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A special column of the music general counsellor of Morriunion
Mr. Yang dalin and Ms. Yang dong
The music critics about the film "Stanno tutti bene" (Everyone's fine)
The Chinese famous specialists and pioneer for research on film music  The married couple Mr.Yang dalin and Ms.Yang dong
The Chinese famous specialists and pioneer for research on film music
The host of Beijing radio and TV station and so on.
The music general counsellor of "China Morricone Fans Association"
The married couple Mr.Yang dalin and Ms.Yang dong
Their E-mail ydlgzs@sina.com
The music critics about the film "Stanno tutti bene" (Everyone's fine)
The writer Daling Yang
Translated by Peili Xu in Oct, 2013 in Paris
After the great success of "Nuovo cinema paradiso (Cinema paradiso)" in 1988, the "Stanno tutti bene (Everyone's fine)" (Note 1) becomes another masterpiece of the Italian young director Giuseppe Tornatore. This time, he still wrote the story by himself. The cameraman, the editor, the art decorator, the make up designer and the costumer, all are the same who worked for "Nuovo cinema paradiso (New paradise cinema)". And as for the soundtracks, they are still written by Ennio Morricone, one of the first-class composers of the world.

Ennio Morricone has worked for hundreds of movies worldwide, in which the effect of the music could always be strengthened. This can be felt even by the audience who used to not pay special attention to the music. Obviously, this is totally counted on the characters in Morricone's music, which are: 1. The subjects of the music are various, the melody is rustic, smooth, and easy to be sung, so that the music always infects the people rapidly and powerfully; 2. All kinds of the instruments are used that the tones are so unique, so special and unforgettable; 3. The creative way of composing the music enriches the musical vocabularies, so that widen the mind of the audience (especially the professionals). These features are mostly demonstrated in his works written between the 1960s and 1980s. On the other word, the period from 1964 to 1984 when Ennio Morricone cooperated with Sergio Leone (note 2) is the golden age for both of them. They, the two talents in the film area, wrote an important chapter in the history of Italian movies. From the insouciant whistle, the unprecedented sound of waving whip and the bantering male chorus in "A Fistful of Dollars, 1964", to the bizarre, ridicule, avant-garde tones made by the harmonica and the mute trumpet in "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, 1966", until the gloomy panpipe solo and the "Ragtime" movements played in the inn in "Once Upon a Time in America, 1984", all fresh the audience. The audience will be difficult to forget the shrill harmonica sound and the humorous banjo sound. And the soprano's humming throughout Leone's "trilogy" (Note 3), which as if lasts forever, affects the common reminiscent emotion of the human beings. The humming is highly commended by everyone in the movie industry and becomes the classic one of Morricone's works.

The specialties of this movie, however, are not only the ambiance represented by Ennio's music, but also the Italian national music, which can be found wherever in the movie. Penetrating the factor of opera through the whole story, is the inspiration of Giuseppe Tornatore, and is exactly what he persuades in the whole process of his creation. If "Nuovo cinema paradiso (New paradise cinema)" is a movie about the films, a movie which reminisces the human being's emotion and the development of the films (Note 4), then "Stanno tutti bene (Everyone's fine)" is a movie about the operas, or rather, a movie take fully use of all the factors of the operas just as a painting using all the colors on a palette. All the phenomena in the modern society in this story is brought out by this greatest Italian national art, and from the view of an old but wise, optimistic and calm man. In a word, the idea of merging the film's history in the movie "Nuovo cinema paradiso (New paradise cinema)" definites the movie as a movie "of film" and the idea of merging the opera in the movie "Stanno tutti bene (Everyone's fine)" definites the movie as a movie "of music".

This character is represented in three aspects in this film, which are very close to each other. First of all, from the view of the creation of the drama, the set up of the roles: Old Scuro, the chief role in the film, names his five children after the name of the roles in those famous Italian operas. Say, his eldest son is named Alvaro, from the chief role of "La Forza del Destino (The Force of Destiny)" of Verdi. He didn't actually show up (as an adult), which is the most tragic role in the film and is cared by his father the most. The old Scuro treats Napoli as his first stop so as to visit Alvaro primarily, but fails, and know the truth until the end of the film that his eldest son has killed himself. By this, the name Alvaro becomes the symbol of "the force of destiny", and promotes the development of the plot. And so the name promotes naturally the naissance and the development of the theme. Hence, the name is one of the most important details in this film. The names of the other four children are Canio, the chief role in "Pagliacci" of Leoncavallo (Note5); Gugllielmo (Note 7), the chief role in "Guillaume Tell" of Rossini (Note 8); Tosca, the chief female role in "Norma" of Puccini (Note 9); Norma, the chief female role in "Norma" of Bellini. The meanings of these names and the stories of these composers are also melt into this film by the creative director and composer.

Secondly, from the view of the plot. The old Scuro claims that he loves the operas when he shows the family portrait to the neighbor passenger on the train. From the tune he chants, to the phrases he mentions, and to the music he wishes to hear in the "La Scala", all contain rich information and symbolic meaning. All these musical details can be found through the whole story, which makes the film is full of the attraction of the art.

Finally, from the view of the style of the music in this film. And through studying the core factor of the nature of music: the composition (especially the composition of this master), and studying some detailed plots of the conversation and images aligning with the music, we can understand more the value the music add to a film and strengthen ourselves this ability.

Before analyzing the details, let's look into the form of the main theme in "Stanno tutti bene (Everyone's fine)". First of all, the composer uses standard classical "rondo form" (Note 13). Please pay attention to two points. First, the role occupying the centre of the image is always that old man. He has the sense of humor, the playful spirit, he loves his family, treasures the affection, and compassionate and tolerant even though he has suffered a lot in his life. So the form of the main theme is designed to match the role of the old man. Second, to Morricone, the use of this form means the return. Talking of the "return", we need to also discuss a little the experience of Ennio Morricone as a composer.

The master graduated from the "Accademia di Santa Cecilia" in Rome as a prodigy at the age of 14. In the 50s, before working for the films, he worked for the chamber music and orchestral music. In the 60s, after he had started writing the music for the film "The Fascist (in 1961)", the contracts from the film producers all over the world poured to him. Hence, in the following decades, he wrote music for more than four hundred films, which makes his name a synonym for the film soundtrack. During the period, he had no time for the classical music then. Still, in the domain of the film soundtrack, he succeed adding all his music the "Morricone" features, which is unique and fully represent the meaning of the images of film, because he loves his career, innovative, creative and incisive. The features can be summarized as the broad themes, the open forms, the pristine but profound melodies and the novel instruments.

As for the form of the soundtrack, seems that Morricone pays the less attention although he started his career by classical music.
That's because, on one hand, compared with the new art: the film, which is like a youth, the music is like a mature elder person already. On the other hand, Morricone always makes his music serve for the film, assist to enhence the subject of the film, the sytle of the image and the psychology of the roles.

Several wisps of the melody burst out just like the godsend springs gushing out, as the name of the beat, "rubato" suggests, the melody shows a style very freedom. These melodies are sections rather than forms (Say, the theme music of "Once Upon a Time in the West"). Let's look into another example closely, the "Hamlet (1990)" realized by the famous Italian opera director Franco Zeffirelli (Note 14) in the same year of "Everyone is fine". Despite that Morricone still uses the traditional orchestra, he eliminates the Baroque and Classical style, which are very common in the others films about royal life (Note 15). In a word, he demonstrates strong willing of innovation and creation, no matter in defining the form of the music, using the instruments (the organ) or selecting the timbre (use mute on the brass) and special way of combining the timbres. Until in "New paradise cinema" in 1988, the less routine Sicilian folk, as well as the inserted saxophone and guitar in the traditional melody composed by the orchestra and the piano, still demonstrates the maestro's unrestrained personality and the favor of novel timbres.

So his returning to classical music in "Everyone's fine" proves again that he has reach to the pinnacle of the musical area with his comprehensive attainment and flexible skills. When the old Scuro shouts out "I won't sit here and wait", the music begins. The rhythm is smooth and gentle, reminds the audience the move of the train, so that highlights the theme of this film: the travel of family (in short, the travel).

The segment A is played with the mandolin (Note 16), here's the motive (sample 1):

the following form is in the structure A/B A/C/A/D/A, in which, the segment B is obviously a transition, the segment C appears in the relationship tune (D Major). So it can be considered as the ancient "Rondo form" exists in the later Baroque period (Note 17). Below let's analyze the origin of the segment A's motive (see above example).

If one is familiar with the overture of Verdi's opera, he will soon find that this section is some melody "déjà vu". Browsing again the title music, you will hear clear figurations appear in the vice tune of segment D (sample 2):

In fact, this short motive maintaining the original form is exactly the leitmotiv of the primary theme of the overture of the opera "Destino", and thus the significance of the name Alvaro shows out. The genius creator combines in a clever way the musical elements in this typical national art work and their personal creation (including both the music and the drama). (Talking of this, I couldn't help adding one more phrase not very relevant: the films, when are more and more commercialized in Hollywood, are retained to be cultural grace to the professions in Italy, the European country where is full of the traditional art atmosphere).

The following example is a prototype of the primary theme of the overture of the opera "Destino". It is exactly the first and the second motives in the opera become the source of the soundtrack of the movie "Everyone's fine"(Sample 3):

Now let's go back to observing the form of the "family travel" theme and will discover that, the cheerful and impatient core melody of segment A, is a variation of the theme motive of "Destino"(see sample 1, from the third section of the Mandolin melody, compare with the sample 2 and 3). And the tune (D Major) the music applies makes the melody contain the bright lyricism, aligning with the sunshine in the image and the spirit of the hero.

We should notice that, it's not the first time that the musical elements of the overture of Verdi's "Destino" appear in the films. In the theme music of the French movie "Jean de Florette (1986)" and its companion piece "Manon des Sources (1986)" (Note 18), the secondary theme of the overture of the opera appear in a relatively complete way, so that highlight the themes of the two films: the destiny is everywhere (Sample 4)

Now let's observe the segment C. This is a section strongly distinct with segment A in both the form and the emotion. If segment A is a resolute and active man, then segment C is a tender woman. The gentle melody resembles the sub-theme of the prelude in the overture of Rossini's "Il Barbiere di Siviglia" (sample 5).
Thus, the material in the national art treasury is elegantly melted into the creation again. Please compare the segment C (sample 6)
Up to now, the first statement of the travel theme is the soundtrack of the opening scenes such as that the old Scuro piling up his luggage, or he talking with the people on the railway station. Until when the train goes out of the station, the camera liters to the overlook angle so with a subjective view of a spectator, and the theme moves into D segment. The varied "Destino" motive concealed in the continuous melody and the anxious harmony (Sample 1) is the first time clearly sketched the outline by the Clarinet (together with the Bassoon)(Sample 2). As the upset factor concealed in the joyous travel theme, it indicates the ups and downs on the journey of both family visit and the destiny. Then the theme moves into the second statement after being compressed (A/C/A ...), and the title appears in the image.

Now we analyzed the main title of the soundtrack of "Everyone's fine". In the first half of the film, it is played briefly twice in the old Scuro's journey, but losing the vigor gradually. With the hero's doubts growing up, the travel theme gives rise to the lyrical theme.

Before analyzing this new factor, a dramatic detail in the movie, plays a crucial role of showing the hero's psychological change and giving the logic to the transition of the music. That is he meets a cold shoulder in front of Alvaro's apartment and has to wander alone in the street at night. He begins to sing a song of self-mockery loudly after striking up a humorous conversation with a street girl. Despite of his hoarse voice, he sings the tune clearly and accurately. It's the excerpt from the famous aria "Vesti la giubba") presented by the hero Canio in the opera" Pagliacci". The meaning of the original lyric is: Please put on the costume, and make yourself up! To begging the laugh from the audience, you have to pander to their taste. In that sad moment, laugh! The clown! People will applaud you. Cover the grieves with the smile, hold back the tears to put on a show - laugh now!", and so as the old Scuro in the film.

The director's intention is so clear: the old Scuro has to cheat on himself and covers his feeling of loss and desolate by smiling and self-hocking. His "Family journey" just begins, so he has to carry on. He sets out to visit another son Canio - that Canio with white greasepaint on his face in the family picture. The role in the opera "Pagliacci" and his arias implies multiple profound significances. Here, the director shows his own concerns and worries to the society (the country's politic) by taking use of this typical symbolic role.

Lens switched. In Rome, Canio, seems like an important person to the party, is actually an employee of the Parliament, dedicating preparing the script to the big men. He is giving a speech at the moment, facing the rows of empty chairs and a picture presenting the audience.

The new lyrical theme appears in two mysterious and allegorical scenes in the film: the bird suicide and the moose occupy the road. This is a 3/8 beat comparative melody. Based on the cautious "Destino" motive with dotted note, which is played by the woodwind, the lyrical and Meditation-like melody played by the flute and the oboe are added on. As it is extended and varied on the "Destino" motive, it contains the features of Morricone's work as always: smooth and natural (Sample 7):

In the vision of the old Scuro, the indistinct birds are writhing and moaning in the sky in despair, meanwhile, the lyrical theme modulated by horn becomes stirring and anxious. Subsequently in the serious shots of the scene: the moose occupy the road, the soundtrack also shows the same emotions, the structure and the layout of the tonality. Please be noted that, here, the "Destino" motive with dotted note in the scene of birds suicide disappear, only Strings' uniform steady rhythm, which is the last trace of the previous vivid travel theme. The flute repeats the lyrical theme in a flat tune (Sample 7). Based on the somber sound of the bass strings, when the antlers appear in the scene, the horn accomplishes the modulation (from the original B minor to F minor, see Sample 8, subsection 4) and states the lyrical theme with some variations, which expresses again the impatient and anxious, and at the same time, the positive close-range of the moose by a elevation angle shooting appear in the backhand lens. The information which the music conveys now associates people an image that a dapper, beautiful and noble young creature from a pure world, facing these self-righteous people in the dirty and indifference post-industrial society, is protesting, blaming and questioning ... (Sample 8)
Compared to some other films, Tornatore shows more an artist's conscience in his film "Everyone's fine". The plenty of the allusive scenes in the film shows that the director's concerns are multi-angle, all-round. What continues to appear in front of the old people from Sicily (Note 19), are the mutilated statue hide in the traffic jam in the modern city, the ground piled with the cables, the birds suicide by dashing against the ground collectively, the asleep passengers who are indifferent to what's happening outside the car ... and eventually, a brave buck who appears suddenly and blocks the traffic.

From above analysis, we can get a conclusion that the composer Morricone is unparalleled not only because he can assist the director to express the emotions precisely, rather because the effect of the combination of his music and the film images beyond and extend the meaning of the film. The greatness of Sergio Leone's masterpiece "Once Upon a Time in the West" depends fairly on that his partner of composing is a prophet, since the music of his two "past" (Note 20) came out actually earlier than the movies, so that the themes of the two movies "past" can be remembered forever just like a bright star overlooks forever the ordinary world. So as "Everyone's fine". Let's look back the soundtracks for the two scenes: birds suicide and the mouse occupy the road. In the image the birds writhing and moaning and the image the mouse looking at people quietly, although there are only two complete phrases in the part of the horn (Scores 8, 4 - 13 section), that is, the lens lasts only 20 to 25 seconds after the F minor is brought out, it's crucial for expressing the emotion. Supposing the tone is not modulated to somewhat somber (at least contrast is enhanced), or if the tiny but important change are not added to these two phrases (the syncopations in the section 5,6 & the section 10,11), how can we feel the worries of the director to the social problems such as the pollution to the ecological environment?

Later, the old Scuro encounters a tour of the elders, and hits it off with a grace and dignified old lady (Note 21) sitting next to him. Two elderly dance with the tender Waltz music. Scuro is greatly shocked when hearing the old woman speaks of the cold shoulder she got from her sons and daughters in a calm tone. The cheerful Polka is suddenly inserted in the cold and gloomy "Destino" motive, expressing that Scuro is aware of the ruthless of the reality at that moment. Subsequently the touching scene of the farewell between the two is also one of the scense that the director placed his emotion. Morricone's music here, also like the "eye" of the dragon.

夫人,我...从没吻过其他女人的手,
夫人,我...从没吻过其他女人的手,
夫人,我...从没吻过其他女人的手,
您非常的高贵,我不会忘记
Watched by all the elderly friends in the car quietly and expectedly, Scuro kissed fondly the hand of the old woman and say: "What a cold little hand!" He expresses his attachment to this new intimate friend implicitly. In fact, this phrase ("Che gelida manina!") comes from Puccini's another masterpiece, "La Boheme", of which it's the first phrase of a famous Tenor aria. The flok art beloved by the director and his role Scuro- the opera, flashes again in the plot. And the subsequent the old woman answered, "You are so distinguished that I will never forget you!" is the tribute from the director to the actor of Scuro, Marcello Mastroianni (Note 22) rather than the tribute from the old women to the charming hero of the movie. No doubts, the altitude the movie reaches is also grace to the performance skills of the master.
Mastroianni - Scuro walks away, giving a chic wave without turning back. He knows that all on the car are watching him, and also silently waved goodbye. This is the most romantic scene in the movie. The alone back, the shape of chivalry and the glamorous image: in moment he departs, a new figure is born (Sample 9):
放心,我不会透露的
This is the second lyrical theme in the movie soundtrack, interwoven with the stretch melody by flute solo and the melody in the style of the Waltz by Accordion. This theme appearing after the ball, is same as the other themes, that is, the "Destino" motive, which can be found everywhere in this movie. On the other hand, the "Destino" motive attaches stubbornly to the bottom of the two free and easy, transcendent melody lines (Sample 9, section 7-8), hints the direction of the emotional tune and the logic of the music in the second half of the movie.

The dominant musical factor in the second half of the movie, in addition to the second lyrical theme we've just analyzed, the opera still exists, and is even used this time most prominently in the whole movie. That is when Scuro arrives in Milan to visit Julia Elmore (William), the son who works as a percussionist in a Symphony, and finally comes the sacred "La Scala opera house". In the magnificent, awe-inspiring theater hall, there is a band in the orchestra pit, and sits Julia Elmore in his youth... The bandmaster (played by Morricone in person, which was the first time) plays alone the third interlude of "La Traviata" at the request of Scuro.
Starting from this scene (or let's say in his imagination), until when he is in a quickly landed elevator and in the noisy telephone office, and in the scene that he calls Alvaro again. This time, the director and the composer implies directly the Verdi's works. As the interlude, the original work lasts about four minutes, is played in this film for nearly three minutes and is modulated to the part of Morricone only when the scene is swifted to William following his father's car secretly. Obviously, the melody expressing the tragic and desperate of Violetta in "La Traviata," expresses lingers in Scuro's head when he leaves the Opera House and expresses exactly his own emotion.

The Sunshine and joy, in return to the hometown Sicily and when the "Family Tour" is coming to an end, are no longer exists. Only the bleak wind and the solitude whistle accompany the train that travels under the haze of the sky. Then two figures bearing the weights come and recall the "chic wave" theme. As the vice melody, the "Destino" motive following the smooth flow under the main theme, contains no longer the meaning of the warning and aggressive, instead, makes people feel the introspective, philosophical and calm learned from the loss of the life.

The movie begins with the scene that the old Scuro faces to the empty chair of his wife, chattering on their children in "Q&A" and ends up with the scene that he faces his wife again, to telling the recent status of their children. The movie tails echo of the entire film, totally natural. Until his wife "askes" children, Scuro "answers" with a childish but serious demeanor: "the children, they are fine! ......" Then the camera turns, and we, the audience, find that we were exactly in the place of the tomb and played the role of the interlocutor unconsciously, and this really shed a tear of us. Here comes the climax of the movie.

The music remains calm and objective. Scuro leaned over and kiss fondly the picture of his wife and says the last sentence of the film: "Stanno tutti bene (Everyone's fine)" - The lens recedes and rises, giving a panoramic view of the cemetery: Old Scuro is alone, and bows his head in front of the tomb.

A baby holds a roll of notes in his small hand and shaking slightly. In the image expressing the unlimited affection and wishes to the next generation, "the end" rises. The theme of the movie is highlighted again (Sample 1) ...
The Italian film "Everyone's fine" is a rare and insurmountable movie in the world.
This is art. This is the culture. This is the movie.
And, this is not Hollywood.
(The writer Dalin Yang 1997-10-21 in Beijing)
NOTES

Note1:Stanno Tutti Bene, English Translation is Everybody's Fine.
Note 2:Sergio Leone (1921-1989):Italian famous director. His major works include "the Bounty trilogy" and "past trilogy".
Note 3:See note2.
Note 4:See "The world Film Appreciation Dictionary" ( Continuation) P721. China Fujian Education Press, 1993 edition
Note 5:Giuseppe Verdi(1813-1901),Italian composer.
Note 6:Ruggiero Leoncavallo(1857-1919), Italian composer.
Note 7: Italian surnames"Gugllielmo" . In English equivalent with "William", In German equivalent with "Wilhelm",In Chinese is "Weilian".
Note 8:Gioachino Antonio Rossini(1792-1868), Italian composer.
Note 9:Giacomo Puccini(1858-1924), Italian composer.
Note 10:Vincenzo Bellini(1801-1835), Italian composer.
Note 11:Italy 's most famous opera house, is located in Milan. Named by way of the name of the queen La Scala who is a granduca's wife, was built in 1778.
Note 12:Domestic academic concept,hereby means the tunes was directly sung by the figure in the still or the melody was directly played by the band in the still
Note 13:Rondo,Usually refers to instrumental music to reproduce intermittent in the a piece of music.
Note 14:Franco Zeffirelli(1923-),Italian famous directorfor opera movie. Masterpiece "La Boheme"-1965, "La Traviata"-1982, "Othello"-1986, and "Jane Eyre" in 1996
Note 15:Compare 1988 Stephen Frears' film "Dangerous Liaisons" and 1994 Nicholas Hytner's " The madness of King George ", composer: George Fenton.
Note 16:Mandolin(e), Plucked string instrument that originated in Italy. Usually has eight strings, dual tuning, played with a plectrum.
Note 17:Baroque, French original intent was "weird". Originally referred to the 17th and 18th century German and Austrian ornate architectural style, Afterward in order to described a musical style developed around 1750 from 1600 during the Bach ( 1685-1750 ) and Handel ( 1685-1759 ) died
Note 18:Director: Claude Berri;Composer: Jean - Claude Petit
Note 19:The story takes place of " Cinema Paradiso " and starting place of "Everybody's Fine" are Sicily. Here is also the director Giuseppe Tornatore's hometown.
Note 20:Here refers to Sergio Leone's two major masterpieces - "Once Upon a Time in the West" and "Once Upon a Time in America".
Note 21:The actor is famous Italian actress Michèle Morgan who born in 1920
Note 22:Marcello Mastroianni(1923-1996),Italian famous actor,starred in Fellini's masterpiece "La Dolce Vita", "Eight and a half." And Antonioni and other Italian important director's works
Below are added information
001-About the director Giuseppe Tornatore
Giuseppe Tornatore
Born March 27, 1956 (1956-03-27) (age 53)
Bagheria, Sicily, Italy
Occupation Film director, producer and screenwriter
Giuseppe Tornatore (born 27 March 1956) is an Italian film director

Biography

Born in Bagheria near Palermo, Tornatore developed an interest in acting and the theatre from at least the age of 16 and put on works by Luigi Pirandello and Eduardo De Filippo.

He worked initially as a freelance photographer. Then, switching to cinema, he made his debut with Le minoranze etniche in Sicilia (The Ethnic Minorities in Sicily), a collaborative documentary which won a Salerno Festival prize. He then worked for RAI before releasing his first full-length film, Il Camorrista, in 1985. This evoked a positive response from audience and critics alike and Tornatore was awarded the Silver Ribbon for best new director.

Tornatore's best known screen work was released in 1989: Nuovo Cinema Paradiso, a film about the return of a successful film director to his native town in Sicily for the funeral of an old friend. This obtained worldwide success and won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Subsequently Tornatore released several other films cementing his place in film history.

Filmography

Director

Writer

External links

 

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Giuseppe Tornatore
by Michele Parisi (From Best of Sicily magazine)
吉赛贝·托纳多雷(朱斯佩 托那托雷) Giuseppe Tornatore
 
His films touch the soul of Sicily, transcending the ordinary, the conventional, the stereotypical. Giuseppe Tornatore was born and raised in Bagheria (outside Palermo). He started working very young as a photographer, publishing in various photographic magazines. At the age of sixteen he staged two plays by Pirandello and De Filippo. For the cinema he has made various documentaries, including Il Carretto, highly acclaimed at several regional and national film festivals in Italy.

In 1979 be began a long collaboration with RAI (Italy's national television network), for which he directed several programs. From 1978 to 1985, he was chairman of the CLCT Cooperative, which produced Giuseppe Ferrara's film 100 Days in Palermo, with Lino Ventura. Tornatore also co-wrote the screenplay and directed the second unit. In 1986 he made his debut in feature films with Il Cammorrista ("The Gangster"), starring Ben Gazzara. Freely adapted from the book by Giuseppe Marrazzo, this singular motion picture won Tornatore a Golden Globe for best new director.

Rural life is a hallmark of Tornatore's "Sicilian" movies. Nuovo Cinema Paradiso, which took place in small-town Sicily, was the film that put Tornatore on the map with international audiences. It won the Oscar for best foreign film in 1990. The Star Maker, set in post-war Sicily, was released in 1995, followed by Malèna in 2000. The social statements of Malèna, an emotional story which takes place in a fictional Sicilian town during the war, are powerfully thought-provoking.

Americans as well as Italians have found Sicily fertile cinematic territory. The eccentric Milanese director Roberta Torre comes to mind. It's difficult to overlook the fact that Tornatore's movies, compared to Francis Ford Coppola's Mafia tales (The Godfather) and Michael Cimino's stories (The Sicilian), depict the real Sicily and real Sicilians. Luchino Visconti's The Leopard, starring Burt Lancaster (based on the di Lampedusa novel), was directed exceptionally well. But Tornatore, a younger director, is not afraid to confront, in a serious way, difficult historical and social issues that most Sicilians themselves rarely discuss --including Fascism and the Second World War-- through the eyes of individual characters and situations. With time, he is earning respect as that rarest of cinematic talents --a "Director's Director."

He rarely gives interviews, preferring to let his work speak for itself. Artistically, that's a solid position. Giuseppe Tornatore's work speaks well of its creator.

Tornatore has never been timid about casting inexperienced actors or even non-professional ones. Here's what he had to say about the subject when The Star Maker (filmed in places like old Poggioreale) opened to rave reviews:

"Deciding to cast a non-professional, or worse still, someone who you don't even know if and where you'll find him or her, is like asking the first person you come across to hold onto your savings. You never know if you'll ever get your money back. The search for non-professional actors has no rule. It can be a question of feeling, or simply luck. It can be fun or excruciating. During the shooting of The Star Maker, one morning we were stuck because an actress hadn't turned up on the set. We thought something had happened to her and that she was delayed but would eventually arrive. We didn't have an alternative shooting schedule. We were in a tiny town in the middle of nowhere and it was impossible to find another actress that could take her place. The missing actress finally called. In tears, she told us that she had unexpectedly been called by the Education Ministry for a teaching job --I don't know where-- and if she missed the interview, she would lose the opportunity of a permanent position. She was terribly sorry but, between taking part in a Tornatore film and a 'stable job' she had no doubt which one to choose!"

About the Author: Michele Parisi, who presently resides in Rome, has written for various magazines and newspapers in Italy, France and the United Kingdom.

2001 Michele Parisi

 
002- A film clips of "Everyone's fine"
A film clips of "Everyone's fine" Italian dub CN and EV subtitle 9'50" (Potato)
003 - Reference page in the site
 
The movie page of "Everyone's fine" >>>>
The music page of "Everyone's fine" >>>>
 
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Feb.11, 2013
Some important page in the old area
The old chronology edited in 2009
The Films
Music Audition
A special column of China Morricone Fans Association
A column of general music counselor of Morriunion
A column of Morricone's music sung by songsters
Morricone's music played by the famous artists
All updated webpage for 10 years
Free resources in the world
About"Chi Mai"
A study on Morricone 2002-2010 six concerts in Europe,USA and Asia
The formal 20 sheets music of "The legend of 1900"
A exchange page for friends of requesting score music
Friends who are practicing piano
The webmaster's talk
Morricone news in China
About mobile WAP site
Morricone's MIDI music and download of its ring for your mobile
The important web sites of Morricone's work in the world
BBC-HVF A interview to Morricone
Ennio Morricone 2009 Beijing concert
Ennio Morricone 2010 Shanghai EXPO concert
Allonsanfan research
La Califfa research
Death rides a horse research
Metello research
Morricone's 100 famous music
Visiting Imola again after 13 years
Sacco e Vanzetti research
Philatelic exploration round the world
Philatelic matters for transfer
Site Map
Review my favorite western music of last 30 years
Look back the past by way of the satllite map
About Us
Add to Google
Mobile Site (CN-EN)
Home Page (ENG)
Philately (ENG)
Dual-use Guestbook for PC and mobile phone
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