Teorema (1968)
Directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini, this quiet, meditative film really got me thinking. The film is about a wealthy family who receives a handsome visitor (played by a young Terrence Stamp). One by one, they become overwhelmingly drawn to him starting with the maid, on to the mother, the son, the teenage daughter, and the father. Many other plot summaries I have read described it as the visitor seducing them, however I did not see it that way. The visitor never made any first moves, it seemed as though he was only indulging the other’s desires. After he leaves, they all melt down. Each in their own way, they are torn apart and crazed. So we must ask the question, who was this visitor? He must have been, as the other plot summaries also say, “a god or a demon.” We, as viewers, are left to decide.
The point I want to make, is hypocritical. I want to say that the uninformed, thoughtless reviews and descriptions of this film take away from the experience of watching it. It is truly a film that you must bring only your own intellect to. So, the hypocrisy is that by writing this I am adding to any preconceived base of knowledge for watching it. Well, hopefully I can at least break down some of the more idiotic ideas out there. Here’s one, the one I am most irritated by since it is the one which disturbed my viewing so intensely. The Netflix description reads, “A wealthy Italian household is turned upside down when none of the family members is sure whether the handsome stranger (Terrence Stamp) in their midst is a god or the devil himself — but finding out sure is fun. Making his way from bedroom to bedroom, he seduces their bodies and wipes their minds of morality, all before the sun comes up. Directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini, this controversial film was banned by the Vatican for its shocking content.”
1) The family members never wonder anything about the visitor, one of the most interesting points of this film is that even though the viewer may be puzzled, the characters are certainly not.
2) “But finding out sure is fun,” my god, what a blaspheme to the way the film defines sex. This film is not about a frat party.
3) He does not hunt them, “making his way from bedroom to bedroom.” And once again, he does not seduce, at least not in the traditional way, and especially not “their bodies.” One could argue that he may be seducing their minds, but no netflix, not their bodies.
4) The events do not take place all in one night. “all before the sun comes up” is just flat out wrong.
5) By adding the Vatican bit they are trying to sensationalize it. Although it is true, there is no nudity, no depictions of the act of sex, etc. It was probably banned by the Vatican because of Pasolini’s personal life and disregard for catholic values. (That is just my opinion).
If I could put a description to the film I would say simply, “Watch it, actively watch it and think about it. Don’t be confused or focus too closely on plot details, just let the film reveal what it wants to reveal. You may like it or you may not, either way let it add to your world view, let it stretch your mind.” Come to think of it, I wish more film descriptions said only that.
Well, with all that said, I do recommend it. Please let me know what you think, if you do watch it.
December 8th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Keep in mind the many different definitions and connotations associated with the word “seduce.” After hearing your description of the film, I kind of thing “To entice or beguile into a desired state or position” is the one that fits the best. This sounds like a really interesting film with a depressing ending… my favorite!
January 9th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
What were those Italians thinking? Here’s what I think was going on. The Vatican I think banned the movie because they thought it was sexual. But in my mind it wasn’t about sex. It was about the overwhelming power some people have over another. In this case it was very dramatic but in a lot of cases, power over others has been very tragic. I can think of several situations where that is the case. I desparetly want to find someone who can make me levitate like what happened to that young lady. I always wanted to be able to do that. I don’t know why but I’ve been thinking about this movie all day.
January 19th, 2009 at 10:52 am
You cannot fully examine the movie without understanding the man, Pier Paolo Pasolini, himself. This man was very complex and, for lack of a better word, nearly spiritual. His theories and ideas about religion, sex, life, immortality and death seem to all be linked together. In fact he predicted and almost orchestrated (I’m thinking) his own death. Scenes from the movie haunt me mostly because of Pasolini. What he set out to do, he accomplished — making his mark on eternity by going out in a way that is shockingly earthy, crude and oh so symbolic and thus claiming his spot in the universe forever. Read more about Pasolini and his death here: http://karaart.com/p.p.pasolini/cultural_death/textes_anglais/zigaina_sans.html
Although it is an extremely complex read, it goes into the depths of the mind of the man - Pasolini, written by his friend, Giuseppe Zigaina. In fact, Zigaina does a short piece on the death of Pasolini as a trailer on the CD. Did you watch it?
January 19th, 2009 at 10:54 am
… either that or this movie’s point is — you shouldn’t have sex with a young, good-looking man because if you do, it will make you do strange things.