Pasolini (Abel Ferrara)

[pro-bassoonist]

Pasolini Blu-ray



NEWS/TRAILER
https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=17269

The British Film Institute will release on Blu-ray maverick American director Abel Ferrara's latest film, Pasolini (2014), starring Willem Dafoe, Riccardo Scamarcio, Ninetto Davoli, Valerio Mastandrea, Adriana Asti, and Maria de Medeiros. The release will be available for purchase on October 19.

Synopsis: Written and directed by cult filmmaker Abel Ferrara (Driller Killer, Bad Lieutenant, Welcome to New York), this dark, daring drama tells the story of the fateful final days of the controversial filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini.

Having recently finished Salò, or 120 Days of Sodom Pasolini has enraged audiences, critics and politicians with his homosexually and the scandal that surrounds his films. Focusing on both his private and professional life, the film explores the inner-world of Pasolini in the days before his violent death.

Starring Willem Dafoe (The Last Temptation of Christ) as the great auteur, and featuring Ninetto Davoli, who acted in many of his films, Pasolini is a powerful and evocative look into the dark world of one of cinema s most controversial figures, as seen through the eyes of one of modern cinema's most astonishing and surprising directors.

Pro-B

[Olmo]

Seems to have taken an age to find distribution, been anticipating this since it's appearance at the Venice Film Festival.

Ferrara apparently 'names names' as to who the real perpetrators are / were (in typical controversial style).

I read somewhere that it follows a similar line to the much vaunted 'far-right hoodlums / politicians' theory mooted by the documentary Whoever Says The Truth Shall Die (1978), which is featured as an extra on the BFI blu-ray of Salo.

And very enjoyable and thought provoking it is too.

[pro-bassoonist]

I picked up the Italian Blu-ray release earlier this year. It is a fascinating film and quite controversial (as you rightfully note), though not in a sensationalist way. Considering how difficult the subject is, I think that Abel Ferrara has a real winner here. Willem Dafoe is terrific yet again, though this isn't surprising as he and Abel Ferrara really understand each other (see 4:44 Last Day on Earth).

On the other hand, it is really, really disappointing that Abel Ferrara remains largely ignored in America. It is one of our most unique directors. As far as I am concerned, he is in the same group with David Lynch, Jim Jarmusch and Gus Van Sant.

After I picked up the Italian disc, I mentioned it to the guys at Cinelicious Pics to see if there might be any interest there.

Criterion should have approached Abel Ferrara a long time ago. He is right there, in New York City. There is a massive gap in the collection without him. At least one of his films -- why not The Addiction -- should have entered it a long time ago, while he was younger and his analysis more coherent.

Either way, he is a true American maverick and it is sad to see him ignored.

Pro-B

[Olmo]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

I picked up the Italian Blu-ray release earlier this year. It is a fascinating film and quite controversial (as you rightfully note), though not in a sensationalist way. Considering how difficult the subject is, I think that Abel Ferrara has a real winner here. Willem Dafoe is terrific yet again, though this isn't surprising as he and Abel Ferrara really understand each other (see 4:44 Last Day on Earth).

On the other hand, it is really, really disappointing that Abel Ferrara remains largely ignored in America. It is one of our most unique directors. As far as I am concerned, he is in the same group with David Lynch, Jim Jarmusch and Gus Van Sant.

After I picked up the Italian disc, I mentioned it to the guys at Cinelicious Pics to see if there might be any interest there.

Criterion should have approached Abel Ferrara a long time ago. He is right there, in New York City. There is a massive gap in the collection without him. At least one of his films -- why not The Addiction -- should have entered it a long time ago, while he was younger and his analysis more coherent.

Either way, he is a true American maverick and it is sad to see him ignored.

Pro-B

Completely agree, perhaps ironically like Pasolini; he's possibly a little too uncompromising & unflinching for certainly most mainstream tastes.

But I agree, he's largely ignored in arthouse / left-field cinema. He has had extra-curricular pursuits that have probably not helped his cause and has been very outspoken against certain institutions shall we say, but yes, he should sit easily alongside those directors you list. Especially *whisper it* Lynch who one or two films apart, in my opinion, is vastly overrated.

Thanks for the heads up Pro.

[rapta]

I've only ever seen Ferrera's King of New York and a little bit of Bad Lieutenant, so I'll admit I haven't experienced much of his style, but this does intrigue me. Especially considering I'm going to attempt to get into Pasolini, starting with some of his earlier films - I recently bought MoC's Accattone/Love Meetings, The Gospel According to Matthew, Hawks and Sparrows and Oedipus Rex, as well as BFI's Theorem. From what I can tell, his stuff gets even more difficult after that.

Surprised and not surprised that the BFI are releasing this film. Surprised because it seemed like the kind of film Artificial Eye or another small label might have picked up (Spirit Entertainment released Ferrera's last film, Welcome to New York, Arrow released King of New York, and Fabulous Films released Bad Lieutenant), but not surprised because the BFI have released many of Pasolini's films so it makes sense for them to release something new that's related to the director (and maybe wasn't getting distribution otherwise).

I'm also interested because Willem Dafoe is a great actor, and I'd like to see how he handles a portrait of someone so renowned. So I might not blind-buy this just yet, but I'm glad it'll be available and that some more Ferrera is coming to UK Blu-ray.

[malakaheso]

Ferrara is very inconsistent. He was great in the 90s but the 00's weren't especially kind to him.

Pasolini reminds me a little of Sokurov's approach to biopics at times. It is hazy, low key and rather impressionistic.

I wish somebody would release The Funeral on blu-ray already

[adamhopelies]

Pleased to see this has finally got a home. I caught it at last year's LFF and while it didn't quite reach the heights of Welcome To New York, Ferrara's other 2014 film, I did find myself quite affected by it.

[malakaheso]

Originally Posted by Olmo

Completely agree, perhaps ironically like Pasolini; he's possibly a little too uncompromising & unflinching for certainly most mainstream tastes.

Yet a few Pasolini films were distributed by major studios back in the day.

I think it's a testament to how much things have changed that a film maker as radical as Pasolini received major distribution during the prime of his career.

Originally Posted by Olmo

But I agree, he's largely ignored in arthouse / left-field cinema. He has had extra-curricular pursuits that have probably not helped his cause and has been very outspoken against certain institutions shall we say, but yes, he should sit easily alongside those directors you list. Especially *whisper it* Lynch who one or two films apart, in my opinion, is

He never played the game, which made him difficult to categorise. He wasn't trying to be 'cool' like most of the American indie film makers of the 80's and early 90's.

[pro-bassoonist]

Pasolini Blu-ray REVIEW