Some of you, dear blogger friends, I suppose already imagine why I
chose to write a review, in parallel, between book and film, as is my wont to do, now, on CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD, that my familiarity with the world of the deaf. World in which I worked in a special school, which I have already discussed in a previous post. E 'also known by now the meaning of my nick name used in an on-line site of opinions to which they are registered for several years, ONDALIS, the name-signs used by deaf people to call me and tell me (if you do not remember, is clearly described in DEAFNESS ' ). And, although at present, no longer work so closely with the deaf, are always potentially ready to do so. Let's go
topic here but I would like.
I saw this movie for the first time in 1992, in the company of a close talker, also present during the airing of another great film by Annaud, 's Lover, inspired by the book by Marguerite Duras. For this, as in the case L'Amante, I could not fully savor the beauty and depth of a movie like this, having constantly in the ears, which interrupted the chatter annoying, inappropriate, understanding of the film, so when, a few years ago I had the 'opportunity to see him on TV for good, I took advantage and recorded him.
The film interested me most at that time because I was attending the famous course LIS (Italian Sign Language), where I learned the language of the deaf Italians, as now, I fit in with that world and understand it sufficiently the point of being able to find some difference between the LIS and ASL (American Sign Language), the American Sign Language used in the movie Children of a Lesser God .
The subject of this film is based on the a drama by Mark Medoff, also published in a book (which I recovered on ebay), which the author has also co-wrote the screenplay, with appropriate changes, perhaps claimed by the director Randa Haines. The plot is not very different from that of a love story with a happy ending, but the genius of this subject, but I've never seen portrayed on stage, but which, I hope, make the movies better, is to introduce the viewer unaware, in a fascinating world, the unknown, in this situation of each nation, that of deafness.
Needless to say that America is currently the flagship status of this category of disability, better organized, whose territory is the only university in the world created specifically for the deaf, Gallaudet University, where, who scored the merits or a scholarship, is sent to do an internship that will enrich its curriculum, even better if the student in question is deaf.
I knew, in fact, several people, including colleagues from the school mentioned above, who were rewarded by going to Gallaudet to do the courses.
The Gallaudet is also open to deaf now, but they must all be strictly signers, unless there are some important personalities like Dr. Oliver Sacks, who, while not knowing the ASL at the time of the visit, was invited to conduct research about your field of study, neurology.
in the book as in the film, the male lead, James Leeds,
thirty teacher, accepts the task alone in a specialized institution for the deaf. From he wants me to do about even the most difficult. And students of the genre, all belonging to the late teenage years, James has very many. Only that they are not just deaf, they are also irritating and provocative. A lesson that they all run out deliveries of the new teacher. They refuse, for example., To speak, they refuse to let him know know whether or not the lip-reading. You even shave his beard in the classroom, so do not care.
But James is tough and has in its favor, a difficult past, dotted with varied experience and the most amazing, so thanks to her innovative methods and not just Orthodox, succeeds where many others have failed: to speak most unruly students. It 's funny to see, in fact, the scenes in which James instructs his students by teaching them difficult to curse and call' ass face 'the director, who, of course, hear this exclamation on him. Or when, playing with the ball with them, properly instruct one of these teaching a chiamarlo: 'faccia di merda', o si divertirà maggiormente nel momento in cui lo stesso ragazzo ha ampliato il proprio linguaggio vocale, aggiungendo al suo vocabolario un nuovo insulto diretto all'amato docente: 'coglione'.
James sarà talmente abile nel suo lavoro da riuscire perfino ad allestire uno spettacolo con tanto di musica e danze, durante cui, i suoi studenti balleranno e canteranno, mimando con le labbra, le parole per seguire le vibrazioni del ritmo che anche loro sentono .
Con Sarah è un'altra faccenda. Sarah è lì da tanti anni. Ha, nel film, 25 anni (26 nel libro) e fa la donna di pulizie nella stessa scuola. Da subito mostra to be a tuff, a short temper and docile malleable to the touch. James note, for the first time, during lunch in the canteen, while spin 'the cook of the school and, literally, this time, the air clean the pots placed nearby.
Sarah Norman is a beautiful girl, a former student of the institute, one of the best students of all ages and with a high IQ. He lives and works there. She likes her job because it makes her feel useful and independent from the hearing world.
not seen his mother for eight years and has no plans to make up living with her.
His father left home when she was five years old, shortly before the entry into this institution, leaving his wife alone and two daughters, because he could not accept the idea of \u200b\u200bbeing the father of that child different and imperfect, and his sense of helplessness, combined with an insurmountable frustration led him to the extreme act of abandoning the family.
Sarah, after several attempts to learn to speak by issuing, according to his mother, "just sounds horrible," surrender completely locked into a hard, scratch-resistant insulation, to avoid being hurt again, as an adult. By James
is not love at first sight. Quite the contrary. The two will collide many times because she does not want to give birth to the attraction he feels for this unusual teacher who wants to talk at all costs any deaf to that institute. It will be repeated after attempts by James, which she will sell to the feelings and irresistible vitality him.
living together after a while ', Sarah will leave her job, but soon, while feeling satisfied by the new life he leads, will feel the need to want to prove (to themselves and to others), that is something that she, too, is well with his deafness. The young woman will finally realize that, while deeply loving James, will always depend on him, who will be forced to do more as a mediator and interpreter between her and the hearing world, cutting off sharply, although in a more muted . And 'the crisis.
After a few private parties with many deaf and hard of hearing, where This too, when an argument between the couple, once at home, cause James to scream all the anger she carries inside her against the stubborn decision not to speak.
Sarah had definitely taken this decision following a shocking experience, which took place thanks to her older sister.
a teenager during the holidays spent at home up to 18 years to prove to his sister's friends that even a deaf girl was able to do what un'udente, and perhaps even better, had agreed to submit to a sordid game . Noting that those guys were sensitive to its physical beauty, had agreed to have sex with them all, while his sister organize the meetings, sending its room, one at a time, all the friends who were concerned only to take what they wanted, without even thinking of asking her if she wanted a Coke.
During the dispute, Sarah James will try to talk to her pain and screaming, in front of the horrified look at him, run away, leaving him alone.
After several attempts by him, to see her and talk, to explain and clarify all fallen on deaf ears, one evening we will succeed and, finally, the happy ending will satisfy everyone.
I think this film adaptation does justice to the beauty and uniqueness of the noble subject addressed by Medoff, so unique, but even so uncharted: the world of deafness, a world so fascinating, yet so difficult to penetrate.
BOOK
Let's take a look at the book, that is the text of the play, to great success, of the same name, Children of a Lesser God, written by Mark Medoff.
read this text, after watching a movie so well made and changed in several places, actually, was a disappointment for me.
Although well written and smoothly, does not do justice to the depth of the characters. That's why I appreciated the most exceptional talent of William Hurt, who, like Mr De Niro perfectionist, he learned for the occasion, la lingua dei segni americana (ASL), pur di girare quel film e rendere più credibile il suo personaggio.
Anche l'interpretazione di Marlee Matlin, l'attrice sorda che ha interpretato Sarah, è superlativa, perché, pur essendo abituata a lavorare per la cinematografia per soli audiolesi, ha reso perfettamente comprensibile al pubblico udente, non abituato a questo tipo di recitazione, il suo tormentato personaggio. Non per niente, questa sua prima interpretazione cinematografica le ha valso l'Oscar come miglior attrice protagonista nel 1986.
Questi due bravissimi attori, Hurt e Matlin, durante la lavorazione del film, parallelamente alla storia della sceneggiatura, intrecciarono una storia che sfociò in un matrimonio durato But just four years, making it through this, in my opinion, their interpretation even more masterful.
Of course, William Hurt was worthy of a second Oscar (who had already obtained approval for its previous interpretation, The Kiss of the Spider Woman), having the ability of certain non-past - of his sign and speak simultaneously, the benefit of the camera and the public hearing.
But if Hurt was not rewarded for his role quite complex, as well as be the Matlin's Oscar, it was also the U.S. director Randa Haines, consolidated before this film, in television control rooms of success. In fact, the same year the construction of CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD, vinse l'Orso d'oro al Festival del Cinema di Berlino.
La realizzazione del film, scrivevo prima, approfondisce meglio il contesto scenico rispetto al testo teatrale, pubblicato nel libro, che io considero piuttosto povero e poco appropriato.
Il tema della sordità non viene, inoltre, sviluppato da Medoff, ma solo sfiorato, appena abbozzato, mai veramente discusso. E', a mio avviso, tutto molto vago.
Ci sono poi, nel libro, dei personaggi chiave che nel film non esistono proprio (così come delle intere scene, create radicalmente ex novo dalla regista), tranne quello di Orin, appena abbozzato nella pellicola, mentre nel libro resta una figura piuttosto importante, poichè rappresenta colui che vuole convincere Sarah, subtly, to break up with James, so deaf, so - is convinced - is a story that will not work. Orin is an active defender of the rights of deaf people, so cer
ting these to involve the friends in any way. And this will be the straw that will break the camel's in the book because it will make clear to Sarah his feelings of inferiority, thereby seriously jeopardizing the menage with James, which soon became her husband, unlike the movie where the two coexist only . PERSONAL CONSIDERATIONS
merit, in my opinion, goes to the director, Randa Haines, which Mark Medoff, playwright, although successful, as well as director of the Department of Theatre of New Mexico University, and author of the subject, because with such a well-made film, well describing the world, progress and setbacks of the deaf, the Haines at the center of attention, a form of disability, hearing impairment, very little known and considered by the general public. And, with the change in motion picture film of the play Medoff, the director has put a little 'forced, in my opinion, the public's attention more distracted, the problem of deafness, which still needs a lot of attention and in-depth by the so-called normal individuals hearing, not to mention the facilities and who is in charge.
The Sign Language used by Marlee Matlin in the movie, who was born hearing and became deaf at 18 months, has already named the ASL. The actress, however, also knows the lip. It was just for the sake of the movie script that was believed not to be able to read it. In the text of
Medoff, is made clear in the introduction, which Sarah uses the ASL during the recitation, but there is also another sign language, the SIGNED ITALIANO (English Scored). Both these forms of sign language in all the languages \u200b\u200bspoken there. The difference between ASL and SI, the author continues, is that the ASL is much more conceptual and descriptive grammar, while you are using a technique that marks every word. In Italy, the Italian correspondent called pinpoint exactly, while the LIS is the corresponding ASL. Of this I have spoken extensively in the review on Deafness and invite you to read, just in case there was someone who wanted to go into that more adequately.
leads to the other my opinion, and having exhausted what I had to say, I wish you good reading and good vision at all.
Movie
Original title: Children of a Lesser God, USA, 1986
Manufacturer: Paramount Pictures
Durata: 114 minuti
Genere: drammatico per tutti
Regia: Randa Haines
Sceneggaiatura: Hesper Anderson e Mark Medoff
Attori principali: William Hurt, Marlee Matlin, Piper Laurie, Philip Bosco, ecc.
0 comments:
Post a Comment