The films of Elio Petri

He's undergone something of a revival as of late, with Arrow Academy and Shameless re-releasing some of his work.

Investigations Of A Citizen Above Suspicion remains a masterpiece and a great view at how authority works in Soutthern European countries. One of the best Volonté performances, too.

I remember liking We Still Kill The Old Way but unfortunately I saw it very close to De Rosi's Salvatore Giuliano and now have trouble distinguishing what happens in one and the other. Do remember the explanation of the title - a Sicilian expressing surprise at the car bombings happening on the mainland - being a delicious moment tho.

L'Assassino has some of that b&w Antonioni-infused come dressed as the sick soul of Europe vibe but this being Petri it's within a much more politicized context, disillusionment with the Wirtschaftswunder etc. There's also claims made for it as the first giallo, which I think is pushing it.

Saw Property Is No Longer A Theft yesterday and it's probably my least favourite so far, though also the most ambitious, both formally (fourth wall breaking monologues, no realist base for the absurdism to bounce off against) and thematically (a critique of property itself rather harder to pull off than poking fun at police authority or organized crime). The original concept - a bank teller who is allergic to money - is a corker, and I think it could possibly have revealed more within a more (magical) realist framing? Also, Petri (like seemingly every Italian director of the 60's and 70's except maybe Germi) is not very good on women, and the clumsy attempts at nods towards feminism in this highlight the cavalier attitude towards boob shots and slapping girls around rather than alleviating it/making me believe there's something more noble trying to be said.

Hope the re-releases keep coming, he's fast becoming one of my favourite directors.

I took a long time to get into Italian art cinema because its most prominent movement, the neo realists, always strcuk me as a bit dour and traditional. And I have a real hard time with Italian sentimentality, all those bambini and crying madonnas.

So what was happening during the 60's is much more my speed, and imo underdiscussed - Petri, Rosi, Germi, the Taviani Brothers. There also seems to be more of a connection between people like Petri and Italian commercial/genre cinema, long an interest of mine.

Just watched Investigation of a citizen above suspicion for the first time (top-notch 4K bluray transfer). So good and Volonté absolutely kills it. The mix of giallo, psych and comedy is quite unique too.

Finally caught up with Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion (leaving Criterion Channel at the end of the month), and yeah, it rocks. Why do I recognize the Morricone score, though? Was it used elsewhere?

isnt the theme heavy on the jews harp? might be reminding you of other EM scores.