Top 10 Greatest Italian Film Directors
Published on June 27, 2008 - 79 Comments
The art of Rome contributed immensely (probably more than any other nation) to Western culture. This continued through the middle ages with Church art and music, and now in modern times the Italians continue to be leaders in the art of film. These directors are ten of the greatest Italian contributors to modern movies.
Best Film To Watch: Life is Beautiful
Benigni is the youngest member of this list and he is also probably the most well known to modern audiences. Benigni starred in and directed the tragi-comedy Life is Beautiful, about a Jewish man and his son who end up in a concentration camp. The film was nominated for seven academy awards and Benigni won the best actor and best foreign film award. Benigni has since directed two other films, one being Pinocchio. Benigni is a young director with a great future ahead of him.
Best Film To Watch: One Upon a Time in the West
Leone, best known for his spaghetti westerns, invented the extreme close-up in western films. Leone was born in to movies as his father was a pioneer in cinema and his mother an actress. Leone would often ask his score writer to compose the music before scenes were filmed - the music would then be played to actors during shooting to enhance their performance. Critical opinion of Leone’s film contributions was initially mixed, partly because the spaghetti western was initially considered a low-prestige genre. However, today Leone is widely acclaimed as a master filmmaker.
Best Film To Watch: Mamma Roma (extremely controversial in its time, this film tells the tale of a whore and her son - trying to make a better life).
Pasolini is well known for his shocking and controversial last movie, Salo (The 120 Days of Sodom) - based on the work of the same name by the Marquis de Sade. Pasolini, as a director, created a sort of picaresque neorealism, showing a sad reality (hidden, but concrete) of which many social and political forces had no interest in seeing in artistic work for public distribution. The director also promoted in his works the concept of “natural sacredness,” the idea that the world is holy in and of itself, and does not need any spiritual essence or supernatural blessing to attain this state. Pasolini was an avowed communist, homosexual, and atheist.
Best Film To Watch: Romeo and Juliet
While Zeffirelli’s international claim to fame comes mostly from his 1968 film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, he is probably more well known for having directed the 1977 mini-series Jesus of Nazareth which still plays in many countries every Easter. Whilst in his youth, Zeffirelli studied art and architecture at the University of Florence, and worked with directors such as Vittorio De Sica, Roberto Rossellini and Luchino Visconti. Zeffirelli is also well known for directing operas at the world’s great opera houses. He has come under criticism from the gay community of the world because he supports the Catholic Church’s stance on homosexuality (despite the fact that he is openly gay himself).
Best Film To Watch: Roma città aperta (Set in Rome during Nazi Occupation in World War II)
Rossellini was one of the most important directors of Italian neorealist cinema, a style of film characterized by stories set amongst the poor and working class, filmed on location, frequently using nonprofessional actors. Francois Truffaut (a film critic) noted in a 1963 essay that Rossellini’s influence in France (particularly among the directors who would become part of the Nouvelle Vague) was so great that he was in every sense, “the father of the French New Wave”. He married Ingrid Bergman and was the father of Isabella Rossellini.
Best Film To Watch: Many would say The Damned, but I recommend Death In Venice for having a much stronger emotional impact and stunning cinematography.
Visconti was born into a noble and wealthy family (one of the richest of northern Italy), in Milan. His father was the Duke of Grazzano. Because of his upbringing he was exposed to many great leaders in all of the arts at the time, such as Puccini and Toscanini. Visconti was primarily a neorealist. In 1969, his film The Damned was nominated for an Oscar, bringing him international acclaim. The decadence and lavish beauty of this film are characteristic of Visconti’s aesthetic, and this is apparent in virtually all of his movies. He also happens to be one of my favorite directors.
Best Film To Watch: Two Women (this film tells the story of a woman trying to protect her teenaged daughter from the horrors of war.)
Vittorio De Sica is yet another neorealist director. He was born in poverty and later became an actor. This lead to him to founding his own stage company which presented mostly light comedies. It was during this time that he met Luchino Visconti. He also met with Cesare Zavattini (a brilliant Italian neorealist screenwriter) and began a long career of collaborations with him. His film Two Women starring Sophia Loren is probably his greatest.
Best Film To Watch: The Last Emperor (the tale of China’s last emperor, Aisin-Gioro Puyi.)
Bertolucci is an Academy award winning director. He won best director for his film The Last Emperor (the first western film made in China and about the country to be produced with full Chinese government cooperation since 1949.) Bertolucci’s father was a poet, and as a boy, Bernardo wanted to follow in his footsteps. Bertolucci has produced a large number of hugely successful films, including The Last Tango in Paris.
Best Film To Watch: Blow-up (the story of a photographers involvement in a murder case.)
Antonioni is a modernist film director whose films are considered to be among the most influential in film aesthetics. Born into a well to do family of landowners in Northern Italy, he and his brother spent most of their childhood playing outdoors with friends from poorer families in the area. David Bordwell states that Antonioni’s films were extremely influential on subsequent art films: “more than any other director, he encouraged filmmakers to explore elliptical and open-ended narrative”.
Best Film To Watch: 8 1/2 (frequently cited as one of the finest films ever made.)
Fellini is well known for his distinct style which meshes fantasy and baroque images, and is considered to be one of the most influential and widely revered film-makers of the 20th century. During Mussolini’s Fascist regime, Fellini and his brother, Riccardo, were part of the Avanguardista, the fascist youth group that every adolescent Italian male was obliged to join. Fellini’s works garnered numerous awards, including four Oscars, two Silver Lions, a Palme d’Or and a grand prize at the Moscow International Film Festival.
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1. Otter - June 27th, 2008 at 3:36 am
Great List!!!!
I would have to agree, 8 1/2 is one of the greatest films made and Roberto Benigni’s Life is Beautiful is wonderful as well.
2. Tempyra - June 27th, 2008 at 3:41 am
Wow… I hadn’t heard of any of these directors! Are there no great female Italian directors?
The guy’s hair in #4 is just awesome. If I was old and a man - I’d want hair like that
3. Borka - June 27th, 2008 at 3:49 am
Soon as i saw the list,i knew who`ll be the main man xD
4. tractorbeam - June 27th, 2008 at 3:58 am
francois truffaut is a valuable french director, with films such as the 400 blows, jules and jim, and others. he isn’t just “some writer” like it’s said in rosselinni’s commentary
5. tractorbeam - June 27th, 2008 at 3:59 am
“critic”. sorry
6. MojoRisin - June 27th, 2008 at 4:21 am
I love Michelangelo Antonio. Another awesome film by him is the Passenger, its got jack Nicholson taking on the life of a man who only he knows has died. Not quite as good as blow up but very incredible.
Also if you are including italian americans, you could add Martin Scorsese and maybe even Francis Ford Coppolla (who wasn’t actually born in Italy).
7. Movie_Girl - June 27th, 2008 at 4:27 am
Vincente Minelli
Meet me in St. Louis and Bandwagon
…sigh…
I love those oldies…
Good list, I’ve seen many of the films and look forward to watching the others.
8. Iain - June 27th, 2008 at 4:35 am
I would personally find room for Gillo Pontecorvo - his “Battle of Algiers” (my favourite film) is an absolute masterpiece. Worth watching these days, as it features an early example of an insurgency and a ‘war on terror’ style response.
9. kittym - June 27th, 2008 at 4:43 am
I knew this would be an excellent list when I saw Benigni as the starter, and it just got better! Two Women is such a beautiful, heart-wrenching movie (Sophia Loren is amazing), and I absolutely adore Bertolucci’s and Fellini’s work. EXCELLENT list!
10. dangorironhide - June 27th, 2008 at 5:07 am
My knowledge of films is sadly lacking, I’ve only heard of two of these directors, Leone and Zeffirelli. I have seen the latter’s version of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ though.
11. pankhudi - June 27th, 2008 at 5:07 am
Haven’t heard of any of these directors. Have seen ‘Life is Beautiful’ only.
Hey!!! Isn’t Sofia Coppola also Italian???
12. Randall - June 27th, 2008 at 5:12 am
Fantastic list—I’ve always preferred Italian films and film directors over French ones, same as I prefer Italian wines over French. This one is well-crafted (though never in a million years would I have included Roberto Benigni - in my opinion he made one good film that was way overrated, I think, and after that he’s gone downhill… but at least he’s at number 10).
Fellini is the best known here, but everyone should check out De Sica’s work. In his early years he was, I think, peerless. The Bicycle Thief is a fantastic, moving piece of work.
Rosselini’s “Open City” is a hard film to watch, but is immensely powerful.
13. Tim - June 27th, 2008 at 5:17 am
No Dario Argento? Suspiria anyone!! Other than that good list, although Roberto Bennini annoys me to no end
14. bucslim - June 27th, 2008 at 5:29 am
No complaints here Jamie. A very well thought out list. Two Thumbs Up.
15. warrrreagl - June 27th, 2008 at 5:49 am
Everybody takes away something different from each film, and Sergio Leone made the biggest impression on me with his spaghetti Westerns due to the INCREDIBLE size and loudness of the revolvers. Those dang guns were HUGE and deafening. They filled up the entire screen in some shots. I would never, ever watch “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” on television because so much is lost in the shrinkage of those hand-cannons.
16. chris - June 27th, 2008 at 6:24 am
Dario Argento?
17. DiscHuker - June 27th, 2008 at 7:32 am
i refused to see life is beautiful for some time because my wife saw it first and was crying for hours. obviously, as a man, i wanted nothing to do with this.
some time later, when i felt i was in trouble with the little lady, i rented this movie. needless to say, she had to pass the tissues. what a beautiful story.
18. Dylan - June 27th, 2008 at 8:10 am
Hell yeah Dario Argento!
Zombie fighting a shark is pretty much the coolest thing ever.
19. Phender_Bender - June 27th, 2008 at 8:26 am
My dad is obsessed with about 7 of these guys. In his age he is a little overly zealous of his Italian roots. They do make good movies though, so good list!
20. otay - June 27th, 2008 at 8:38 am
Great list, will have to check some of these movies out.
Jamie….. not sure if there is prob with site or prob with me..i login, then when i go back to the list, im logged out again.
21. Dylan - June 27th, 2008 at 8:40 am
My bad…Zombie fighting shark was Lucio Fulci…d’oh.
It was still awesome.
22. otay - June 27th, 2008 at 8:40 am
Hmmm now i stay logged in after i post a comment. Maybe its just me.
23. Blogball - June 27th, 2008 at 8:48 am
Really nice list! I went through a snobby stage when I was a young adult where I would only see foreign films and thought that anything the US put out was commercial garbage. It’s kind of silly when I look back. I think it was mostly to impress my girlfriend but at least it made me see some of these films that are mentioned in this list. The one director I thought of that might deserve a mention that is not on this list is Lina Wertmüller. She directed the movies Seven Beauties, Swept Away and others.
24. Megatron - June 27th, 2008 at 9:02 am
Two Women is the De Sica film to watch? Really? I dunno, ever hear of a film called The Bicycle Thief? Yeah, it is only considered one of the greatest films ever made. And most critics I know would put Umberto D ahead of Two Women also. Visconti’s masterpieces are The Leopard and Rocco and His Brothers (most would NOT say the Damned).
25. ixora05 - June 27th, 2008 at 9:38 am
wow…I realised my knowledge of film is seriously limited…will go and educate myself! The only director’s name I recognised was Bertolucci.
(and just by the way, the Last Emperor of China’s name was Pu Yi. I don’t know about the Aisin-Gioro bit but I’m pretty sure that’s not part of the name.)
26. AlphabetFish - June 27th, 2008 at 9:44 am
This is really childish, but I think it looks like Bertolucci is trying to look Chinese.
27. goof_ball - June 27th, 2008 at 9:50 am
theses guys are italian?
28. Aaron - June 27th, 2008 at 9:54 am
I did not expect to see Franco Zeffirelli on this list because I didn’t realize he was a film director, I’ve only come across his name in regards to various operas. The man is incredible.
29. uvberot - June 27th, 2008 at 10:02 am
I love pasta!
heh heh..sorry ’bout that.
30. Dante - June 27th, 2008 at 10:19 am
Not a very interesting list.
31. WarningDontReadThis - June 27th, 2008 at 11:10 am
To be honest I’ve never heard of any of them..
Well I can safely say I learned something new today
32. D - June 27th, 2008 at 11:17 am
Roberto Benigni is a one trick pony that does not belong on this list. Dario Argento belongs in his place. IMHO.
33. Christine - June 27th, 2008 at 11:22 am
I loved Life is Beautiful. It is such a sad story but it is told in such a way that it is almost uplifting. I don’t know how that works but it does. Last Emporer was also excellent. Can’t say I’ve seen the works of the others.
34. heavybison - June 27th, 2008 at 11:38 am
The only film i’ve see here is Salo(and u can bet ur life on it…i ain’t gonna watch it again).
We shld really do a list of the 10 most influential directors of all time….
35. Vera Lynn - June 27th, 2008 at 11:48 am
You listed some of my faves; very cool list! And from the comments I have more movies to check out. Thanks all. And I have a feeling that by the end of the day, my list will be longer.
36. JettaKD - June 27th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
I’d recommend Bava and Argento for an extended list but the ones you have here are far to brilliant to not be included for the sake of the others.
37. MPW - June 27th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
I’ve only heard of one these directors, and that is Roberto Benigni. I first saw Life is Beautiful when I was in 9th grade and I thought it was a very good movie. Too bad I don’t know much else about these directors, good list though.
38. chris - June 27th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Also, where’s Giuseppe Tornatore? Cinema Paradiso?
39. segue - June 27th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
jfrater: once again, because I haven’t logged in on *this* computer today, the name and email address of the last poster is in the name and email address spaces of the “Tell us what you think”…it’s for #38
40. segue - June 27th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
Fabulous list!
think #’s 1, 2 & 3 are a tie. Their films are captivating in every sense of the word, absolute beauty, even in ugliness, because they showed you a truth in cinematic perfection
Two other things.
I had the info for poster #38 in my space just now…
and I’m about to shoot my computer for the constant “Congratulations, you are the lucky winner of a pair of iPod nanos”…I already have iPods, and I hate voice commercials on computers as I usually have music going.
41. chris - June 27th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Like #4 wrote, I’ve got issues with Francois Truffaut being listed as a film critic. As a director the man is every bit as important as all of these people on the list. 400 Blows, Jules and Jim and Shoot the Piano Player are all masterpieces and as important as any film made by Fellini, and have had greater impact then Rosselini’s work. And I have to agree with #24, The Damned is a terrible film in comparison with Visconti’s other films. I’ve never heard of amyone who would say its his greatest work. And Mario Bava should replace Zeffirelli or Benigni, the impact he’s had on genre cinema is huge. He single handedly created the slasher film. but don’t hold that against him.
42. Csimmons - June 27th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Dario Argento!?!? come on, one of the best italian horror film directors of all time. I mean Suspiria is beyond good. but great list otherwise.
43. Navik - June 27th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
i think Sergio Leone should be higher, his movies are badass
44. Steven M. Alberti - June 27th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
What about Gabrielle Salvatores?
With Sud, Io Non Ho Paura, Mediteraneo, and one of the very few Italian science fiction films Nirvana, all very great and very worthy.
45. jfrater - June 27th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Wow - there are nearly enough additions to do a second list!
46. rolf_in_china - June 27th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
No Dario Argento or Lucio Fulci? For shame!
47. quovadismax - June 27th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
I agree with Blogball in that Lina Werthmu Iller should be added for Swept Away. I saw it at the Orson Welles in Cambridge MA and never forgot it. I know it is a political movie but I loved the way the servant turned the tables on his master. Especially when she asked for something different and he said he would rather stick it in the ocean. In Italian of course.
48. geronimo - June 27th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Roberto Benigni should not have been included in the list…he is still a one film wonder…Pinnochio left much to be desired and La Tigre e la neve was almost irritating. Dario Argento deserves a place in this list..he was a pioneer much like Leone and it doesnt matter if critics dont think highly of his work…he does have gems like Suspiria…..
49. Vera Lynn - June 27th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
Wow! I thought this list would generate a lot more comments. I’m surprised. And I’m sorry. I’d like to hear more from others. JMHO
50. Vera Lynn - June 27th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Was “Blow Up” the movie with John Travolta? I know I saw it;just having trouble putting the pieces together.
51. ChrisG - June 27th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Sergio Leone is one of my favourite directors. You could pretty much toss the rest. And, while I like Dario Argento’s films, his main talent lied in convincing astonishingly beautiful but talentless women to be killed in sickening ways. This list is for film snobs only, apparently.
52. Vera Lynn - June 27th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
No, I don’t think so, ChrisG
53. Vera Lynn - June 27th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
MPW Always. When ever. You tell me.
54. Blogball - June 27th, 2008 at 10:27 pm
Vera Lynn, Blow up is a great movie directed by Michelangelo Antonioni about a guy enlarging a picture to get to the murderer. The movie John Travolta was in is a take off on that movie but they use sound to track down the bad guy instead. That movie was called “Blow Out” because it was the sound of a tire blowing out that was the clue to the murderer. (If that makes sense)
55. Vera Lynn - June 27th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
Blogball It totally makes sense. That is the movie I was thinking of. Thanks so much for the info. You are right.
56. Prozacsoldier - June 27th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
Where is Giuseppe de Santis? or the Taviani Brothers? Even Ettore Scola could easily take Roberto Benigni out of the list…
57. Vera Lynn - June 27th, 2008 at 11:07 pm
All Day long, I have thought about the following lyrics from “Hair”
“Claud Hooper Bukowski
Finds that it’s groovy to hide in a movie
pretends he’s Fellini, and Antonieli and also his countryman Roman Pulanski all rolled into one…”
58. segue - June 28th, 2008 at 6:31 am
****
50. Vera Lynn - June 27th
Was “Blow Up” the movie with John Travolta?
****
No, David Hemmings starred as the acid powered photographer. Blow-Up also starred Vanessa Redgrave and Sarah Miles, with a guest appearance by Veruschka von Lehndorff .
You’d think that with that cast the movie would be fairly decent. Or at least watchable. Nah uh.
Though I’ve suffered through it a half dozen times, it still makes me irritable.
It’s not that the story line is hard to follow, it’s not, it’s the “special effects”.
Terrible.
Really, a movie on my list of 10 Worst movies!
59. simuun - June 28th, 2008 at 8:41 am
When I commented on one of the other lists I mentioned the movie Blow-up and was thrilled to see an entire list on such great directors in the neo-realist genre. Great list!!!
Swept Away was also an awesome movie and should be included in notable mentions (the original not the remake with madonna)
60. diogenes - June 28th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
I saw Death In Venice only once ,when I was about 16 or 17. and the impression that sticks today in my mind’s eye is the heat of the sun throughout and the ambigous sex of the young “Da Vinci” boy. but also the eros and thanatos . Ofcoarse the ending is a haunting and heart wrenching reverberation of….what it is? I dont know. a man of formalizations and masks–his thin shell cracking under the virulence of youthfull desire…nah, I’m kidding.
Reminds me of the end of “Baby Jane” in a way. but they probably shouldn’t be compared
If Benigni “is a young director with a great future ahead of him”, we can look forward to seeing another Americanized Jacki Chan.
forget Bava and Argento on this list (for those commenters), although A list with them might include Leone or Bava’s pupil (Cemetary man)
Terry Gilliam said, when concerning the making of B.Munchausen in Italy, that “the Itallians have an innate sence of beauty” and I’ve always remembered that because it is true. It’s in their life blood. But sometimes beauty can be just a facade and also the way films have been broken up into genres. Bava and Argento have great qualities in their films and I think they belong on their own list, but I dont know…I’m argueing with myself without writing and I think its a matter of taste…A Giallo film list perhaps? An where would you guys who say Argento and Bava, place Jess Franco? It’s taffy streched from the same clamped jaw, no?
The Last Emperor for Bertolucci…Funny, I probably saw this film the same time i saw death in venice. Why films such as “Hero” and the like, can’t be more of this modern style of epic historical grandure, is beyond me. Post Matrix, CGI, ect, I assume.
a fellow prisoner advising the emperor to piss on the side of the toilet bowl, so as to not wake up the rest, in the middle of the night.
opposed to the exquisite nature of the chosen one’s stool, inspected with vigor when he was a child.
more could be blabbed about,
blab blab
61. LooLoo - June 29th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Why is Benigni on this list ???? I found “Life is Beautiful” way over-rated (BTW, Roberto, all children under the age of about 12 were immediately exterminated in the death camps - that kid would definitely not have been permitted to stay there) & Benigni was pretty obnoxious on all the talk shows when the film came out & during Oscar time. It got tiresome. I also saw his Pinnochio - absolutely atrocious, and once again he gives himself the lead. That was quite some time ago, and LIB was back in the 1990s. What’s he done since then ???
62. diogenes - June 29th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
looloo:
he probably bought an island and a harem of woman and had his palace built, and is laughing his ass off.
That’s what i would do.
it’s kinda hard for that schtick to go on forever..same way I feel about mr.bean..only worse.
should we or shouldn’t we embrace comedians of the holocaust?
or “respected filmakers” for that matter. What does the fictional historical sappy films do to the minds of children unrehearsed in such matters? I think reality and fictional reality are sometimes, if not most of the times in this century, slurried together.
but hey, Chaplin and donald duck made fun of hitler. and how many war comedies are out there.
It is part of what and who we are as a race that has the artistic means to reverse and re-do. The oscars are notorious for giving out the metals to acceptable-popular fair.
Oddities do seem to pass under the radar now and then (such as silence of the lambs)
Benignis hilarious climb over the tops of the seats of fellow oscorites at the awards , showed he knew the absurdities and his fake speach of “i dont understand english so well” show who was who. He could have piss on the crowd in front of the cameras and everybody would have thought it adorable.
63. Grant - June 30th, 2008 at 11:07 am
If you haven’t seen Blow Up, there is a great scene with the Yardbirds playing in a club. Jimmy Page with Jeff Beck on stage playing ‘Train Kept a Rolling’
64. andy - June 30th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
roberto benigni, i’m sure that you have best intentions at heart, but benigni? how about moretti. shit and you left out ferreri, dillinger is dead is a sublime film, as is bellocchio’s fist in the pocket, though i dig fellini, antonioni pisses on them all.
65. Cedestra - June 30th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
Could anyone who often posts to listverse please contact me at Nerikasne@hotmail.com? I am coming up with a little birthday present for Jamie/the site. Sorry for the repetition; I’m posting this on all active lists.
66. anthony p - July 1st, 2008 at 3:02 pm
why do the horror movies get chucked aside on these lists
Dario Argento made many classics
67. Walter Stucchi - July 1st, 2008 at 8:18 pm
molto interesante, e una lista degli direttori di cinema italiano piu famosi, ma non c’e nessun commento in italiano… ma dove sono i miei? E anzi, se c’e qualche italiano tra qui, perche non avete scrito nella nostra bellissima lingua?
Grande Il Cinema Italiano d’ieri ed oggi. VV L’Italia!
68. Manx - July 2nd, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Fail.
Lucio Fulci helped define a whole genere and doesn’t get a spot? You may not get his movies, but he contributed a whole lot more to Italian film making than some of the wonder hit wonders who are on the list…
69. BrotherMan - July 2nd, 2008 at 11:27 pm
Neat list! I do agree with everyone who is mentioning Fulci and Argento, but then again horror is my favorite genre of film. Still a good list. Thanks, Jamie!
70. Yorick - July 8th, 2008 at 1:19 am
I am italian and I think Benigni should not be in this list (despite the fact I like him a lot) because he really made only one great film, which is “Life is beautiful” (”La vita è bella”).
I think instead there should be another name on the list: Mario Monicelli, who gave us some memorable films like “L’armata Brancaleone”, “Brancaleone alle crociate”, “I soliti ignoti”, “Amici miei” e “La grande guerra”, just to say a few.
71. Wuigee - July 17th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Sergio Leone is the greatest filmmaker of all time. Watch The good, the bad and the ugly and Once Upon a time in the west. He keeps you at the edge of your seat with absolutely no dialogue.
Fellini is overrated. He has dragged out fantasy-like scenes, trying to make a point that can be made within one minute of screen time.
72. cuty - August 2nd, 2008 at 4:59 am
anybody know the name of the children of italo zingarelli??
pls let me know if u know the names of tthe kids,does he have a son called Danilo zingarelli?
73. Geraint - August 2nd, 2008 at 5:13 am
Son : Sergio Zingarelli Wife : Laura Zingarelli
74. cuty - August 2nd, 2008 at 5:17 am
there is a guy called Danilo and he said is the father and he is the only son,he said his father has a wine company and now he is in charge of the film company…the company name is zingarellifilm.what do u think?
75. movie man - August 18th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
Yeh this Danilo guy sais he is the son of Italo zingarelli but i cant find him anywhere on google. Why how did u meet him? was it for a movie?
76. Prakash Kona - August 30th, 2008 at 11:46 am
roberto benigni is a good actor but a mediocre director. and “life is beautiful” is a mediocre movie which overemphasizes the “jewish sense of humor in the face of suffering” theme. nobody can be humorous in the face of brutal torture and murder. ask the palestinians - they will tell you that! such attempts to portray non-existent humor can only be justification of the holocaust and not otherwise. the humor was pretty bland anyway. if i were jew i would hate the movie even more for simplifying the modus operandi of the holocaust.
77. Prakash Kona - September 8th, 2008 at 5:43 am
italy can boast of seven great directors of international repute, not ten. the list is faulty. the order is roughly as follows: Pier Paolo Pasolini, Roberto Rossellini, Vittorio de Sica, Michaelangelo Antonioni, Federico Fellini, Bernardo Bertolucci, Luchino Visconti.