2023-12-17 07:00:00
Time.news – “I must admit that ‘Christmas Vacation’ slipped out of my handsor, an incredible thing is happening with unprecedented success and participation for this 40-year-old film. Yesterday I was even interviewed by the ‘New York Times’: in America they can’t believe that a format can last and have such resounding success after so many years.”
On the phone with Time.news Enrico Vanzina, screenwriter of the 1983 film directed by his brother Carlo (who passed away in 2018), he confesses that he feels overwhelmed by the love and passionate consensus of audiences of all ages for this film. To Curtain, where we are celebrating a three-day 40th anniversary celebration that ends todaythe Roman screenwriter and director is the protagonist of a red carpet eveningcinematic and meta-cinematic with a dinner in the Salon Dolomieu of the Hotel Posta.
“I am literally overwhelmed by this success – he says – and perhaps I can explain it to myself by thinking that in a complicated moment like this in which, beyond wars and inflation which leads to an impoverishment of the middle classes, in which families are often in serious economic difficulties, this film represents a sort of positive inspiration. People are rediscovering the taste for lightness that existed back then and that everyone would like to find again.”
‘Christmas Vacation’ was released in 1983 and it told the story of the society of the 80s. “At the time it seemed like it was just a film about the present – he explains – but instead it has lasted for 40 years and tells of a moment that many regret. The most surprising thing – he continues – is the success it continues to have among young people: they chose this film and they prejudices towards the ’80s have been erased; there is a great passion for film among today’s kids.”
The film, Enrico Vanzina explains further, “it’s a comedy, but it talks about the new bourgeoisie that arrives and there is a small social clash with the rich”. In a moment of difficulty like the current one, perhaps looking back in time can be reassuring. “I don’t know if that’s what it’s about – replies the screenwriter and director – it’s certainly that a few months before ‘Christmas Vacation’ another film of ours had been released, ‘Taste of sea’also very successful and still loved after 40 years: it told the story of the boom of the ’60s, a time that we regret today.”
Released on 23 December 1983, ‘Christmas Holidays’ is considered the progenitor of the so-called ‘cinepanettoni’. A term used by critics that the Vanzina brothers have never loved even though this type of film has often been associated with them despite the authors over the years being different (Enrico Oldoini and Neri Parenti). “In reality we only made two, the one in 1983 and ‘Vacanze di Natale 2000’ – says Vanzina – but Aurelio De Laurentiis (producer of all the ‘cinepanettoni’, ed.) is a great entrepreneur and understood that in the name of seriality could exploit that trend that began with our film 40 years ago. In my opinion it did well to industrialise this product.”
However, Enrico Vanzina claims the “diversity” of his ‘Christmas Holidays’ from the classic ‘cinepanettoni’, a diversity that allows this film to still live and enjoy great success after 40 years. “I realize how the true value of a film passes through time – he explains again to Time.news – my father (Steno, ed.) told me that when he filmed ‘Guardies and Thieves’ with Toto’ and Aldo Fabrizi or ‘An American in Rome ‘ with Alberto Sordi he knew very well that they would remain over time, their strength would not be exhausted because only time gives the dimension of the value of a film.”
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