Abel Ferrara

First off, I will tell you that I am a huge film fan. So much so, that I have hundreds of biographies of Hollywood, the Golden Era, actors, directors, studios, etc. There isn't much that I haven't researched and read up to this point. I will also tell you that I own thousands of films, most from the Golden Era of Hollywood.

Now I will tell you that occasionally I watch films that are from a later era, (anything past 1960) but not often. I have heard very little of Mr. Ferrara, but being a fan show more of Christopher Walken, I have seen King of New York. Giving you what I know (or did know before reading this) of Mr. Ferrara. While this isn't the most fascinating memoir that I've read, it is the grittiest, digging deep into the soul of this director and who he is.

I don't believe in drugs and I don't drink, so my view may be skewed somewhat, but I never judge others on what they do in their private lives. That's not for me to do. Yet I felt something while reading this; something akin to empathy for him. Struggling with addictions is always difficult; people don't always make it. But surrounding yourself with others doing the same things perhaps isn't the best thing to do, so I couldn't feel sorry for him (Empathy and sorrow are two different things).

This memoir is raw, giving us everything from his being born and raised in the Bronx; living with a father who had addictions of his own; his family members, and people he knew along the way. Some you won't like, others you might. His upbringing wasn't easy. But his journey to making films was never tempered, he always knew what he wanted to do. He is not by any means a part of Hollywood, but the Indie scene captivated him in the fact that it allowed him to make the type of films he wants to.

Lastly, I will say that this memoir was definitely intriguing the more I read, and while his films might never be my favorites (as I stated above, I love the Golden Age of Hollywood), I know what part of his soul he put into making them, and that makes all the difference. Recommended.

I was given an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review. show less

R

Kate, studentessa di filosofia attenta alle manifestazioni del male nel mondo, viene attratta da un gruppo di succhiatori di sangue a New York. Continua le sue ricerche mentre aumenta il suo bisogno di sangue. Tossicodipendenza e vampirismo finiscono con l'equivalersi in questo film in cui Ferrara tenta la strutturazione di un saggio filosofico per immaginario grazie all'indispensabile collaborazione di Nicholas St.John. Il bianco e nero angosciante in cui si muove un Walken magistrale show more affiancato da una Taylor altrettanto brava diviene uno spazio 'altro' rispetto al cinema autodivorante di Ferrara. (fonte: Mymovies) show less

Le film vaut essentiellement d'être vu pour le jeu de Willem Dafoe dans le rôle de Pasolini vivant ses derniers jours dans la ville éternelle, avant de se faire sauvagement assassiner sur la plage d'Ostie en Italie (la scène de rage homophobe est d'une grande brutalité).
Que dire par ailleurs de la juxtaposition de scènes souvent racoleuses et totalement dénuées de lyrisme? La sexualité brute et démonstrative s'exhibe en public dans des scènes bien filmées mais plutôt vaines. On show more s'ennuie assez fermement à plusieurs reprises.
En bref, Ferrara ne rend pas le plus bel hommage à celui qui fut un artiste important, en tant qu'écrivain, poète et réalisateur. show less