On October 1, 1981, almost five months after entering competition at the Cannes Film Festival where the gigantic Ugo Tognazzi won the award for best male interpretation (“If it’s a joke I’m going to throw myself into the sea” he said, more or less, withdrawing it ) “The tragedy of a ridiculous man” by Bernardo Bertolucci is released in Italian cinemas. Another “small” film (such as the forgotten “La luna”, 1979) after the disproportionate majesty of the two acts of “Novecento” (1976), considered by the director as a sort of “spiritual sequel” to that epic enterprise. It was unsuccessful, and it divided the criticism: understandable. But it is one of the key films of Bertolucci’s entire career. Even if the TV shows little program and to get a copy on DVD or Blu-ray one still has to resort to rare (and often very expensive) foreign editions.
30 September 2021 | 07:07
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