Ciro Di Marzio Roulette Russa
FILMS / REVIEWSItaly
by Vittoria Scarpa
Ciro Di Marzio is a tormented and taciturn gangster; a tragic, almost Shakespearean mask; a gangster who cries. “People like us can’t have a family”, he’s told by Yuri ( Aleksei Guskov ), the Russian boss with whom he collaborates, and those who’re familiar with Ciro’s past deeds - as recounted in the second season of Gomorrah. Upon release, Gomorrah has gained critical roulette for its characterizationpacing, atmosphere, acting, directing, and writing. In Naplesroulette Savastano clan is commanded by spagnola dreaded and respected Pietro Savastano. Looking to make his mark, Ciro Di Marzio is tasked to burn the house of the mother of Salvatore Conte, a rival drug lord. The whole movie reminded me of the episode from the 3rd season when Ciro lived in Bulgaria, I think that episode gave the producers and Marco the idea for the I'mmortale. I respect the opininon from other fans on this sub but I don't understand the criticism and hate on this movie, I think it was a very good movie, especially for us Gomorrah. Gomorrah (Italian: Gomorra - La serie) is an Italian crime drama television series created by Roberto Saviano for Sky Atlantic.Based on Saviano's book of the same name, the show premiered on Sky Atlantic in Italy on 6 May 2014, and has run for four seasons.
- Marco D’Amore directs himself in the big screen spin-off of Gomorrah, dedicated to the series’ most iconic character
It was with immense surprise, given his nickname and his fame, that fans of Gomorrah saw Ciro Di Marzio killed off at the end of the series’ third season. But Ciro Di Marzio, shot by his lifelong frenemy Genny Savastano during that fateful night in the Gulf of Naples, isn’t really dead. So, what came next, from that moment onwards, for Gomorrah’s most iconic character? The answer isn’t to be found on TV. Viewers should look, instead, to the cinema, and specifically, to The Immortal[+see also:
trailer
film profile], the big screen spin-off of the famous series that was based upon a book by Roberto Saviano; a film directed by and starring Marco D’Amore, who’s been the unmistakable face of Ciro Di Marzio for some years now.
Having already directed two episodes of the fourth TV series, D’Amore is now bringing the Secondigliano boss - nicknamed “the immortal” owing to his having survived a devastating earthquake as a new-born - back to life, in a movie which will act as a bridge towards the fifth season of the TV series (filming on which will begin in spring-summer 2020). It’s an innovative and complex cross-media operation which brings the small screen and the big screen together in one unique, narrative universe – the film is a stand-alone work, but in order to make sense of the next season of Gomorrah, viewers will need to have seen The Immortal.
There’s a continual dialogue between the past and the present in this film, and the mass recourse to flashbacks is one of the main differences which sets this movie apart from the series. In a hard-hitting opening sequence, we’re told how Ciro was rescued from the sea – having been launched beneath the waves by his assassins - at the same time as new-born Ciro is recovered from the rubble following the 1980 Naples earthquake. And, as we watch the revived boss living his new life, hiding out, exiled in Riga, Latvia in order to oversee a huge drugs trafficking operation, where there will be no shortage of bloody gang wars, flashes from the past show us Ciro’s childhood as an orphan in post-earthquake Naples, a time similar to the post-war period, where children left to their own devices end up stumbling into the open arms of criminal gangs. Stealing car radios, trafficking cigarettes - and later drugs - aboard speedboats are all in a day’s work for this young boy (played by 11-year-old Giuseppe Aiello, discovered in Scampia), who’s believed to be one of the bravest by his criminal mentor Bruno (Giovanni Vastarella). It’s Bruno, in fact (played as an adult by Salvatore D’Onofrio), who acts as the link between Ciro’s past and present, as he is the one who welcomes the latter to Riga. It’s immediately apparent that Ciro isn’t at all happy to see him again, and the flashbacks which follow will gradually explain why.
Ciro Di Marzio is a tormented and taciturn gangster; a tragic, almost Shakespearean mask; a gangster who cries. “People like us can’t have a family”, he’s told by Yuri (Aleksei Guskov), the Russian boss with whom he collaborates, and those who’re familiar with Ciro’s past deeds - as recounted in the second season of Gomorrah - know that what he says is true. The film, for its part, is more meditative, quite literally swathed in musical commentary coming courtesy of Mokadelic: the solitude of criminals, their sacrifice of those dear to them, the daily fear that they’re either going to die, be discovered or that they’re just not good enough, are all themes which are touched upon in this picture; a film made up of fragile and damned characters, and where the epic nature of the protagonist does little to diminish his misery.
The Immortal, whose cast also includes Marianna Robustelli, Martina Attanasio and Gennaro di Colandrea, is produced by Cattleya alongside Vision Distribution, in association with Sky TimVision and Beta Film. The film is released in Italian cinemas on 5 December, in roughly 450 copies, courtesy of Vision Distribution.
(Translated from Italian)
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| The Immortal | |
|---|---|
| Italian | L'immortale |
| Directed by | Marco D'Amore |
| Produced by | Marco Chimenz Gina Gardini Giovanni Stabilini Riccardo Tozzi |
| Written by | Marco D'Amore Leonardo Fasoli Maddalena Ravagli Francesco Ghiaccio Giulia Forgione |
| Starring | Marco D'Amore Salvatore D'Onofrio Giuseppe Aiello Giovanni Vastarella Marianna Robustelli Martina Attanasio Gennaro Di Colandrea Nello Mascia Aleksey Guskov Salvatore Esposito |
| Music by | Mokadelic |
| Cinematography | Guido Michelotti |
| Edited by | Patrizio Marone |
| Distributed by | Vision Distribution |
Release date | |
Running time | 116 minutes |
| Country | Italy |
| Language | Neapolitan Italian |
| Box office | €6 million[1] |
The Immortal (Italian: L'immortale) is a 2019 Italian crime film directed by Marco D'Amore. The film is both a prequel and a sequel to the events after the third season of the TV series Gomorrah.[2][3]
Plot[edit]
Following being near fatally shot by Gennaro Savastano on a boat in the Gulf of Naples, Ciro Di Marzio is rescued and given incognito medical care. He is then employed by crime boss Don Aniello Pastore who has links to the Russian mob in Latvia, run by Yuri Dobeshenko, who are at odds with indigenous Latvian gangs. Ciro moves to Latvia to become Pastore's negotiator with Dobeshenko, after which he is kidnapped by a Latvian gang which demands the Italians sell cocaine to them instead.
Ciro becomes reacquainted with his childhood mentor Bruno who, under the auspices of Pastore, processes imported clothing to resell as 'designer labels', and acts as a go-between with Ciro. Bruno provides accommodation for Ciro with his gang family, which includes Virgilio and his wife Vera.
Ciro ostensibly drives drugs to a meeting with the Latvians. However, the consignment contains Russians who kill most of the Latvians, the drugs being delivered by Bruno to Dobeshenko. Bruno's family questioned the safety of processing large quantities of cocaine, but saw they had no choice, especially after Ciro provided a large Russian payment while stating that Bruno's family would work for him, not Pastore. Virgilio brought news of a worsening situation in Naples, but the continued security of Gennaro Savastano. Ciro, when questioned, explained he asked Gennaro to shoot him.
A year later, while Bruno told Ciro he had decided to return to Naples, a further shipment of drugs is stolen under force by the Latvians, Bruno councelling no resistance during the raid at which four of his men were killed. Dobeshenko said the loss was Ciro's responsibility and that he should retrieve the drugs. To make his point, Dobeshenko shot Virgilio dead, and threatened to shoot all Bruno's family.
Ciro Di Marzio Roulette Russa Di
Ciro takes Bruno to negotiate with the Latvians, telling them he has switched sides. He returns and counsels caution to Bruno's gang's wives, and asks for Vera's help. Ciro again takes Bruno to meet the Latvians, they driving together in car convoy; the Latvian cars explode. Ciro tells Bruno that he knew it was he who helped set up the Latvian raid. Bruno expresses his resentment of Ciro for everything he became that he didn't. Ciro tells of his bitterness over Bruno causing the death of Stella, Bruno's girlfriend, but refuses to kill him, this being too easy. A Dobeshenko convoy arrived, with Vera as hostage. Vera was released, and Bruno walked into the woods. Dobeshenko says enemies should always be killed; Ciro shoots him, telling Dobeshenko's bodyguards there are now no bosses, with which they acquiesce.
Later, Ciro receives the head of Don Aniello Pastore, and a car arrives with Gennaro Savastano; he and Ciro walk toward each other.
Flashbacks[edit]
Throughout the film are flashbacks to Ciro's early life in Naples. Ciro had been rescued as a baby from the 1980 Naples earthquake in which his family had been killed. As a child he was sent to an orphanage, falling under the influence of Bruno, a small time criminal who controlled a street gang of child thieves, and collaborated with Neapolitan gangster and smuggler 'Blackbird'. Bruno, dissatisfied with his rewards from Blackbird, became enthusiastic when given a role in smuggling cigarettes. Because of his precocious talent, and affection for him, Bruno invited Ciro to watch his girlfriend, Stella ('The Angel') sing at a club restaurant. Ciro became infatuated with her.
During a smuggling operation for Blackbird, Bruno's speedboats were chased by police, with Ciro and Bruno in one of the boats. Ciro sacrificed himself and saved the run by jumping into the water, the pursuers stopping to save him. Blackbird expressed his appreciation of Ciro, and his displeasure of Bruno who endangered his smuggling. On a later smuggling run Bruno unloaded contraband for his own use as an answer to Blackbird's slights. Realizing his mistake and a need to apologize he sent Ciro to invite Blackbird to a meeting, at which Blackbird was ambushed. Later, Stella was gunned down in front of Giro.
Returning to Secondigliano, Ciro was met by Attilio , who invited him to meet Don Pietro Savastano.
Cast[edit]
- Marco D'Amore as Ciro Di Marzio
- Salvatore D'Onofrio as Bruno
- Giuseppe Aiello as young Ciro Di Marzio
- Giovanni Vastarella as young Bruno
- Marianna Robustelli as Vera
- Martina Attanasio as Stella
- Gennaro Di Colandrea as Virgil
- Nello Mascia as Don Aniello Pastore
- Aleksey Guskov as Yuri Dobeshenko
- Salvatore Esposito as Gennaro 'Genny' Savastano
Production[edit]
Development[edit]
Throughout the filming of Gomorrah, while working on his character Ciro Di Marzio, Marco D'Amore repeatedly thought about writing a story about the childhood of Ciro. After writing enough material, he thought that there could be a screenplay for a cross-media project between cinema and TV.[4][5]
Filming[edit]
Marco D'amore
Filming started on 5 May 2019.[6] Filming began in Rome on 17 May, continuing in Naples, mainly in the northern area of Naples, reconstructing a Naples set in the 1980s, Riga, Latvia and some locations in France including Paris, Marseille, Vaucluse and Avignon.[5] Filming then ended on 13 July 2019.
Reception[edit]
In the opening weekend, The Immortal was the most watched film in Italy, with box office receipts of €2,816,155;[7] the film grossed a total of €6 million.[1]
The film received a positive review from Rosa Maiuccaro of Wired, who stated that 'L'immortale is not recycled Gomorrah, but an important new chapter in the saga'.[8]
References[edit]
- ^ abL'IMMORTALE
- ^'L'Immortale, un'altra Gomorra' (in Italian). esquire.com. 10 December 2019.
- ^''The Immortal,' Prequel Film to 'Gomorrah' TV Series, to Roll Out in Italian Theaters'. variety.com. December 2, 2019.
- ^'L'Immortale (2019): Intervista Esclusiva a Marco D'Amore - HD' (in Italian).
- ^ ab'L'Immortale - Film (2019)'. ComingSoon.it (in Italian).
- ^'Partono le riprese de L'Immortale - Cinema'. Agenzia ANSA (in Italian). 2019-05-04.
- ^BOXOFFICE ITALIA 5 - 8 DICEMBRE 2019
- ^'L'immortale non è 'Gomorra riciclata' ma un nuovo importante capitolo della saga'. Wired (in Italian). 2019-12-03.
External links[edit]
- The Immortal on IMDb