Luigi Di Donato’s movie is actually a poem itself – a poem that combines the harmony of the soul and the normal order of things that really matter. Quoting from the beginning one of the greatest American writers, Edgar Lee Masters, Di Donato announced the path he is going to take in this featurette. Usually when we watch a movie and we have the chance to see a quote from a great writer, there is no doubt that the film will deal at some point with a strong cultural subject that will make the viewer be skeptical at first, but then will become fascinating and hard to be taken out of that hook.
One thing that caught our eyes in ‘Total art work‘ was the dialogue – viewer friendly even if it tackles some great important topics at different points. Watching this movie the viewer will not feel left outside alone, but on the contrary, they will feel empowered and mentally enriched, as much as reading a good book on a warm summer day.
Cinematography wasn’t the strongest suit of this film, but it is understandable, taking in consideration how much time and effort was put in creating such a script, along with such a leading character.
The shots and the situations are so very different, making Luigi Di Donato a great writer. The scene where the main character quarrels with the guy at the underground passage proves once again the capacity of Di Donato to switch through poetic languages and styles. Coming back to the idea iterated in the first sentence of this review – this movie is a poem itself! Di Donato goes through different poetical styles in creating the dialogue, varying from Frank O’Hara to Pablo Neruda or from Edgar Lee Masters to Ezra Pound. As a viewer, you cannot predict what comes next and this is in fact the beauty of this featurette! We recommend it to any bookworm out there, because it is that kind of movie that will tickle your imagination and will stick with you for some time, just as a good book does.
TMFF RATING:
