In this episode Fellini specialist Frank Burke discusses 'Amarcord' with Russ and ken, with briefer considerations of Visconti's 'The Damned' and Pasolini's 'Salo: 120 Days of Sodom' and the wider trend for revisionist films on fascism in the late 1960s and early '70s. After discussing the torrid political atmosphere of the period and the influential ideas of Gramsci and Reich we move on to the structure of 'Amarcord', the interesting resonances of the title, Fellini's use of characters speaking directly to camera and the film's circular structure and especially humour (the latter perhaps due to the involvement of screenwriter Tonino Guerra). The significance of obviously fake sea, fanciful flashbacks and ridiculous teachers and fascist get consideration before a more detailed consideration of Fellini's objectification of women. We end with a shorter discussion the two other films, highlighting especially Visconti's use, not accidental, in Frank's view, of very fake-looking blood in the massacre scene in 'The Damned' and what the absence of today's safeguarding might have meant for the many naked young people on Salò. In short, a great discussion with two experts in the field.
Participants:
Frank Burke is an independent film scholar and Professor Emeritus, Department of Film and Media, Queen’s University, Ontario, Canada. https://www.queensu.ca/
filmandmedia/people-search/frank-burke
Russ Kilbourn is professor of English and Film Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario (Canada) http://rjakilbourn.com/
Ken Barrett, visual artist, writer, podcaster and former neuropsychiatrist: http://www.kenbarrettstudio.co.uk
The films:
Amarcord:https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071129/?ref_=fn_t_1
The Damned: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064118/?ref_=fn_t_2
Salò: 120 days of sodom. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073650/?ref_=fn_t_1
More on Federico Fellini: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federico_Fellini
Other subjects discussed:
Wilhelm Reich's 'The mass psychology of fascism;: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mass_Psychology_of_Fascism
Olivia Laing's novel 'The Silver Book': https://www.olivialaing.com/the-silver-book
Theme music: Tarantella composed by Stephen Brown
Illustration by KB
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