It took me a while into this 2-hour Cannes Jury Prize winner to decide for myself its genre. I finally decided to call it an avant-garde biography-documentary, regardless of what other people may say.
The subject of study is 7-time Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti. In his award winning (European Film Award) portrayal, Tony Servillo brings to the screen a Andreotti that is "calm, ambiguous, inscrutable" (08 Cannes Official Program's introduction). With a slouching Nosferatu pose and hands clasped like Jack Benny (with apt sarcastic humour), Servillo does project an enigmatic aura, which is further enhanced by varied, surreal presentations ranging from Katino-style stoicism to rapid-fire monologue, depending on which particular scene.
Deciphering Andreotti alone is a mesmerising endeavour, which the audience can undertake through following his manoeuvres to stay in power (first half of the film) to the Mafia-connection charges he faces after losing power (second half). A hint of what this man really is has been given right at the beginning of the film. He intimates to a priest that he prefers talking to priests rather than to God, because "a priest votes, God doesn't". But later in the movie, he says that what he really wants to be is a cultured man (e.g. chairman of a music society) than a statesman.
The film is shot in a rich profusion of colours, ranging from misty moody orange to bright glaring blue, and everything in between. In no less proliferation is the varied background music, classical, pop, lively syncopation, wailing strings, rousing vocals ..and a lot more.
"Il Divo" is a rare cinematic adventure.
The subject of study is 7-time Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti. In his award winning (European Film Award) portrayal, Tony Servillo brings to the screen a Andreotti that is "calm, ambiguous, inscrutable" (08 Cannes Official Program's introduction). With a slouching Nosferatu pose and hands clasped like Jack Benny (with apt sarcastic humour), Servillo does project an enigmatic aura, which is further enhanced by varied, surreal presentations ranging from Katino-style stoicism to rapid-fire monologue, depending on which particular scene.
Deciphering Andreotti alone is a mesmerising endeavour, which the audience can undertake through following his manoeuvres to stay in power (first half of the film) to the Mafia-connection charges he faces after losing power (second half). A hint of what this man really is has been given right at the beginning of the film. He intimates to a priest that he prefers talking to priests rather than to God, because "a priest votes, God doesn't". But later in the movie, he says that what he really wants to be is a cultured man (e.g. chairman of a music society) than a statesman.
The film is shot in a rich profusion of colours, ranging from misty moody orange to bright glaring blue, and everything in between. In no less proliferation is the varied background music, classical, pop, lively syncopation, wailing strings, rousing vocals ..and a lot more.
"Il Divo" is a rare cinematic adventure.