Rogopag

Rosselini's "Chastity" deals with an attractive air hostess who receives the unwelcome attentions of a middle aged American. Godard's "New World" illustrates a post-apocalypse world the same as the pre-apocalyptic one but for an enigmatic change in attitude in most people, including the central character's girlfriend. In Pasolini's "Curd Cheese", a lavish film about the life of Jesus Christ is being made in a poor area. The impoverished people subject themselves to various indignities in the name of movie-making in order to win a little food. The central character is hoisted up on a cross for filming, and dies there. Finally comes Gregoretti's "Free Range Chicken" in which a family of the materialist culture inadvertently illustrate the cynical, metallic voiced doctrine of a top sales theorist.

If IMDb is to be believed, not too many people have actually seen this film. And I have to wonder why, when it has three or four of the biggest names in Italian cinema, not to mention Orson Welles. This makes a great introduction to Italian film for those who need such an introduction. Others have compared it to "Four Rooms", which is an interesting parallel. Stylistically, the two have nothing in common, but it does have that interesting approach of four different directors creating one film...

1) "Illibatezza" ("Pureza" – "Purity") – Director: "Roberto Rossellini" - A Boring Tale of Obsession

The Alitalia flight attendant Ana Maria (Rosanna Schiaffino) is harassed by the middle-aged American executive Joe (Bruce Balaban). A psychiatrist gives an orientation to her fiancé Carlo (Carlo Zappavigna), advising Ana Maria to behave like a slut, since the maniac is attracted by her chastity.

This first segment of "Ro.Go.Pa.G." is very disappointing, especially because of the name of Roberto Rossellini in the direction. This boring tale of obsession is neither funny nor dramatic, and seems to be only an advertisement of Italian air flight company Alitalia. My vote is four.

2) "Il Nuovo Mondo" ("O Novo Mundo" – "The New World") – Director: Jean-Luc Godard - A Dated Romance

The boy-friend of the gorgeous Alessandra (Alexandra Stewart) is hardly sleeping, so obsessed he is for her. When she confesses that she is also in love with him, he sleeps for two consecutive days. When he wakes-up, he reads in the newspaper that there was an atomic super-explosion over Paris, but the specialists advise that without any effect in the population. However, Alessandra changes her behavior, ex-loving him, and he feels that a new world without logic and freedom may be arising.

This second segment of "Ro.Go.Pa.G." is also very disappointing and absolutely dated in the theme and behavior, with every character smoking cigarettes all the time. It is a clear criticism to the menace of an atomic explosion in times of Cold War, and the absolutism of a world without freedom. The narrative in off makes the viewer expect some intriguing conclusion, but in the end it is completely failed and boring. My vote is four.

3) "La ricotta" ("A Ricota") – Director: Pier Paolo Pasolini - An Acid View of the Catholicism and the Dominant Classes

While shooting "The Passion of Christ" in the periphery of Rome, the arrogant director (Orson Welles), actors, actresses and cast show their lack compassion with the poor and famine Stracci (Mario Cipriani).

This segment is a very acid view of the Catholicism, and a criticism to the bourgeoisie and the behavior of the human beings in general. The character of Stracci symbolizes the poor people in the world, and how despised they are by the hypocrite dominant classes and the Catholic Church that prays for them. The use of black and white to represent the reality, and colors the fiction of the cinema world is also great. My vote is seven.

4) "Il Pollo Ruspante" ("Frango Caseiro" – "Home Cockerel") – Director: Ugo Gregoretti - Powerful Criticism to Consumerism and Capitalism

While traveling to see a field nearby a lake, a family does not resist to the appeal of the consumerism. Meanwhile, a famous professor presents to the dominant classes, procedures to increase the consumerism of ordinary people.

This segment is a very explicit criticism to the exaggerated consumerism in the society. The scene when Togni (Ugo Tognazzi) and his middle class family goes to the restaurant is memorable. My vote is seven.

My global vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Ro.Go.Pa.G."

In all, RoGoPaG is not a great film, but Pier Paolo Pasolini's segment, "La ricotta", is one of the controversial Italian director's best film alogside his "Momma Roma", "Accatone", "Teorema", and (many others will disagree and appalled with this) "Salo". It works as a parody on Hollywood-styled religious epics, false religious faith, harsh life of the lower class, and revelation on the bitterness of life as an outsider (with Orson Welles playing a director and with his reading of Pasolini's poem from "Momma Roma" to a reporter who cared nothing but useless interviews). It's a multi-layered film, but is also enjoyable. (As a footnote, the segment was condemned by the Italian Catholic church and the entire film was held from release until the segment was edited slightly. It is not, however, in any way, blasphemous.)

I think Godard's segment is the best of this quartet: it is a quiet but powerful science-fiction story of the kind "The Twilight Zone" would have aired if that show were half as cerebral as it pretended to be. It reminds me a bit of Chris Marker's "La Jetee." Pasolini's film, by contrast, is of little interest to those of us who aren't tortured ex-Catholics; Rosselini's is pointless and boring; and Gregoretti's is a belabored presentation of a single joke -- and not a particularly funny or insightful joke at that.

"La Ricotta" is Pasolini at his peak, and I find it truly connected to the original spirit of catholicism; we should see every other human being, specially if he´s poor or suffers, as Stracci. We usually act like the players who mock him. "Pollo ruspante" is also good, funny and witty. Godard's segment spoils the film: it is boring, pretentious and lacks spine.