Chris Sanders

Extra Credit Opportunity

FORL 3160

Minutes for March 24, 2004

Class started out with a discussion about our assignment questions for La Vita e Bella (Life Is Beautiful, Roberto Benigni, 1997).

Question number one is about how Benigni derived some of his humor by alluding to historical figures, situations and events. Among the possible answers in class was when Benigni and his compatriot rode through the village. One, the Italians didn’t know what he looked like; second, he was giving the fascist’s salute. The incongruity and surprise are what produce the humor.  Another example of Benigni’s humor relates to the Aryan superiority test, he mocks the fascists’ parameters for a master race by discussing the superiority of his belly button.  .

Question number two dealt with Benigni’s whimsy, slapstick, ironic humor. We were to analyze why we laughed at these situations. Benigni exploits situations that were so absolutely far fetched that you just had to laugh. Many of his funny points relate to his unusual courtship of a local Italian woman. Benigni starts out at the beginning of the movie with this woman falling into his arms. He exploits this heavenly design by talking to providence for a dry hat, a set of keys to her heart and receiving these items, literally from the sky. Another of these situations was when his brakes went out, totally crazy, any sane person would have shut the vehicle off, not him.

Question number three was difficult to answer and the class was not very vocal in their discussion of this topic. The question concerned his use of humor and concentration camps, to me the humor stopped after the German/Italian translation. Some of the class thought it was a good part dark humor to be found in this situation.  

Question number four relates to research conducted individually. My search was by a critic named Grouch and he saw Benigni as an Italian Chaplin. Other students had varied views; one condemned his choice of humor. Another, proclaimed his genius in combining several different factors, humor, horror, love, and children into a dark comedy.

Question number five was just a criticism of the film.

After the class discussion we watched a movie by the Tavianni brothers. It was a five minute clip that used professional actors in conjunction with non professionals. According to Dr. Reimer, this film brought neo-realist full circle from where they began with Rossellini. The directors use flashbacks to bring us into the film.

And the Ship Sails On, 1980, directed by Fellini. The historical theme is WWI but instead of telling us about the war he gives us a history of films. The filming is originally grainy, black and white picture with no sound of any kind. Gradually, the movie opens up to music, color, and then some narration. Fellini is trying to tell us about a funeral and a trip on a ship using this style. I found it most confusing. When Fellini adds color and sound I believe he takes something majestic away from the historical context.