Italian director Gillo Pontecorvo passed away last Thursday, on October 12, 2006, at the age of 86 years. On Friday, the RomaCinemaFest began, and several tributes were planned for Pontecorvo, including a screening of The Battle of Algiers, the film for which he is most known.
For those who have not yet seen The Battle of Algiers, I cannot urge you enough to do so. In my opinion, it is not only one of the best films in the history of cinema, but it is one of the most historically important and most timeless films that you will see. Accented by one of Ennio Morricone's best film scores, it is truly a poweful piece in cinema history. And I can particularly recommend seeking out the Criterion Collection release of the film, as it is one of the most complete DVD packages I have ever seen, including several documentaries which provide historical insight as well as current socio-political observations.
Gillo Pontecorvo was a true gift to cinema and to the world.
One announcement drew much gossip and chattering, as director Martin Scorsese announced that he would be taking a break from making high budget films. Incidentally, Scorsese's latest film, The Departed, has been performing surprisingly well, only slightly falling to second place for this past weekend's box office total. Many expect that The Departed will be Scorsese's most commercially successful film.
According to Hollywood Reporter:
"I think I am figuring out that when a film has a very big budget that means that fewer risks can be taken," Scorsese said. "I don't know how much longer I can hold out in regard to the kind of movie the major studios would like to make and the kind of film I would like to make." [...]
His next film will be a low-budget departure for him, Scorsese said: an adaptation of Shusaku Endo's novel "Silence," which tells the story of two 17th century Portuguese missionaries who travel to Imperial Japan and witness the persecution of Japanese Christians.
" 'Silence' is a small-scale, lower-budget film that I have wanted to make for 15 years," Scorsese said. "I am looking forward to this a great deal."
I am personally looking forward to Scorsese's Silence, and if his previous journey to Asian culture, Kundun, is any indication of what to expect, then his next film may indeed be something spectacular.
