Pasolini's Comizi D'amore (also known as "Love Meetings") is an interesting documentary. It's execution is modest and admirable: Pasolini, equipped with a microphone, interviews the 1960s public of Italy - ranging from children, teenagers, parents and the elderly to gain a representative perspective - focusing his questions on the subject of sex. Specifically, questions about birth - if the children interviewed understood where babies came from; sexual relationships and marriage - i.e. do sexual issues disappear with marriage; prostitution; gender differences; homosexuality; sexual diseases; etc. These questions and their overall theme attempts to illustrate how Italy, during the 60s, was conservative in their views on sex.
The research his film presents is admirable and thorough, as Pasolini interviewed many people from the public around Italy, providing answers that vary depending on location; the north of Italy proving to be more open to sex while the south of Italy was indicating more conservative views. Although the film might not be particularly representative of Italy in the present day, the film does provide an intriguing source for comparison: how the present day view's on sex have changed from the views held in the 1960s.
Pasolini's interviewing technique shows signs of sensitive delivery, making sure his questions are never worded awkwardly, never creating discomfort, while also improvising follow-up questions almost instantly to elaborate on an interviewee's response; for the short time these interviewee's are on screen, Pasolini makes sure to get the most out of them. Quite playful at times, this is an intriguing and honest film where views of 1960s youth culture and conservatism are collected - it's definitely an intelligent examination of the 1960 Italian public's views on what is still considered a taboo subject.
The research his film presents is admirable and thorough, as Pasolini interviewed many people from the public around Italy, providing answers that vary depending on location; the north of Italy proving to be more open to sex while the south of Italy was indicating more conservative views. Although the film might not be particularly representative of Italy in the present day, the film does provide an intriguing source for comparison: how the present day view's on sex have changed from the views held in the 1960s.
Pasolini's interviewing technique shows signs of sensitive delivery, making sure his questions are never worded awkwardly, never creating discomfort, while also improvising follow-up questions almost instantly to elaborate on an interviewee's response; for the short time these interviewee's are on screen, Pasolini makes sure to get the most out of them. Quite playful at times, this is an intriguing and honest film where views of 1960s youth culture and conservatism are collected - it's definitely an intelligent examination of the 1960 Italian public's views on what is still considered a taboo subject.