Splendor

A film fully devoted to other films. Like Giuseppe Tornatore in Cinema Paradiso shortly before him, at the end of the 1980s Ettore Scola longed to sincerely thank cinema for simply existing. He handled the difficult task of depicting the idea of moving pictures with simple content and a complex form. A large part of this film built around the history of a particular small Italian cinema comprises excerpts from famous works of Italian and world cinema (all prints are dubbed in Italian in a somewhat non-cinephilic way) and subsequent discussions about them. What’s most probably required from us is mainly knowledge of the cited films and subsequent appreciation of how aptly they provide commentary on Italy’s political development and the aesthetic transformations of cinema. Due to the fragmented nature of the narrative, it is difficult to form an emotional bond with any of the three main characters. None of the scenes last long enough and we rarely see any continuous flow in the plot. Instead, we see fragments of memories. Sometimes in black-and-white, sometimes in colour. Like the films recalled here, which what is actually experienced is not only bound to, but sometimes merges with, most strikingly in the theatrically moving ending. Audiences come and go, films remain. It’s an idea that Splendor thoroughly fleshes out like few other films, though at the cost of significantly overlooking its characters. At the same time, it is an idea that will enthuse true film lovers, though others probably won’t find it compelling enough for a feature-length film. 75% (2012.08.26)