straight from IMDB
American director Quentin Tarantino has angered the Italian movie industry after calling the country’s contemporary cinema “depressing.” The Grindhouse filmmaker is a well-known admirer of Italian cinema in the '60s and '70s, with a particular love of ‘spaghetti’ westerns and the giallo thriller genre. Tarantino, whose favourite movie is Sergio Leone’s 1969 classic The Good, The Bad & The Ugly, said, “New Italian cinema is just depressing. Recent films I’ve seen are all the same. They talk about boys growing up, or girls growing up, or couples having a crisis, or vacations of the mentally impaired.” Veteran actress Sophia Loren has reportedly hit back, “How dare he talk about Italian cinema when he doesn’t know anything about American cinema?” Elsewhere, daily newspaper L’Unita has called Tarantino “mentally impaired” and not the Italian film industry
all i have to is what a bitch, and that quint would prob no more than her about it…
Haha, that’s funny, I haven’t seen any new Italian films, but they might be as he says, I’ve no reason not to believe him. European cinema of the nowadays IS really depressing in many cases, there’s too much humanity, it’s exploited, I hate watching films about the mentally impaired or poor people struggling through hard life, I detest it. It’s like “we’re not afraid to talk about these topics”.
The really interesting thing is that Italians took it as an insult, insecure bastards. Tarantino is like the last person I’d say doesn’t know anything about American cinema. I wonder if their reaction would be the same if Marty said the same…
Anyway, I love the scores of Italian 60’s and 70’s cinema, so many amazing talents there.
Tarantino’s right. Italian cinema nowadays is all about teen dramas and toilet comedy. Sad, really.
Partially true but not totally: Romanzo criminale a crime film set in the 70s is great, so is Arrivederci amore ciao by Michele Soavi, or La cosa Nostra has its moments…
I think QT is saying that because he loves Italian cinema so much and is dissapointed that its not as vibrant as it was back in the 20th Century. Hes one of the biggest champions of Italian cinema and hes RIGHT, so they really shouldnt start taking shots at him.
People often say the same about France and Nouvelle Vague. The real cinema was back then during the sixties and there’s nothing valuable anymore nowadays. It’s partially true and I think very much that the French cinema is kinda dead but you can sure find some gems still nowadays. Must be the same with italian cinema, I don’t know enough to know if QT says right or not, but you sure can see that italian cinema lost its influence, its big names, that’s why we may think it’s now depressing.
Thats funny cause I bet Quentin knows more about the countries movies then the people who actually live in the country. And its not just Italy thats making shitty movies(if you know what im saying)to me movies will never be as good as they were in the 60’s,70’s, and 80’s.
[quote=“me”]
to me movies will never be as good as they were in the 60’s,70’s, and 80’s.
[/quote]
yes they will, don’t give up
it’s allways been like that, 500 shitty films for one great movie the world will remember
I bet there were shitty and depressing films in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s too. We just remember the best ones.
[quote=“me”]
Thats funny cause I bet Quentin knows more about the countries movies then the people who actually live in the country.
[/quote]
that is not necessary true. even in the new italian films there are great stuff like the Kim rossi stuart movie. Having say that, the italian film industry that gave all those masterpiece and that was one of the best in the world is dead.
Hi! I’m italian
in italy the words of tarantino had an effect like a bomb!
tarantino said the truth because in the 60 and in the 70 in italy the industry made 450 movies by year. Now only 65.
tarantino loves the pictures of fulci, leone, lenzi, di leo, margheriti, martino, corbucci, tessari,bava. Dead people. Like the italian genre. From eighties giallo, spaghetti western, horror, poliziottesco don’t exist.
Now there are only teen comedies and christmas comedies (like Natale a miami, new york, in india sul Nilo… very shit).
but tarantino forget the the cinema of authors
moretti, sorrentino, garrone, crialese, tornatore, bellocchio, bertolucci, amelio, marra, ecc
these are very good movies
i hope you want to know the new italian cinema
ciao a tutti!
A very interesting point, because I’ve asked myself: What was the last good new Italian movie, that I recently saw? I’m not into Moretti or Bellocchio, Tornatore’s last great one was MALENA (2000) and there was a quite good new Giallo, EYES OF CRYSTAL, but what else? I think, that’s it.
[quote=“William Cutting”]
A very interesting point, because I’ve asked myself: What was the last good new Italian movie, that I recently saw? I’m not into Moretti or Bellocchio, Tornatore’s last great one was MALENA (2000) and there was a quite good new Giallo, EYES OF CRYSTAL, but what else? I think, that’s it.
[/quote]
the last soavi and the last placido are good
I think the main reason QT said what he did was to put a fire under Italy’s ass, hoping that they would start making lots of great movies again. Not just 1 or 2 here and there.
What he said is the honest truth. Todays Italian cinema just isnt as great as it once was. Actually almost all European cinema isnt what it once was.
[quote=“Pete”]
I think the main reason QT said what he did was to put a fire under Italy’s ass, hoping that they would start making lots of great movies again.
[/quote]
you may be right… let’s ask HIM!
What he said applies to a lot of countries. It’s fucking true and it’s fucking depressing.
I’d even say the same thing about Australia. Although Australia has always been like this. It goes up and then down and then up and then down.
Knowing Tarantino, I’d say he’s really talking about genre films. Europe and Australia and Asia are moving away from genre films. We are getting these subtle dramas in place of giallo, kung fu and Mad Max.
[quote=“Pete”]
What he said is the honest truth. Todays Italian cinema just isnt as great as it once was. Actually almost all European cinema isnt what it once was.
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we can say the same about Japanese cinema, chinese cinema and, more than any other, american cinema !! the great cinema wasn’t made yesterday but the day before yesterday!!
[quote=“tonyanthony”]
we can say the same about Japanese cinema, chinese cinema and, more than any other, american cinema !! the great cinema wasn’t made yesterday but the day before yesterday!!
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I disagree. American cinema is the only cinema that has consistently released great films since the 1930’s. It only seems like it’s gotten worse because we only look at the great films of the past and forget about all the bad ones that have been made. But QT is right about Italian cinema being disappointing lately. In fact, most of European cinema, except for Spain’s Pedro Almodovar, has been pretty dissappointing. I completely agree with Pete. It’s not like the talent’s not there, they just need someone to put a fire under their asses.
Tony: I think Asian cinema is actually leading right now in world cinema. Over the last 10 years theres been a huge explosion out of there.
yes it’s disapointing because the industry died 20 years ago. but hollywood?? Please… If, over one year, there are 4 films that I love (not like, love) that come from Hollywood I feel like it’s a very good ratio. But just take any year, randomly 1956, 1972… 1961… whatever and you will always find 6/7/…10 and more great films even sometimes 10 MASTERPIECES in one year. And that’s that. I don’t agree with “the time will tell” routine: 20 years from now, I still won’t like Matrix. As far as comedy is concerned how Scary movie 3 can compete with Sturges or Lubitsch or Hawks?? Don’t get me wrong I’m not a Hollywood basher, Scary movie 3 made me laugh but still… And you really expect the Italian cinema to change and go back to its golden age just because Tarantino said he don’t like the films that are made now???
Italy probably wont get better and thats too bad. So in a way even though QT said that, it doesnt really mean jack. It was the truth and if you disagree you’re just in denial (Im talkin to YOU Sophia) 
Hollywood will always be the leader in moviemaking simply because we make tons of movies, not because theyre all great.