At the beginning of "Teorema", in a
wordless, sepia-tinged montage, we are introduced to almost all the main
characters in Pasolini's film. It's a clever device, almost
Hitchcockian, and it could be the beginning of a thriller, though being a
Pasolini film we know this won't be a thriller. The character who
doesn't appear in this montage is played by Terence Stamp but suddenly
there he is right in the middle of things and his affect on everyone is
profound. Who is he and why is he here? It's never made clear, of
course. Although a very physical presence his role is allegorical. Is he
an angel, (there is a strong religious element in the picture), or a
devil or simply a seducer since he does seem to have sex with everyone
in the family, male and female, including the maid who ends up
levitating and performing miracles. He certainly affords everyone a form
of release, turning their lives upside down and with it their
bourgeoisie pretentions. If we are going to tear down the bourgeoisie we
may as well do it with sex; it's a lot more fun than beating them
to death.
Stamp, of course, remains the most beautiful thing on screen though Silvana Mangano as the mother gives him a run for his money. No-one really has to act; all they simply have to do is respond to Pasolini's camera and, with no real narrative structure, that's fairly easy. Sex may be Pasolin's weapon of choice but the film is quite clearly a Marxist 'fantasy' and is also very obviously the work of a gay director. I'm not so sure anymore if it's the masterpiece I thought it was all those years ago bu it stands up remarkably well and remains one of the great Italian films of its decade.
Stamp, of course, remains the most beautiful thing on screen though Silvana Mangano as the mother gives him a run for his money. No-one really has to act; all they simply have to do is respond to Pasolini's camera and, with no real narrative structure, that's fairly easy. Sex may be Pasolin's weapon of choice but the film is quite clearly a Marxist 'fantasy' and is also very obviously the work of a gay director. I'm not so sure anymore if it's the masterpiece I thought it was all those years ago bu it stands up remarkably well and remains one of the great Italian films of its decade.
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