2007-10-04 13:28:25喬治鎊
熾愛 Saturno Contro
“Saturno Contro” struggles in the fate of unable to last forever.
Nothing lasts forever. That’s the ultimate truth in our world. So while facing this fact, how can we expect something to last when we want it to last forever so badly? In this new Italian film by Ferzan Ozpetek, the serious theme is brought out through a multiple-character story, however, which makes it not so serious.
The successful real estate agent Lorenzo, also the narrator of the story, owns a fine apartment with his stable partner, the well-known writer Davide, and a bunch of close friends who are practically families to him. As everything goes perfectly just as it should be, something unpredictable comes up and changes all of their lives.
Ferzan Ozpetek, who created the praised “Steam: The Turkish Bath,” doesn’t always focus on the gay theme. With “Facing Windows,” which tells the self-awareness of a housewife, the intention that Ozpetek tries to pay attention to different characters in a society is seen clearly. And with this film, which with the title indicates the unavoidable fate, the concept that makes the story so rich is blown up.
What are the common things that don’t last forever? The first thing people would think of is, of course, a relationship. Antonio, a banker, has a psychiatrist wife, Angelica, and two beautiful children, is facing the struggle between the family and the love of his life, Laura. The book publisher Neval, who has a younger husband than she is, intervenes in the others’ lives. Roberta, Lorenzo’s former colleague, is a drug addict and has no idea for her future. Sergio, who is in his 50s and always stays in Lorenzo and Davide’s house, just can’t get a decent relationship for a long time.
After facing the sudden change, the characters also start to think about making changes for their lives. Sergio decides to get himself up and step out from the wistful past by revealing a secret and the appearance of the possible affection object, Lorenzo’s writer friend Paolo. Roberta faces the fact of death that she has never wanted to think of by giving a dying woman a puff of smoke. Neval finds herself a possible cure for her good couple friends by encountering the affair object instead of just gossiping. Angelica decides to end the marriage after Antonio confessed, especially determined when she sees the cell phone held in Antonio’s hand while he’s sleeping.
Nothing lasts forever. That’s the ultimate truth in our world. So while facing this fact, how can we expect something to last when we want it to last forever so badly? In this new Italian film by Ferzan Ozpetek, the serious theme is brought out through a multiple-character story, however, which makes it not so serious.
The successful real estate agent Lorenzo, also the narrator of the story, owns a fine apartment with his stable partner, the well-known writer Davide, and a bunch of close friends who are practically families to him. As everything goes perfectly just as it should be, something unpredictable comes up and changes all of their lives.
Ferzan Ozpetek, who created the praised “Steam: The Turkish Bath,” doesn’t always focus on the gay theme. With “Facing Windows,” which tells the self-awareness of a housewife, the intention that Ozpetek tries to pay attention to different characters in a society is seen clearly. And with this film, which with the title indicates the unavoidable fate, the concept that makes the story so rich is blown up.
What are the common things that don’t last forever? The first thing people would think of is, of course, a relationship. Antonio, a banker, has a psychiatrist wife, Angelica, and two beautiful children, is facing the struggle between the family and the love of his life, Laura. The book publisher Neval, who has a younger husband than she is, intervenes in the others’ lives. Roberta, Lorenzo’s former colleague, is a drug addict and has no idea for her future. Sergio, who is in his 50s and always stays in Lorenzo and Davide’s house, just can’t get a decent relationship for a long time.
After facing the sudden change, the characters also start to think about making changes for their lives. Sergio decides to get himself up and step out from the wistful past by revealing a secret and the appearance of the possible affection object, Lorenzo’s writer friend Paolo. Roberta faces the fact of death that she has never wanted to think of by giving a dying woman a puff of smoke. Neval finds herself a possible cure for her good couple friends by encountering the affair object instead of just gossiping. Angelica decides to end the marriage after Antonio confessed, especially determined when she sees the cell phone held in Antonio’s hand while he’s sleeping.
The things which happen in the story are not so unfamiliar in our society. And that is why the film feels so relevant to us. Affairs, secrets, borderline feelings, scruples, life and death, all in all these are the basic elements of human lives. While seeing the plots that reflect our daily lives every time, something deep inside of us could be aroused and even gives us the impulse of changing the status we are trapped in.
It’s hard not to noticing there are some touches similar to a few fine Chinese filmmakers of our time. When Lorenzo’s father shows up, the subject of the inner struggle that deals with a gay son reminds us of Ang Lee’s “The Wedding Banquet.” The multiple storyline of each character appears in many films but the structure feels closer to another Lee’s work, “Eat Drink Man Woman.”
When Davide suffers from his inner pain, or Roberta is afraid of facing death, the sentimental texture, through the cinematography, the editing and the music or song, shows the impression of Wong Kar Wai’s “In the Mood with Love.” However, it’s not a rip-off from the both talented directors but more like following the examples of their works. The interesting fact is that Ozpetek was one of the juries at this year’s Venice Film Festival who gave the Golden Lion Award to Lee’s latest piece “Lust| Caution.” From this aspect, it’s very hard to deny the communications between the Eastern and Western cinemas which make the communications of people around the globe more efficient and deeper.
Over all, it’s a story that presents the subject of life and death ultimately. The ones who are still alive deal with the unpredictable changes that come one after another. The ones who are not, despite of not existing physically, leave behind the unexpected influences to others and keep their existence in such a way. Nothing lasts forever, but perhaps we can with our existence in the world.
It’s hard not to noticing there are some touches similar to a few fine Chinese filmmakers of our time. When Lorenzo’s father shows up, the subject of the inner struggle that deals with a gay son reminds us of Ang Lee’s “The Wedding Banquet.” The multiple storyline of each character appears in many films but the structure feels closer to another Lee’s work, “Eat Drink Man Woman.”
When Davide suffers from his inner pain, or Roberta is afraid of facing death, the sentimental texture, through the cinematography, the editing and the music or song, shows the impression of Wong Kar Wai’s “In the Mood with Love.” However, it’s not a rip-off from the both talented directors but more like following the examples of their works. The interesting fact is that Ozpetek was one of the juries at this year’s Venice Film Festival who gave the Golden Lion Award to Lee’s latest piece “Lust| Caution.” From this aspect, it’s very hard to deny the communications between the Eastern and Western cinemas which make the communications of people around the globe more efficient and deeper.
Over all, it’s a story that presents the subject of life and death ultimately. The ones who are still alive deal with the unpredictable changes that come one after another. The ones who are not, despite of not existing physically, leave behind the unexpected influences to others and keep their existence in such a way. Nothing lasts forever, but perhaps we can with our existence in the world.
Film Notes:
Saturno Contro (Against Saturn, 熾愛)
DIRECTED BY: Ferzan Ozpetek
STARRING: Pierfrancesco Favino as Davide, Margherita Buy as Angelica, Stefano Accorsi as Antonio, Luca Argentero as Lorenzo, Ambra Angiolini as Roberta, Ennio Fantastichini as Sergio, Serra Yilmaz as Neval, Isabella Ferrari as Laura
LANGUAGE: Italian with Chinese subtitles
RUNNING TIME: 110 min
TAIWAN RELEASE: September 28th, 2007
Saturno Contro (Against Saturn, 熾愛)
DIRECTED BY: Ferzan Ozpetek
STARRING: Pierfrancesco Favino as Davide, Margherita Buy as Angelica, Stefano Accorsi as Antonio, Luca Argentero as Lorenzo, Ambra Angiolini as Roberta, Ennio Fantastichini as Sergio, Serra Yilmaz as Neval, Isabella Ferrari as Laura
LANGUAGE: Italian with Chinese subtitles
RUNNING TIME: 110 min
TAIWAN RELEASE: September 28th, 2007