On a hilly patch of greenery outside Rome, a group of extras is milling about in a meticulously reconstructed eighth century B.C. village wearing leather sandals, coarse red tunics and baseball caps.
It’s scorching. The set is on a vast backlot on the grounds of the Cinecittà World theme park where during a period of roughly six months a temple of Vesta — the virgin Roman goddess of the hearth, home and family — was built by craftsmen based on input from archeologists.
It overlooks some 20 equally period-perfect mud-and-straw huts and stables that make up the village.
The production company is several weeks into the 28-week shoot of Sky original “Romulus,” a 10-episode high-end series filmed in archaic Latin, set in a primitive and brutal world in which man’s fate is decided by the merciless power of nature and the gods, according to promotional materials.
“Romulus” is “about feelings,...
It’s scorching. The set is on a vast backlot on the grounds of the Cinecittà World theme park where during a period of roughly six months a temple of Vesta — the virgin Roman goddess of the hearth, home and family — was built by craftsmen based on input from archeologists.
It overlooks some 20 equally period-perfect mud-and-straw huts and stables that make up the village.
The production company is several weeks into the 28-week shoot of Sky original “Romulus,” a 10-episode high-end series filmed in archaic Latin, set in a primitive and brutal world in which man’s fate is decided by the merciless power of nature and the gods, according to promotional materials.
“Romulus” is “about feelings,...
- 8/23/2019
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
People who take themselves seriously are the funniest -- pompous, serious types like Inspector Clouseau for instance.
Nanni Moretti's "Aprile" is in that wonderfully daft and droll tradition. The Italian actor-director stars as a self-important documentary filmmaker and expectant father in a deliciously subtle deadpan divertissement that could win some art-house interest in the United States.
In this comedic souffle, Moretti plays Nanni, a 44-year-old whose wife is pregnant and who is immersed not only in the grand stuff of anticipating a baby but in covering a national political campaign. Nanni takes both tasks very seriously, as he does everything. In his films, he yearns to express big, important ideas, although his tastes run toward kitschy musicals.
Politically, he's fuzzy left, moaning about the political impotence of communism and socialism in Italy vs. right-wing elements, such as Silvio Berlusconi. He tries to make grand political statements in his documentary, but his ideas are unshaped and he lacks focus. When his creative and political juices flow strongest, he gets distracted by minutiae.
Characteristically, Nanni tends to get off-track with everything, dithering away about inconsequentials and delivering lofty political and artistic pronouncements that are, at core, balmy.
Those who savored "Wag the Dog" will appreciate Moretti's subtle, dead-on humor, from his smart and screwy screenplay to his understated performance. As writer-director-actor, Moretti has indeed performed a splendid auteur turn: It's an appealing mix of both political and personal humor. Young parents are especially likely to chortle over Nanni's goofy antics as a proud new father, solemnly intoning pearls of nonsensical wisdom to his sleeping infant.
Admittedly, the story structure is a bit lax in terms of plot development, but it's a film to be enjoyed more for its tonal essence than for its narrative essentials. Appropriately, the technical contributions are to be admired for their restraint and comic drollery, in particular costume designer Valentina Taviani's tongue-in-cheek outfits and editor Angelo Nicolini's spry pacing.
Aprile
Sacher Film Srl 7 Bac Films
In co-production with RAI & Canal Plus
CREDITS:
Producers:Angelo Barbagallo, Nanni Moretti
Screenwriter, director:Nanni Moretti
Director of photography:Giuseppe Lanci
Set decorator:Marta Maffucci
Sound recorder:Alessandro Zanon
Costume designer:Valentina Taviani
Editor:Angelo Nicolini
CAST:
Nanni:Nanni Moretti
Silvia:Silvia Nono
Silvio:Silvio Orlando
Pietro:Pietro Moretti
Andrea:Andrea Molaioli
Agata:Agata Apicella Moretti
Running time -- 78 minutes...
Nanni Moretti's "Aprile" is in that wonderfully daft and droll tradition. The Italian actor-director stars as a self-important documentary filmmaker and expectant father in a deliciously subtle deadpan divertissement that could win some art-house interest in the United States.
In this comedic souffle, Moretti plays Nanni, a 44-year-old whose wife is pregnant and who is immersed not only in the grand stuff of anticipating a baby but in covering a national political campaign. Nanni takes both tasks very seriously, as he does everything. In his films, he yearns to express big, important ideas, although his tastes run toward kitschy musicals.
Politically, he's fuzzy left, moaning about the political impotence of communism and socialism in Italy vs. right-wing elements, such as Silvio Berlusconi. He tries to make grand political statements in his documentary, but his ideas are unshaped and he lacks focus. When his creative and political juices flow strongest, he gets distracted by minutiae.
Characteristically, Nanni tends to get off-track with everything, dithering away about inconsequentials and delivering lofty political and artistic pronouncements that are, at core, balmy.
Those who savored "Wag the Dog" will appreciate Moretti's subtle, dead-on humor, from his smart and screwy screenplay to his understated performance. As writer-director-actor, Moretti has indeed performed a splendid auteur turn: It's an appealing mix of both political and personal humor. Young parents are especially likely to chortle over Nanni's goofy antics as a proud new father, solemnly intoning pearls of nonsensical wisdom to his sleeping infant.
Admittedly, the story structure is a bit lax in terms of plot development, but it's a film to be enjoyed more for its tonal essence than for its narrative essentials. Appropriately, the technical contributions are to be admired for their restraint and comic drollery, in particular costume designer Valentina Taviani's tongue-in-cheek outfits and editor Angelo Nicolini's spry pacing.
Aprile
Sacher Film Srl 7 Bac Films
In co-production with RAI & Canal Plus
CREDITS:
Producers:Angelo Barbagallo, Nanni Moretti
Screenwriter, director:Nanni Moretti
Director of photography:Giuseppe Lanci
Set decorator:Marta Maffucci
Sound recorder:Alessandro Zanon
Costume designer:Valentina Taviani
Editor:Angelo Nicolini
CAST:
Nanni:Nanni Moretti
Silvia:Silvia Nono
Silvio:Silvio Orlando
Pietro:Pietro Moretti
Andrea:Andrea Molaioli
Agata:Agata Apicella Moretti
Running time -- 78 minutes...
- 5/19/1998
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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