What
interested me most about CABIRIA, after an initial viewing, was its
highly realistic style, and its attention to psychological examination.
Unlike AMARCORD, LA STRADA, 8 and 1/2, or SATYRICON -- other Fellini
films I've seen -- CABIRIA is routed deeply in the genre of realism.
Whereas STRADA features a realistic backdrop populated by exaggerated
character --
that is, 'types' -- and occasional moments of heightened reality, CABIRIA
takes a more objective role. CABIRIA, essentially, is the first Fellini
film I've seen that allows the camera to act as a silent, entirely objective
narrator, letting events play out naturally, as they would in real life
(given the particular circumstances of the film). Of course there is,
on the part of Fellini, much augmenting and stretching of events and
perceptions, almost to the point of heightened reality -- as in the
hypnotism scene, or the night club scene, or the cave scene with the
'man with the sack' -- but never, throughout the course of the film,
can the viewer say that these scenes play out in a way that *must* be
different from reality. In other words, every scene in the film *could*
arguably happen in reality -- unlike scenes from the other Fellini works,
which are exaggerated beyond the point of being 'real.'
CABIRIA is also routed
heavily in psychological realism, which, in large part, is due to its
lack of 'types' and its absence of heightened reality. With the inclusion
of 'types' in a film comes certain patterns of psychological behavior.
Without typing, characters are liberated to display a full range of
thought and emotion. (Note: I use 'realism' not in connection with 'neorealism,'
which is another topic of discussion, but simply with the connotations
generally ascribed to the word.) A scene I find very psychologically
poignant is that of Maria and Oscar on the precipice, after Maria discovers
that Oscar wishes to push her off. The psychological exchange between
the two characters is very complex, illustrated to a great extent by
the use of gesticulation and facial expression. It becomes clear, through
Maria's body language, that she is horrified by Oscar's unexpected betrayal
and, at the same time, still very much in love with him; and, through
Oscar's body language, that he is disgusted with himself, with his intentions,
and that he has grown to appreciate Maria, perhaps even feel for her
in a romantic way. Through controlled but objective camera placement,
and subsequent body language on the part of the actors, we then receive
an even greater psychological insight: Maria is willing to stay with
Oscar. If Oscar redeems himself at that moment, realizes that his murderous
intentions are wrong, and that he *has* actually grown to love Cabiria
-- Cabiria would stay with him. She would overlook his lechery, his
deceit, even his murderous inclinations, for the prospect of finding
love. But, since Oscar cannot bring himself to admit any genuine feelings
for Cabiria, he takes her purse, runs off, causing an irreparable loss,
as well as a catharsis (depending on the psychological interpretation
of the film's ending).
CABIRIA is more 'Realistic'
and psychologically evocative than the other Fellini films I've seen,
but is still, in nature, a Fellini film. As such, it stretches the genre
of reality almost to the point of un-reality. The other films, however,
break definitively into the realm of un-reality.
*
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consent of the author, Ms. Cosmos.