Fulci Talks

Recently signing up to take part in the "WOW" Film Festival, (with all tickets being for free!) I got a E-Mail yesterday announcing a sudden screening/streaming of a new film, which led to me listening to Fulci.

View on the film:

Filmed in her house, director Antonietta De Lillo welcomes the film maker in with a merry nod to Hitchcock via a plain side white paper panel casting of silhouette,and the rough editing of the videos Lillo dug out of the attic containing this interview (!) bringing a up-close home movie warmth to the subject.

Recorded when he was seriously ill, auteur film maker Lucio Fulci reveals himself to still have a incredibly sharp mind,with Fulci packing every inch of the 80 minute interview with Lillo with fascinating details, from his mum running away from her family to Sicily,to Lucio playing football with "Dwarf" Truman Capote.

Not featuring a single clip from his works, and shown at WOW on the 25th anniversary since his passing, Fulci colourfully brings his films to life with in-depth detailing of his life behind and away from the camera, going all the way back to his assistant director days.

Fulci visibly appears proud of his superb Giallo Don't Torture a Duckling (1972-also reviewed) (and revealing he ignored warnings of Florinda Bolkan being "Difficult"-who Lucio found a joy to work with),and goes into how Dadaism art inspired his eye gorging motif (!) ,which ends on a touching statement,that after the tragic death of his first wife,he was saved by his yacht and cinema.

Trying to understand Fulci's cinema Is never an easy task, unless you use his countless interviews (both on books and feature documentaries). His real intent, moviemaking-wise must be filtered through his unique views, and this documentary really helps. Sort of a son to "The American Night of DR. Fulci", contains a view of all the elements that make Lucio's oeuvre so unique, and has the ability to be both entertaining and enlightening (I could hear his provocative talks for hours and hours). What the documentary is really missing is a visual counterpart with elements, scenes and bits from his movies. That would have certainly made it a more conventional study on the subject, but even more entertaining!! Great doc anyway!