Les Monstres

This is considered a classic of Italian comedy – one of many anthologies satirizing their way of life while showcasing the versatile talents of particular stars (in this case, Vittorio Gassman and Ugo Tognazzi); director Risi would himself later make the similarly episodic I COMPLESSI (1965), SESSOMATTO (1973) and this film’s own sequel, I NUOVI MOSTRI (1977) – which, quite surprisingly, was a Best Foreign Language Academy Award nominee the following year.

As with most films of its type, quality varies throughout the 20(!) episodes – some of these are so short that they’re over before having even begun, while others work their way to a punchline which can be seen coming a mile off; however, a fair number of them are genuinely inspired and side-splitting to boot (the general tone throughout, as befits the title, is one of irreverence). A few episodes include other name performers – such as Michele Mercier and Lando Buzzanca – but it’s Gassman and Tognazzi’s show all the way (the two appear either separately or as a team). Armando Trovajoli’s upbeat score (which is mixed with a handful of current hit songs) is the perfect accompaniment to this entertaining and well-made compilation.

My favorite episodes are the following: the opening one – in which scoundrel Tognazzi’s schooling of his nerd-ish son (real-life offspring Ricky, later an actor and director in his own right) works all too well, to his own personal detriment; another where a gang of ‘thugs’ including Gassman kidnap an old lady (apparently for the nth time)…as it transpires not for ransom purposes but, rather, so that she can perform a dangerous and humiliating stunt involving a wheelchair-bound woman being thrown into a pool in a film whose director is Gassman himself (in another role)!; also, a courtroom drama in which simple-minded Tognazzi’s voluntary testimony is turned against him by the underhanded tactics of the defense counsel (a flamboyant Gassman); the most famous episode, then, is the concluding one with the stars as a couple of boxers way past their prime who decide to try their luck at the game one last time (with Gassman in the ring and Tognazzi as his manager) – we last see them flying a kite on the beach, Gassman having taken such a severe beating that he is reduced to a vegetable!

Other notable skits include the titular episode where a murderer is captured by a couple of cops – except that these are so ugly that one wonders who The Monster actually is!; one involving a soldier (Tognazzi) who meekly presents his deceased sister’s diary to a newspaper, ostensibly the one she was most sympathetic to herself…except that it eventually transpires that he was merely interested in how much he could make out of the salacious memoirs and that he naturally would let them go only to the highest bidder!; yet another deals with Gassman, living in the slums with a plethora of kids and relatives, cursing his rotten luck – and, yet, has no qualms about spending his measly pay on soccer matches every Sunday (where he contrives to forget all his misery and lets rip with enthusiasm for the game)! Two (minor) episodes, then, play with issues of gender and sexual orientation: in one Gassman even appears in drag as a female literary critic (who awards the “Book Of The Month” prize to none other than her own protégé, a novice author!), and in another Tognazzi and Gassman play beach studs who discover they have greater affection for each other than their possible ‘preys’!

Sketch movies are usually not my favourites, but this one is really good! It is a incredible festival of comic roles, brilliantly interpreted by a legendary duo : Vittorio Gassman and Ugo Tognazzi! Two "monsters" of italian cinema... These 20 mini-stories illustrate all the faults and defaults of Italian people of that time through an incredible kaleidoscope of characters and situations. Gassman and Tognazzi give it their best and the result is brilliant. Dino Risi casts a tender and ruthless eye on his compatriots, and very often our prejudices are comforted. An excellent moment of cinema!

The Italy is the birthplace of the Latinity that means spirituous people, that's the truth, then starting this point stays clear how they faces their lives, in this tragicomic twenty segments, both leading actors Ugo Tognazzi and Vittorio Gazzman scattered the Italian way black humor with surrealism, masterfully directed by Dino Risi, always anchored by cultural cynicism on Italian society, draw my attention one specific episode when a poor man (Gassman) arrives at slum's house surround by eight sons with medical problems and his pregnant wife asking for him buying some medicines, suddenly he appears at a crowd Roma's stadium almost insane when his team score a goal, priceless moments, reminds me in same place with Corinthians here in Brazil, let's forget aches and pains and have fun, other episode that worth to remember is about the young blind man and the alms's collector (Vittorio Gassman) at church's staircase, when a doctor offers to them a possible cure of blindness of the poor blind man, the blackmailer collector decides moves on to another Church, even mocking of the holiness of clerge, corrosive, bawdy, insane and unique!!!

Resume:

First watch: 2020 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 8.5

Directed by Dino Risi, I mostri is a collection of 20 satirized episodes connected by questionable characters. A social satire that postulates the idea of people as possible monsters in their own way, because we are all a little flawed. It leans on irony and dark comedy to explore the strengths and weaknesses of human beings. This dichotomy, which usually translates into hypocrisy, corruption, infidelity, etc., is presented in a tragicomic fashion throughout the 20 episodes. This kind of humor is not very distant from the one of today, and 61 years after its release, it's still funny as ever. The pacing can be uneven sometimes due to the difference in quality of the episodes, and with 121 minutes, it can also feel overlong, but nonetheless, most of the shorts are fun and entertaining.

I mostri offers Vittorio Gassman and Ugo Tognazzi the opportunity to showcase their talent and versatility. For instance, Gassman goes from playing a retired boxer, an attorney, a casanova, a woman, etc., while Tognazzi a father, a congressman, a husband, etc. They achieve humor from beginning to end and make it seem effortless.

The best episodes, in my opinion, are: "L'educazione sentimentale" in which a father tries to teach his son life lessons, "Come un padre" where a man tells a friend he suspects his wife cheats on him, "Testimone volontario" follows Tognazzi giving testimony in a trial, "Il sacrificato" Gassman is having a conversation with a lover in his car, "Scenda l'oblio" a couple is seeing a movie in the theater, "La strada e' di tutti" a pedestrian and his exchange with drivers, "L'oppio dei popoli" a married woman invites her lover to her house, "Il testamento di Francesco" a priest prepares for his TV show, "La nobile arte" follows a retired boxer.

For me it's difficult to speak about this great comedy. it's very funny with sometimes black humour. There is also a good psychological analysis of italian society. Dino Risi with "I Mostri" & "I Nuovi Monstri" do an excelent job. Gassman and Tognazi are exceptional.

My advice: - If you have seen the movie, see it again and if you haven't you must try to find it.