistic profile such as Griffi would find a way to work in this unaffordable branch where almost every effort must become a collective one. (Even as an art, cinema is not for the individualists, and Griffi was resolutely one. There are, of course, Welles, Hitchcock, Tarkovsky, Bergman, Antonioni, etc., also the great independents and experimentersyet, Griffis' case is a peculiar and highly instructive one. In the sense that his independent credo demanded the considerable budgets of the financially successful independentswithout having their financial success. Look at DIVINA CREATURAit boasts in a marvelous castthree great actorsStamp, Mme. Antonelli and Mastroianni! And then, he was a resolute decadent, leaving no room for the partial comprehension and misunderstandings that sometimes manage to bring some fame to other independents. He is the impeccable cinematographic equivalent of the most uncompromising literary _decadentismand he managed to get his movies done!) His is the decadent-ism of an insider ,like that of Visconti, and unlike the fake _decadentism of more pedestrian or exploitative directors. Griffi gives the decadent-ism its purest expression, and makes it a joy to speak about such things .
Yet, decadent is a way of speaking; DIVINA amazes by its assured, virile and masterful tone and diction. As art, as craft, it is very sane and strong. Also, its content ,its insight are imposing. If we are to continue using the D word, then Griffi it's decadent the way the greatest, from Balzac and Lampedusa to Visconti, were. DIVINA is not morally corrupt; on the contrary, it's vigorous and insightful and detached. The emotional richness that I have indicated is very appropriately served by this detached attitude of Griffi.
It takes many things to be imposing; like the best directors in their best hours, Griffi gathered them all. His style is sharp, cold and inspired, if these can be conceived together. The result is poetry. Griffi's style enhances the valences of his content. Using an uncompromisingly ironic and detached style, of cold observation, the emotional richness is much enhanced.
Back to the main actorsStamp's role is one of surgical, cold precision; Mastroianni gives truly his best here, in a quite large and substantial part; while Mme. Laura Antonelli proves to be a firstclass actress. DIVINA CREATURA is a hallmark of uncompromising aestheticism ,where content more than equals (and fits ) the style; it is not a vain exercise, it is poetry. Visually rich, it's also rich psychologically, analytically, emotionally. And Griffi uses a nonchalance that serves the movie. The stylistic results are delightfulthe movie is suspenseful, amusing, intelligent, relentlessly interesting. The point is that the man has the heart, while the woman has the body (the same in Le Jour Se Lève or in Gegen Die Wand).
DIVINA is the opposite of what is called, condescendingly, a small movie; on the contrary, it is a large, imposing, aweinspiring one. It is a notable experience. As a side effect, it's also a needed antidote to the prevalence of movies about amorphous people.
DIVINA ,by its discrete subtlety and sure perspicacity, is a reminder that the European cinema was a most distinct world. Be it that we may serve at least by word this legacy.
My beginning as an Europhile and Anglophile were when, at 18, I realized I could resume the best of the world's cinema in only three names (a Swedish, a Spanish and a Japanese one). Later, I indulged in the ingenuity of some snappy Americanophiles, yet without a true inner assent. In the European cinemaand mostly in that of the pastI have all that I need, from Tarkovski to the genre movies of the '50s'80s.
DIVINA is a movie of infinite beauty. Griffi was a director of intelligence, insight and depth.
There are a number of decadent wannabe directors, yet obviously too uncultured and incompetent to may raise any significant claim. The genre requires subtlety, sharpness, intelligence, taste, finesse, vigor.
The primary thing to be acknowledged is that DIVINA is not a _bibelot or a highly decorated , ornate oddity ,but a true strong insightful drama.
Take a look, if you please, at Wikipedia's article about master Stampthere, DIVINA CREATURA is not even mentioned! Obviously, the authors (whom I most wrongly presumed to take some degree of interest into Stamp's career ) of that article found this film to be negligibleafter all, it's only Stamp's leading role in the most beautiful movie ever! I assumed a Stamp fan ought to be particularly sensitive about each and every Stamp leading roleI presume they're not so many, after all .
DIVINA CREATURA is a cherished, lovable wonder of emotional richness; it's as well a commending film, deeply respectable for its craftsmanship and competence. Style and content, to use this wornout dichotomy, are equally commending and important and of vigorous beauty.
Movies being so expensive an amusement or creation, it seems unlikely that a man of professed decadent and individualistic profile such as Griffi would find a way to work in this unaffordable branch where almost every effort must become a collective one. (Even as an art, cinema is not for the individualists, and Griffi was resolutely one. There are, of course, Welles, Hitchcock, Tarkovsky, Bergman, Antonioni, etc., also the great independents and experimentersyet, Griffis' case is a peculiar and highly instructive one. In the sense that his independent credo demanded the considerable budgets of the financially successful independentswithout having their financial success. Look at DIVINA CREATURAit boasts in a marvelous castthree great actorsStamp, Mme. Antonelli and Mastroianni! And then, he was a resolute decadent, leaving no room for the partial comprehension and misunderstandings that sometimes manage to bring some fame to other independents. He is the impeccable cinematographic equivalent of the most uncompromising literary _decadentismand he managed to get his movies done!) His is the decadent-ism of an insider ,like that of Visconti, and unlike the fake _decadentism of more pedestrian or exploitative directors. Griffi gives the decadent-ism its purest expression, and makes it a joy to speak about such things .
Yet, decadent is a way of speaking; DIVINA amazes by its assured, virile and masterful tone and diction. As art, as craft, it is very sane and strong. Also, its content ,its insight are imposing. If we are to continue using the D word, then Griffi it's decadent the way the greatest, from Balzac and Lampedusa to Visconti, were. DIVINA is not morally corrupt; on the contrary, it's vigorous and insightful and detached. The emotional richness that I have indicated is very appropriately served by this detached attitude of Griffi.
It takes many things to be imposing; like the best directors in their best hours, Griffi gathered them all. His style is sharp, cold and inspired, if these can be conceived together. The result is poetry. Griffi's style enhances the valences of his content. Using an uncompromisingly ironic and detached style, of cold observation, the emotional richness is much enhanced.
Back to the main actorsStamp's role is one of surgical, cold precision; Mastroianni gives truly his best here, in a quite large and substantial part; while Mme. Laura Antonelli proves to be a firstclass actress. DIVINA CREATURA is a hallmark of uncompromising aestheticism ,where content more than equals (and fits ) the style; it is not a vain exercise, it is poetry. Visually rich, it's also rich psychologically, analytically, emotionally. And Griffi uses a nonchalance that serves the movie. The stylistic results are delightfulthe movie is suspenseful, amusing, intelligent, relentlessly interesting. The point is that the man has the heart, while the woman has the body (the same in Le Jour Se Lève or in Gegen Die Wand).
DIVINA is the opposite of what is called, condescendingly, a small movie; on the contrary, it is a large, imposing, aweinspiring one. It is a notable experience. As a side effect, it's also a needed antidote to the prevalence of movies about amorphous people.
DIVINA ,by its discrete subtlety and sure perspicacity, is a reminder that the European cinema was a most distinct world. Be it that we may serve at least by word this legacy.
My beginning as an Europhile and Anglophile were when, at 18, I realized I could resume the best of the world's cinema in only three names (a Swedish, a Spanish and a Japanese one). Later, I indulged in the ingenuity of some snappy Americanophiles, yet without a true inner assent. In the European cinemaand mostly in that of the pastI have all that I need, from Tarkovski to the genre movies of the '50s'80s.
DIVINA is a movie of infinite beauty. Griffi was a director of intelligence, insight and depth.