TALES OF ORDINARY MADNESS

Italy, 1981, 101 minutes, Colour.
Ben Gazzara, Ornella Muti, Susan Tyrell.
Directed by Marco Ferrari.

Tales of Ordinary Madness is another offbeat study of human nature by writer director Marco Ferreri. Some of his more notable films include Dillinger is Dead, The Last Woman and the internationally-known, La Grande Bouffe. ferreri has a wry look at human nature, considering its eccentricities and taking them to extremes.

This film is based on a book by Charles Bukowski, Erections, Ejaculations, Exhibitions and General Tales of Ordinary Madness. The title indicates the themes and treatment, though it is not always as bold as Bukowski's title.

Ben Gazzara does another of his impersonations of the weary and seemingly cynical American hero, an alcoholic poet and womanizer. Ornella Muti (Swann in Love, Flash Gordon) who was Ferreri's Last Woman is the enigmatic prostitute. Susan Tyrell has a supporting role as Vera, one of her many slatternly characters which she does so well.

The film's settings include New York and Los Angeles but are seen from the point of view of an Italian, a European view of America, American men and women and role?playing, the American dream. And disillusionment.

1. The impact of the film? Entertainment, art, message? Observation and critique of America?

2. The title of the film and indfcation of themes? Of the original book? Expectations of content and treatment?

3. Marco Ferreri and his picturing of reality, understanding, exploration of meanings? Real/surreal? Understanding men and women, relationships, role-playing? Sanity and madness? The universal implications of the film? A European viewing the United States?

4. The cast and its international flavour? The particular styles of the cast?

5. The worlds of Los Angeles and New York, familiar and unfamiliar, lifestyle, locations for ordinary madness, for American types? The cities used as environments? The blend of the ordinary and the bizarre?

6. Colour photography, special effects? The use of colours for moods, garish tones, restful tones? Realism? The score by Philippe Sarde ? score and songs?

7. The portrait of Charles Serking? His ordinary madness? Ben Gazzara and his presence, image and style? Offhand, cynical, clever? Disillusioned? Life and mid-life crisis? The American poet? The quality of his poetic experience, imagination? His recitations and the audiences? Drinking and lack of meaning? A womaniser? The encounter with the young girl? The irony of hJs ticket being stolen? His journey and the traversing of the U.S.A.? His relationship with his wife, their clashes? Their living adjacent to each other? The meeting with Vera, the sexual encounter, the calling of the police, the rape accusation? Fantasy and reality? His being a barfly? Wandering the city? The encounter with Cass, attraction to her? His response to her symbolic action with the safety pin? Going home with her, the erotic encounter, passion? A relationship between the two? Her appearing and disappearIng? Prison and his offering bail for her? The hospital experience and the realisation of his own limitations? Vicki and Cass visiting him? The intermittent relationship with Cass and its effect? Suicide attempts? Her killing herself eventually? The beach house, the beach? Prospects? going to New York, his possibility of a career, fame? Cass' return, the closing of her vagina? The contrast between Cass' impulsiveness and meaning and his own life? His grief at Cass' death, his being turned out? The return to the beach, the sexual encounter idththe girl? The ordinary man, macho, American, mad or sane? Or both? Observation and/or insight?

8. The range of women: Vicki and her relationship with Charles, fighting him? Possibilities and failure? Vera, using her, her, using him, tricking him with the police? Cass and her mystery, beauty, madness, a victim, her symbolic gestures, appearances and disappearances, life as a prostitute, her despair? A woman of extremes? Her death, dressed as a novice nun, purity in death? A failure? The young girls as sex objects?

9. The contrast of the world of New York: poetry, art, cult, pretentions, money, fame? The types illustrating the world of New York and publishing?

10. The sleazy world of Los Angeles, apartments, the bars, the beach, police stations? A partial world?

11. The quality of the emotional experience? observing these tales of madness? Insight?