Taviani brothers’s seventh feature, PADRE PADRONE (“father” and “master”) is their Palme d’or winner, a paradigm-shifting drama based on the true story of Gavino Ledda, who personally bookends and commences the film by handling a stick to Efisio (Antonutti), his draconian father, who then drags a six-year-old Gavino (Forte) out of his classroom and terrorizes the entire class with his deprecation of elementary education.
Born in 1938, Ledda is a Sardinian shepherd boy, illiterate until in his early 20s, by defying his father, eventually he becomes a linguistic professor and author of the autobiographical novel, published in 1975, on which PADRE PADRONE is based. So the story is an ardent rebellion against patriarchal tyranny, a fight for emancipation from feudal crutches and earning independence in a modern world.
Taviani brothers do not pull punches when it comes to a father meting out corporal punishment to his brood. As a kid, Gavino is constantly subjected to a hiding for his childish unruliness, one sequence with Efisio and an unconscious Gavino postured à la pietà particularly strikes a poignant cord early on. Then such feeling is diluted by the droll scenes of pre-teens unleashing their nascent hormone drive on livestocks (a donkey takes it in obedience, but a flock of hens will definitely cause a bedlam).
A twenty-year-old Gavino (Marconi) first expresses his latent desire for culture in music, a bartered wonky accordion becomes his treasure, then, later, a plan of immigrating to Germany falls through short of Efisio’s consent. What comes to his rescue is the days he spends in the military service, where he can quench his thirst for a world that is beyond his tunnel vision without interference (Nanny Moretti has a small role playing a sympathetic compadre). It turns out he is exceptionally good in electronics, language and music.
The irreconcilable chasm between a curious and intelligent son and his mulish and jerkwater-minded father comes to a head in the climax, and their final showdown is visualized in distinct constraint and asperity, its physical tension and emotional strain is almost unbearable. Throughout the entire film, it becomes a knee-jerking reaction for a father to hit his insubordinate son, also results in one of the lasting images from PADRE PADRONE, with Gavino resting his head on Efisio’s knees, and the latter’s hand raising up aloft.
Taviani brothers’s film earns its import for being a fervid advocate of the then unorthodox rejection of patriarchy and paternalism, the land of Sardinia is poetically and lyrically limned with a superb pastoral pastel. Both Antonutti and Marconi are fine performers, the former actually evokes a remarkable impression of Efisio’s interiority out of his rough-hewn designation. Only Marcella Michelangeli’s role as the matriarch is silenced and relegated to the sideline, it is rather odd she doesn’t try to mediate between the two men like any Italian mother will.
PADRE PADRONE acquits itself as a cogent case of generational clash in the transitional period into modernity, also it captures that redolent ambiguity about one’s homeland, like feces dropping in the goat milk, it nurtures but also inevitably hampers us, Ledda’s personal struggle and breakthrough is a legit inspo to the masses.
referential entries: Taviani brothers’s CAESAR MUST DIE (2012, 7.7/10), ALLONSANFAN (1974, 5.2/10); Victor Erice’s EL SUR (1983, 8.3/10); Ermanno Olmi’s THE TREE OF WOODEN CLOGS (1978, 7.9/10).
Title: Padre Padrone
Year: 1977
Country: Italy
Language: Italian, Sardinian, German, Latin
Genre: Drama, Biography
Directors/Screenwriters: Paolo Taviani, Vittorio Taviani
因为听说买来的电影片子不久都会“自杀”，所以最近急着把家里大堆尘封的碟理出来，一一过一遍，可惜印象深的不多，浪费不少时间。昨日里看的一部意大利七七年的电影，《犟老爹》（Padre Padrone，D商查过字典，译为“小牧师帕德龙”，还是错了，其实只消参照英译名就行了“My Father My Master”）倒是部卓而不凡之作。
首先表达一下个人为什么会追求观看电影这件事，有2个目的，一是通过电影既观察这个世界，又能思考人生，欧洲这块大地孕育了太多的人类超强大脑，这些大导演有着超强的对社会以及人类的认知和理解，比如说导演过雾中风景、尤利西斯的凝视的西奥·安哲罗普洛斯，白丝带的迈克尔・哈内克，都灵之马的贝拉·塔尔等等等，另一个目的就是追逐，欣赏并模仿哪些既高贵又丰富的灵魂，比如凯瑟琳·赫本、曼玉等等。
本片是意大利导演塔维亚尼兄弟首部扬威国际影坛的力作，获得了第30届戛纳电影节金棕榈大奖。这个影片改编自意大利语言学家兼小说家佳维诺莱达自学成功的真实故事。
影片中男主有3次割唇，第1次是为了撒谎，为了掩盖自己用2只羊换了1架坏掉的手风琴，说明了孩子当时对于父亲的极度恐惧，有一次犯错后直接被打晕，这次的割唇代表了童年时代孩子的惊恐，懦弱，无知，被差不多同龄的，已经闯荡过江湖的2个孩子轻松骗过（这个购买的过程，孩子也想表现的像大人那样老练的过程非常的耐看，有戏剧性）；第2次割唇是参军后，极度自卑，为了逃避课堂上回答问题而割唇，说明了孩子虽然是青年了，但是初次离家见识这个世界，不会说普通话也没有知识，被大城市见过世面的众人排挤，自身已经抑郁起来（那个面向窗户的背影）；第3次割唇实际是割了他一直以来惧怕的父亲，说明了孩子的成长，实现了一次“弑父”的过程，影片中好看的是父亲从暴怒到惊喜，孩子终于长大了，作为老父亲坐在床边欣慰了，再也没有力气打孩子了，抬起的手自然是又落下了。
这部影片的好处是可以通过多角度解读这个父子情，片头及片尾的时空呼应，展示了孩子在35岁的时候，实现了对父亲的和解，自己亲自削了那根木棍让父亲拿着它把自己从喜爱的课堂上赶出去（片中孩子吓尿了的镜头，父亲再次回班后班里孩子们的内心独白非常震撼，说明孩子们都是强烈渴望上学的），他已经理解了父亲变卖家产送他出去见识世界的想法及对他离开父亲时父亲对他深深的不舍。他终于从一个被羊都能欺负的怂孩子成长为了一个主动削木棍给父亲的男人；再一个，从父亲的角度，那段从左到右走路的画面，详细刻画了父亲的内心，他自觉年龄大了，为了给孩子谋个生存之路，他宁愿承担谋杀主人的罪行，当时他自己也提到手脚是抖的，但在孩子从军回来后，已经开始冒犯他了（这里面处理特别细致的是孩子挠了嘴唇但是并没有拿刀割破），他感觉到了孩子的成长，从右往左赶回家，甚至走着走着轻快的跑了起来，同时画面的背景音乐响起，这段描写实际是这个影片的高潮。
这个片子的细节太多，每帧画面都故事满满，饱含了对人世间的深情款款，充分体现了这个片子的命题：父爱如山。为人间注入了一份爱，代表了主创人员对这个麻木世界的一份抗争，非常的深沉，实属珍品！
Taviani brothers’s seventh feature, PADRE PADRONE (“father” and “master”) is their Palme d’or winner, a paradigm-shifting drama based on the true story of Gavino Ledda, who personally bookends and commences the film by handling a stick to Efisio (Antonutti), his draconian father, who then drags a six-year-old Gavino (Forte) out of his classroom and terrorizes the entire class with his deprecation of elementary education.
Born in 1938, Ledda is a Sardinian shepherd boy, illiterate until in his early 20s, by defying his father, eventually he becomes a linguistic professor and author of the autobiographical novel, published in 1975, on which PADRE PADRONE is based. So the story is an ardent rebellion against patriarchal tyranny, a fight for emancipation from feudal crutches and earning independence in a modern world.
Taviani brothers do not pull punches when it comes to a father meting out corporal punishment to his brood. As a kid, Gavino is constantly subjected to a hiding for his childish unruliness, one sequence with Efisio and an unconscious Gavino postured à la pietà particularly strikes a poignant cord early on. Then such feeling is diluted by the droll scenes of pre-teens unleashing their nascent hormone drive on livestocks (a donkey takes it in obedience, but a flock of hens will definitely cause a bedlam).
A twenty-year-old Gavino (Marconi) first expresses his latent desire for culture in music, a bartered wonky accordion becomes his treasure, then, later, a plan of immigrating to Germany falls through short of Efisio’s consent. What comes to his rescue is the days he spends in the military service, where he can quench his thirst for a world that is beyond his tunnel vision without interference (Nanny Moretti has a small role playing a sympathetic compadre). It turns out he is exceptionally good in electronics, language and music.
The irreconcilable chasm between a curious and intelligent son and his mulish and jerkwater-minded father comes to a head in the climax, and their final showdown is visualized in distinct constraint and asperity, its physical tension and emotional strain is almost unbearable. Throughout the entire film, it becomes a knee-jerking reaction for a father to hit his insubordinate son, also results in one of the lasting images from PADRE PADRONE, with Gavino resting his head on Efisio’s knees, and the latter’s hand raising up aloft.
Taviani brothers’s film earns its import for being a fervid advocate of the then unorthodox rejection of patriarchy and paternalism, the land of Sardinia is poetically and lyrically limned with a superb pastoral pastel. Both Antonutti and Marconi are fine performers, the former actually evokes a remarkable impression of Efisio’s interiority out of his rough-hewn designation. Only Marcella Michelangeli’s role as the matriarch is silenced and relegated to the sideline, it is rather odd she doesn’t try to mediate between the two men like any Italian mother will.
PADRE PADRONE acquits itself as a cogent case of generational clash in the transitional period into modernity, also it captures that redolent ambiguity about one’s homeland, like feces dropping in the goat milk, it nurtures but also inevitably hampers us, Ledda’s personal struggle and breakthrough is a legit inspo to the masses.
referential entries: Taviani brothers’s CAESAR MUST DIE (2012, 7.7/10), ALLONSANFAN (1974, 5.2/10); Victor Erice’s EL SUR (1983, 8.3/10); Ermanno Olmi’s THE TREE OF WOODEN CLOGS (1978, 7.9/10).
为什么父亲希望儿子成为牧羊人？
不管是在任何一个国家或者任何一个时代，由于贫穷导致的愚昧无知进而引发的悲剧事件不在少数，偏远山区的愚顽，麻木以及对教育的淡漠是一切悲剧事件的根源。面对自身所处的困境，不管是儿子还是父亲都在用自己的方式改变现状。村里的富人被杀，父亲买下富人手中的橄榄园，一场天灾之后，所有的希望划为幻影，他又开始安排家里人的工作。有时候，我们观看一部电影，似乎所有的灾难都降临在了穷人的身上，而富人的生活依然如鱼得水。从电影本身的属性上来讲，来源于生活的艺术自然是取材于现实，但是为了加深感受，往往会进行一系列的夸张手段。很多现实主义题材的电影想要传达给观众的并不是电影本身的忧伤与悲喜，而是时代之下的小人物的生活状态，以小见大，从个人反映社会，时代，国家等等。
维斯康蒂认为，新现实主义主要是内容，能够把现实中的普通人，尤其是出于社会边缘或者底层劳苦大众作为荧幕中的主人公，表现出人道主义的立场。在本片中，不管是愚昧无知的父亲，还是神经兮兮的母亲都采用了一种温情的笔触加以刻画。儿子和父亲之间的矛盾升级，缓和，贫穷生活中的苦中作乐等等，都带有一种积极的态度。
贫穷是最大的羁绊
衣食无忧的生活每个人都向往并且为之追求，然而生活并不像我们想象的那般简单，任何一场突如其来的变故都可能使我们的生活出现悲剧。然而，贫穷，使我们不得不妥协。比如理想，比如明天，比如未来。父亲剥夺了儿子对生活的选择权是因为贫穷，儿子不得不接受父亲为自己做出的选择是因为贫穷，爱漂亮的母亲不得不在劳作中增加衰老的速度还是因为贫穷。社会发展到今天，贫穷已经不再是个人问题，而是整个社会的问题，贫富两极分化，生产资料被强制占有，农村教育体系不完善等。
《我父我主》除了精彩的故事以外，还让我们领略到了撒丁岛的风情，沙沙作响的栎树，潺潺流淌的小河，达达的马蹄，静寂的农场。在这些美轮美奂的风景之下是一个小男孩的无望和惶恐。熟悉的生活环境并没有给他带来一丝安慰，反而成为他的精神负担。影片最大的亮点就是拍摄手法，虽然采用的是主动叙事的方式，但是并没有让牧羊人作为第一人称来进行叙事这个故事，观众在欣赏这部电影的时候，看见的只是一个孩子的成长史，知道影片的结尾和开头形成呼应和契合的时候，本片的叙事结构才呈现出完整的状态。
影片中有一句台词，“今天是他，明天将会是你们。”贫穷不仅仅是牧羊人一家面临的问题，也是无数正在成长的孩子面临的问题。导演把这样的命题抛给观众，留下的是对无法改变现状的无可奈何之感。当教堂的声音在广袤的平原上回响的时候，一颗希望的种子在小小牧羊人的心中逐渐落地，生根。
故事很简单，也很真实：一个撒丁岛的牧羊人，长到二十岁，一口撒丁岛土语，不识一字，父亲送他从军，原指望他见见世面。哪知道儿子在军中发愤，居然在语言方面小有成就，后来成了一个语言学家，把自己的经历写成一本书。电影就是根据这本书拍摄的，作者本人也在影片首尾出现。
光看这个故事大概，似乎很像好莱坞式的脚本大纲，其实这只是影片中最不起眼的一个线索。但我只能这样说，因为这部影片是无法用故事化的方式来叙述的。
或者换种方式说：整部一百分钟的电影都在拍那颗矗立在撒丁岛荒瘠原野上的橡树，在呼啸的海风中它会发出奇特的轰鸣，和钟声混在一起，如同这片荒原、村庄、荒原上的牧人一样古老。牧人们将它称之为“撒丁岛的圣树”。它是荒蛮土地的象征，原野上满是粗砺的石块和荆棘。主人公从小就被父亲从课堂里赶回荒原，他想逃脱这里，但最后他发现即使已经成为语言学家，他也无法逃脱这颗橡树。最后的镜头是作者在寒风中回到家乡，坐在碎石堆中，就像一颗古橡树。
撒丁岛有自己的音乐，非常特别，在影片中葬礼上能听到，绝非意大利式的美声，那是“竖”着发声的，而撒丁岛人唱歌是扁嘴“横”着吼出来的（像极了信天游的唱法），形成一个三度或四度音程的合唱，单调的旋律来回吼，基本构架是3--︱4--︱5--︱3--:‖。相比之下，过路的手风琴艺人拉的约翰·施特劳斯《蝙蝠》像在许诺一个遥远的美景，莫扎特更是脆弱得无法在这片土地上生存，狂怒的父亲把正在播放《单簧管协奏曲—慢板》的收音机泡进水槽，因为儿子胆敢为温习语言学教程而拒绝出工。
电影对撒丁岛生活的描写近乎“真实主义”，不带一丝遮掩，譬如拍牧民用骡子发泄性欲，他们未成年的孩子就去抓绵羊或是母鸡来开苞；村民间的仇杀，按照古老的野蛮习俗，咬掉死者的脚趾。导演故意用颗粒粗糙的洗印效果和笨拙的剪辑插入方式来强化，存心要打碎人们对乡村田园生活的幻想。相比之下《天堂电影院》和《西西里岛的美丽传说》（都是Tornatore拍的口味甜腻的作品）就像肥皂泡一样虚假。
来自穷乡僻壤的父子故事，写实的镜头，沧桑的画面带来的是最直观的年代感。童年时被父权蛮横的压迫带来成年后坚定的反抗，主人公的人生历程除了励志以外更多的是一种对苦难人生的参透，饱含深意的结尾也带来无尽的忧伤和感叹。