Itália bukása

From the time more than 20 years ago when I first watched Zafranović's trilogy, I remembered that the middle part of the trilogy, unlike the other two parts, caused me considerable perplexity and clearly appeared to be the weakest. Returning to Zafranović's work convinced me that I was not mistaken. Zafranović took on more than he was capable of handling with this film. The script is not as tight and impressive as in the case of Occupation in 26 Pictures, and the intention to depict the fate of a charismatic and devoted revolutionary whose destruction is ultimately caused by the ideology he fought for, as well as by close comrades-in-arms, is far more convincingly portrayed in The Bells of Evening. However, what hurts Zafranović the most is what reliably sinks films by Juraj Jakubisko from the last two decades. It is a certain kind of posing and self-absorption. Strange characters and scenes like the arrival of police pirates who seem to have stepped out of some crazy Hollywood fantasy film onto an Adriatic island, or the Fellini-esque portrayal of the commander of the Italian garrison. None of these are convincing, as they are artificial and disruptive elements that only confuse the viewer and dilute the dramatic impact of the film. In any case, it is a great role for the legend of Polish cinematography, Daniel Olbrychski. The Fall of Italy partly functions based on individual impressive scenes, which often utilize the romantic scenery of the Dalmatian Islands or shock with typically Balkan-inspired brutal violence, but definitely not as a comprehensive statement about its country and time, nor as a gripping human story. Overall impression: 45%, give or take. (2014.03.15)