This movie gave me intense nostalgia, mainly because I recall the time I wanted to study archaeology and pursue a career in it. "La Chimera" took me down the dark lanes of that academic pursuit.
The story was set in the 80s and riddled with subtextual elements that evoked real-life truths and facts about what goes on within this seemingly ordinary field when nobody is watching.
Most of us are aware of rare or precious artefacts being smuggled through black markets. In "La Chimera", that very idea became the focus of the plot.
They also highlighted the use of a common folk-origin technique called dowsing, which helps the seemingly skilled dowser find buried treasure; not necessarily of the metallic kind.
The story - told mostly in Italian, with some English - explored a fictional take on how historical artefacts made their way through illegal circles and how a handful of archaeologists dug up all sorts of lies to cater to the underground demand.
Josh O'Connor's performance as Arthur was engaging to a fault. He became the cynosure of every scene in which he featured. As the story progressed, his natural charm and nuanced emotiveness wrapped him in an aura of intrigue with a splash of repressed rage.
Vincenzo Nemolato as Pirro was amazing. He soon became one of the most engaging characters in this movie, which was already packed with them. Between his casual comedy and sharp wit, Pirro served as the brotherly heart of this story in more ways than one.
Carol Duarte as Italia was a breath of fresh air. She was so natural in every scene, lending her character innocence, cunning, and bravery in equal measure. Her budding romance with Arthur was beautiful to watch.
Arthur and his "tombaroli" went about their work with vim and vigour in this script. It was hard not to admire the hard work they put into such thievery. Then again, it was hard to accept it as correct, either.
A bard (or cantastorie, played by Valentino Santagati) gave a rousing rendition of what their work was all about. His verses defined the motives of the core characters in interesting ways. One of them went something like this: "What's the point of judging them. The 'tombaroli' are just a drop in the ocean." In addition to a semi-comedic tale that captured real truths, "La Chimera" was a lesson in cinematic excellence. Its flow was almost poetic, for lack of a different word. The movie also captured old-school vibes without coming across as old; if that makes sense.
The Ariadne's Thread symbolism near the finale was a nice touch, in keeping with some of the themes in this movie. Arthur's labyrinthine circumstances at the time made it feel deeply meaningful.
I personally think Arthur died in that subterranean space and joined his dead lover in classic Greek-poetic fashion. But the ending remains open to interpretation nonetheless.
"La Chimera" felt like a stark reminder of how much history the world has lost up to this point in time, all because of the handiwork of tomb raiders like Arthur and his gang.
The plot also reminded me of why exactly they do what they do, and it was mainly to get out of poverty due to a lack of legal employment opportunities; for some of them anyway.
A distinct thread of ill-gotten ambition coupled with grave robbery and tomb raiding elevated "La Chimera" into a movie that was genuinely a chimaera in its own right. It showcased the way so many things happen at once to create a 'monstrous' scenario that promised to end badly for everyone involved.
--- --- --- Some captivating performances from Isabella Rossellini (as Flora), Lou Roy-Lecollinet (as Melodie), and Luciano Vergaro (as Katir).
The story was set in the 80s and riddled with subtextual elements that evoked real-life truths and facts about what goes on within this seemingly ordinary field when nobody is watching.
Most of us are aware of rare or precious artefacts being smuggled through black markets. In "La Chimera", that very idea became the focus of the plot.
They also highlighted the use of a common folk-origin technique called dowsing, which helps the seemingly skilled dowser find buried treasure; not necessarily of the metallic kind.
The story - told mostly in Italian, with some English - explored a fictional take on how historical artefacts made their way through illegal circles and how a handful of archaeologists dug up all sorts of lies to cater to the underground demand.
Josh O'Connor's performance as Arthur was engaging to a fault. He became the cynosure of every scene in which he featured. As the story progressed, his natural charm and nuanced emotiveness wrapped him in an aura of intrigue with a splash of repressed rage.
Vincenzo Nemolato as Pirro was amazing. He soon became one of the most engaging characters in this movie, which was already packed with them. Between his casual comedy and sharp wit, Pirro served as the brotherly heart of this story in more ways than one.
Carol Duarte as Italia was a breath of fresh air. She was so natural in every scene, lending her character innocence, cunning, and bravery in equal measure. Her budding romance with Arthur was beautiful to watch.
Arthur and his "tombaroli" went about their work with vim and vigour in this script. It was hard not to admire the hard work they put into such thievery. Then again, it was hard to accept it as correct, either.
A bard (or cantastorie, played by Valentino Santagati) gave a rousing rendition of what their work was all about. His verses defined the motives of the core characters in interesting ways. One of them went something like this: "What's the point of judging them. The 'tombaroli' are just a drop in the ocean." In addition to a semi-comedic tale that captured real truths, "La Chimera" was a lesson in cinematic excellence. Its flow was almost poetic, for lack of a different word. The movie also captured old-school vibes without coming across as old; if that makes sense.
The Ariadne's Thread symbolism near the finale was a nice touch, in keeping with some of the themes in this movie. Arthur's labyrinthine circumstances at the time made it feel deeply meaningful.
I personally think Arthur died in that subterranean space and joined his dead lover in classic Greek-poetic fashion. But the ending remains open to interpretation nonetheless.
"La Chimera" felt like a stark reminder of how much history the world has lost up to this point in time, all because of the handiwork of tomb raiders like Arthur and his gang.
The plot also reminded me of why exactly they do what they do, and it was mainly to get out of poverty due to a lack of legal employment opportunities; for some of them anyway.
A distinct thread of ill-gotten ambition coupled with grave robbery and tomb raiding elevated "La Chimera" into a movie that was genuinely a chimaera in its own right. It showcased the way so many things happen at once to create a 'monstrous' scenario that promised to end badly for everyone involved.
--- --- --- Some captivating performances from Isabella Rossellini (as Flora), Lou Roy-Lecollinet (as Melodie), and Luciano Vergaro (as Katir).