Von Luft und Liebe

I loved "Volere Volare." It's a difficult movie to describe, and should not be categorized as simply a "foreign film" or a "comedy," because it is not wholly either. It is the absurdly original love story of a "social worker," unique in her ability to fulfill her clients' strangest sexual fantasies (but no, they are not *that* strange, for the purpose is merely to indulge the viewer by bringing to life his own never-articulated desires) without reducing the film to trite pornography. It can only be called a "Weekend Marathon Movie," because that is exactly the function it serves to a T. The characters in this movie appreciate the simple pleasures of life -- from watching our heroine shower or bathe to decorating her body in assorted frostings and candies -- which brings the movie a light-hearted tone unmatched in most pictures that delight in being dirty. The key to "Volere Volare" is its innocence, most easily seen in the eccentric sound effects expert who falls for the mysterious woman he keeps running into on the street. This movie is perfect for long film-fests put on by tired teenagers in the basements of suburbia. When I want to watch a movie with friends, the last thing on my mind is "Scream 2" or "South Park." I want something that can repeatedly surprise me; something that never considers the formula Hollywood can't shake from its unoriginal head. I want to laugh until my sides hurt, and look around the room to see I'm not alone in my amused sentiment. I want complete originality from someone unconcerned with expensive special effects and blockbuster box office grosses. I want something fresh.

"Volere Volare" might be too large a leap for many, and I know that. But it is the PERFECT movie for anyone trying to pick six or seven movies for a marathon session in front of the VCR. This is a party movie, akin to "Run Virgin Run" (which is not yet on the database) and, to a lesser extent, "Being John Malkovich" (I'm a bit hesitant to include Charlie Kaufman's brainchild, far and away the best film ever made, in such a specific category, as it is the epitomy of everything a movie should be and not just a "good party film"). I guarantee that if you rent "Volere Volare," you will be beaming by the time the credits roll.

Fond memories of 'The Icicle Thief' (1989) aren't enough to salvage this 1991 comedy by Maurizio Nichetti, which doesn't add up to anything more than a single, admittedly slim plot twist padded to feature length. Nichetti himself plays an unfortunate movie technician who spends most of the film collecting sound effects for cartoons; he eventually crosses paths with a jaded working woman who services the kinky (but innocent) fantasies of wealthy perverts, and then he turns into a cartoon. The gimmick is never explained, much less developed (it would be interesting to speculate what the final bedroom frolic must have looked like before Nichetti's animated alter ego was penciled into it), and the blend of live action and animation might have been more exciting if Roger Rabbit had never existed. Elsewhere Nichetti plagiarizes a few sight gags from Jacques Tati, and includes a lot of silly audio effects recalling the interminable swallowed whistle scene in Chaplin's 'City Lights'. His affection for classic silent comedy is admirable, but it just isn't possible anymore to recreate the same sort of charm and humor.

A lightweight, intermittently appealing movie of more than dubious sexual attitudes (are we supposed to think that Martina's prostitution -- for that's what it adds up to -- is charming just because the clients are weird? And their fetishes are not so terribly original.) However, there are some extremely funny moments. The dubbing of the blue movie is not to be missed.

Do I have to compare? With Roger Rabbitt or Mask? Please, don't! Because this great Italian film have more than Hollywood movies mixing humans with cartoons: it had cinematographic qualities, a simple but strong story, and originality. American models had only special effets. Nichetti puts his European sensibility and savoir-faire in a delightfull comedy, full of pretty funny gags (as an other viewers says, don't miss the dubbing of the blue movie!) See it again and again! It's better every time!One of the true original comedies of the 1990's.

The fact that Maurizio Nichetti longed to become a real cartoon was almost predictable: it was just the displaying of his intimate nature, with his resemblance to weird and funny stached little men of old movies, just like Grucho Marx (who ended up as a comic caracther in Dylan Dog's series), with impressive mimic abilities and a never ending sense of innocence and stupidity, in which the latter must not be seen negatively, but as the attitude of never gaining synchronism with the world. That's maybe the reason why he finally conquers a bi-dimensional life, just because a cartoon is a being of pure light. It is a sort of transfiguration, the achievement of a nearly godly state, that makes the meaning of this film much more complicated than one may think.