© the eyeranian

Roberto Benigni

I just finished watching Roberto Benigni's Pinocchio. I must admit, this is not my favorite Benigni film. To begin with, I think casting him in the title role was a mistake. Somehow accepting his receding hairline to be that of a child never allowed me to look past the "reality" barriers and enter a world of make-believe.

What I found very interesting though is how Disney's Pinocchio has become the standard image we think of, when this famous story is told. The fairy, Cricket, Gepetto, the Fox and the Cat are all from this classic Italian story, something Benigni tried to re-claim (perhaps unsuccessfully) for his people.

It is still worth looking into, if you haven't seen it yet. The imagery is unique, so is the set and some of the scenes are just beautiful. My favorite Benigni film though, is still Life is Beautiful. The one that always reminds me of my sister, who is the true Principessa in my life, forever.

Posted by Pedram at December 9, 2003 11:10 PM