An Intimate Portrait of Stanley Kubrick's Right-Hand Man

S is for Stanley opens in New York today. If there ever was a must-see documentary film, this is it.

S is for Stanley, the 2016 David di Donatello winner for Best Documentary, is an intimate story of friendship. It’s the story of the Italian behind the genius of Stanley Kubrick. Without giving the captivating twists and turns of the film away, director Alex Infascelli introduces Emilio D’Alessandro as a young Italian who moves to London to his life-changing introduction to Stanely Kubrick and then the lifetime of working as Kubrick’s right hand man from giving his opinions about actors (was not of fan of Jack Nicholson) to returning a jacket with a broken zipper to feeding the zoo of stray animals on Kubrick’s property to making a cameo role in the last film that Kubrick would make. If you are familiar with Kubrick’s work, this is a fascinating account of how his films came together. If you are not familiar with his work, this is a moving story of friendship and love.

Watch the trailer..

In a director’s note, Infascelli had this to say about the project: “I first heard of Emilio D’Alessandro during an interview with Kubrick’s wife in their house near London. When I read his life story, I was so blown away that I decided I was going to be the one to put it to film. It’s been a beautiful journey that has gotten me very close to the incredible personalities of two men: one of which I thought I knew everything, only to discover I did not know a single thing, the other of which I didn’t know a thing but has left me speechless with his amazing anedoctes. Confronting a giant like Kubrick has been very frightening at the beginning; as I got deeper and deeper, I was scared I would spot Stanley in his underwear! But it did not happen: the grace and dignity with which Emilio recounts those years next to Stanley is moving and gives us the idea of the degree of closeness the two of them had reached. As a director, I decided to limit myself and be sort of a ‘wine decanter’, enhancing the true and full taste of this amazing story. There is one thing I am sure of: after seeing this documentary, watching a Kubrick film will never be the same.”

If you live in New York, do not miss the opportunity to see S is for Stanley, opening tonight at the IFC Center in Manhattan. Click here for the complete schedule.

Comments

Actor Ivan Boragine on Gomorra, Growing up in Napoli and his Love for Theater

Neapolitan actor Ivan Boragine embraces everything that is Napoli. From his pride and passion to his nostalgia and sadness, Napoli is always in his heart. That is why his role in the popular Italian television series Gomorra has been the role of a lifetime. Not only has the worldwide broadcast (64 countries) skyrocketed him to fame, it has given him a way to bring to light the problems and corruption of one generation so that the next could have a better chance. I met with Boragine recently while I was in Rome. I found him to be down-to-earth and honest about the pride and love he has for his culture and also for his art. We spoke a lot about his hometown of Napoli and the impact the Neapolitan theater has had on actors. We also talked about his role in Gomorra and how it fuels his love for acting. Boragine got his start in acting a little over a decade ago when he landed a role in a local theater production of the Neapolitan classic, Miseria e Nobilità (Misery...

Italian Biblical Movies to Watch During Lent

Join me in beginning the Lenten season with my favorite adaptation of one of the Gospels- Pier Paolo Pasolini's 1964 “Il Vangolo Secondo Matteo" (The Gospel According to St. Matthew) and a few classics that I recently discovered. Considered by the Vatican to be among the best film adaptations of the Gospels, Pasolini's film was shot in the regions of Basilicata and Calabria. He cast his mother as Mary and many locals as extras. Spanish actor Enrique Irazoqui was cast in the role of Jesus. He was just 18-years-old when he landed the part. He had been in Rome at the time of casting and auditioned for the role. I contacted Irazoqui around this time last year to ask him about his experience making the film. He suggested that we have a conversation via Skype. Although the connection wasn’t very good, it was thrilling to talk directly with this actor whose film I had been watching for at least 20 years. He was very friendly and nostalgic in his recollections espe...

The Timeless Talent of Stefania Sandrelli

On screen since the age of 14, Stefania Sandrelli has captivated audiences for more than 50 years with a compelling combination of strength and vulnerability. She achieved stardom at just 14, playing the angelic cousin of a love-stricken Marcello Mastroianni in Pietro Germi’s “Divorce Italian Style.” More than half a century later, she is still going strong and remains one of Italy’s most esteemed actors. Sandrelli was born on June 5, 1946, in Viareggio, in the province of Lucca, in northern Italy. As a child, she studied music and dance. Then in 1960, she won a beauty pageant and was featured on the cover of Le Ore magazine. Her purity captivated the country, and shortly thereafter, movie offers began pouring in. Just one year later, she made her cinema debut in three feature films: Mario Sequi’s “Gioventù di notte,” Luciano Salce’s “The Fascist ,” and Pietro Germi’s “Divorce Italian Style.” She instantly became a star and, before long, was a key figure in Italy’s legendary com...

Explore the Immense Historical Archives of Istituto Luce Cinecittà

The historical archives of Istituto Luce Cinecittà offers an extensive online collection of more than 70,000 archival videos dating back to the early 20th century and more than 430,000 photographs. The organization provides free access to the vast digital records of Italy's history and culture, which includes thousands of hours of footage. Topics include cinema, arts, history, politics, sports and current affairs. Three hundred silent films spanning the years of 1927 – 1932 have just been added, some never seen before, with a section dedicated to world travel, entitled “Cinemobile.” Go to https://cinecitta.com and click on “Esplora” on the menu bar and then choose “Archivio Cinematografico” for film or "Archivio Fotografico" for still photos... and then explore! Click here to view one of my favorite film menus on the site... a treasure trove of documentaries made between the 1930s and 1960s. Click here to see gorgeous, rare photos of silent film...

Interview: Cristina Scabbia of Italian Heavy Metal Band- Lacuna Coil

Photo by Jeremy Saffer ( http://store.jeremysaffer.com/collections/tenthirtyoneinc ) Lacuna Coil is a heavy metal band whose unique sound and creative music videos have catapulted them to international stardom. The band consists of Cristina Scabbia and Andrea Ferro on vocals, Marco Coti Zelati on bass, Cristiano Migliore and Marco 'Maus' Biazzi on guitars and Cristiano 'CriZ' Mozzati on drums. All members hail from Milan and bring to the table their own signature talent. A few years ago, the internet buzz about Lacuna Coil's music videos prompted me to check them out on YouTube. I've been hooked ever since. Their videos are creative vignettes shot all over the world, directed by cutting edge filmmakers in Europe and the United States. Although Lacuna coil is considered a heavy metal band, the unique melodies in their songs are rarely found in traditional heavy metal. The range of the band is also something you rarely see in this genre of mus...

Italian Cinema Today

Search This Blog