Sanguepazzo (Wild Blood)

I admit it, I like to watch Monica Bellucci in the big screen, so anything with her is a must be seen movie for me… even when most viewers and critics’ claim that she cannot act, but I definitively do not agree with them as I will never forget her remarkable role in Gaspar Noé’s Irréversible (Irreversible).

Then I find that in this movie her role is really lame as writers really did a truly bad job with the character that no matter what Bellucci histrionic abilities, the end result was going to be unsatisfactory. This is a truly shame as the film tells an interesting story about Italian cinema in the fascist era where directors and actors had to “survive” Mussolini era and most of all, the after Mussolini “collaborators” witch-hunt.
So basically, the film tells the story of two renowned actors of Fascist cinema, Luisa Ferida (Bellucci) and Osvaldo Valenti (Luca Zingaretti), who were supporters of the Salò Republic.

After watching the movie I read about the real life of Luisa Ferida and found an amazing story that in my opinion was not exploited at all in this film; but most interesting was to find her filmography with many unknown-to-me films from 1935 to 1944 –most belonging to the “Cinema dei Telefoni Bianchi” or “Cinema Decò”- that eventually I hope to be able to watch many. Sometimes a film allows you to “discover” an unknown-to-you cinema history and definitively this film gave me the opportunity to learn more about Italian Cinema and this is the best that could happen to anyone that is cinema learning avid.

The film is too soapy, melodramatic and sensationalist (the lesbian moment is ridiculous) for my taste, but I did watch it until the end because the era recreation and the cinematography are very good, so if you wish to give a try to this film and you enjoy tech specs you will not be disappointed by this film that was premièred out of competition at the 2008 Cannes fest.

The film is suited for those that enjoy melodrama in their narratives in well-recreated period stories with great cinematography. I do recommend this film for the history involved in the story, but if you do not wish to give the movie a try, I strongly suggest you read about this obscure –to many- Italian Cinema period and perhaps you will “discover” some interesting films and directors to watch.

Enjoy.