The Orchestra Of Piazza Vittorio (2006/Genius DVD)
Picture:
C Sound: C+ Extras: C Documentary: C+
The
documentary has developed several subgenres since digital video became more
available and one of them is about new music from around the world and Agostino
Ferrente’s The Orchestra Of Piazza
Vittorio (2006) is the latest of such projects, chronicling how 15
musicians from 11 countries are brought together and the results of that
gathering. Now it did turn out to be a
good project, but there is a problem here that this cycle has developed.
These
works tends to try and tell us a few things that have become clichéd if they
were not already a problem from the earliest such works. 1) Music is always upbeat and a wonderful
thing. 2) Any international gathering
will bring world peace and a better tomorrow; we can sing our way to world
peace. Guess they never drank a
Coca-Cola! 3) “Our documentary will show
you “reality” as if you did not know what that was. 4) If you reject anything about this work,
you are ignorant and maybe even a racist (or something like that). 5) We still are the world. 6) No matter what the music is that is sung,
it is great because of who is performing it, not because of its content or the
actual performances.
Imagine how
much bad music been made because of all that.
The music here was not as awful as expected, but some things still felt
forced, no matter how sincere the people were.
Yes, the musicians have talent, but I did not feel this was the best
work they could do and this was ultimately not that memorable, but it is more
interesting nonetheless. Only see it if
you are really curious.
The
anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image is soft and detail-challenged, with dull
color and has a generic look with the location digital rough at times. The Dolby Digital 2.0 sound can be in stereo,
but can also offer rough location audio like most such documentaries. Extras include trailers for other Genius
releases and a Live At The IFC Center
tie-in special.
- Nicholas Sheffo
