ROBERTO BENIGNI SPEAKS THE CREATOR OF 'PINOCCHIO' ON DUBBING, DEALING WITH CRITICS AND TAKING A HAMMER TO JIMINY CRICKET.Byline: Glenn Whipp Film Writer Life isn't so beautiful for Roberto Benigni these days. The Italian filmmaker and comic actor became the toast of America four years ago when his tragic fable about a father protecting his son from the horrors of the Holocaust, ``Life Is Beautiful,'' rang up box-office records and won three Oscars, including best foreign film and best-actor honors for Benigni himself. The awards and worldwide acclaim for the movie gave Benigni the clout to pursue a lifelong dream and make a live-action version of ``Pinocchio,'' Carlo Collodi's classic children's story. Benigni not only co-wrote and directed the $45 million feature (the most expensive Italian-made movie ever), but he cast himself in the lead role, too. ``This was my last chance for me,'' says Benigni, who will turn 50 in October. ``I am too old. Otherwise I am ready to play Gepetto.'' Benigni's ``Pinocchio'' opened in Italy in mid-October to mixed reviews, but that didn't stop people from coming. The movie has grossed $35 million in Benigni's home country, breaking box-office records at every turn. On its way to America, though, ``Pinocchio'' has been beset with problems that would confound con·found tr.v. con·found·ed, con·found·ing, con·founds 1. To cause to become confused or perplexed. See Synonyms at puzzle. 2. even the Blue Fairy The Blue Fairy is a fictional character in Carlo Collodi's classic novel Pinocchio. She repeatedly appears at critical moments in Pinocchio's wanderings to admonish the little wooden puppet to avoid bad or risky behavior. . Benigni and his wife, Nicoletta Braschi Nicoletta Braschi (born August 10, 1960) is an Italian actress, best known for her work with her husband, actor and director Roberto Benigni. She has also collaborated with American director Jim Jarmusch. (his principesa from ``Life Is Beautiful'') decided to dub their own voices for the English version. (Braschi plays the Blue Fairy.) It didn't work. At the last second, Benigni wiped their dubs from the movie and hired American actors Breckin Meyer Breckin Erin Meyer[1] (born May 7, 1974) is an American actor and producer. Biography Early life Meyer was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Dorothy Ann (Vial), a travel agent and former microbiologist, and Christopher William Meyer, a management and Glenn Close to provide the voices. ``Pinocchio'' just did make it into theaters for its Christmas Day release, where so far it has been met with critical scorn and audience apathy. ``It's an oddity odd·i·ty n. pl. odd·i·ties 1. One that is odd. 2. The state or quality of being odd; strangeness. oddity Noun pl -ties 1. that will be avoided by millions of people, this new 'Pinocchio,' '' wrote The New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of Times' Elvis Mitchell. But despite the harsh notices here in the States, Benigni remained typically ebullient during a recent interview in which he expressed his disdain for dubbing dubbing removal of most of the comb of day-old chickens. See also decombing. , revealed how he hoped at one time to make ``Pinocchio'' with Federico Fellini Noun 1. Federico Fellini - Italian filmmaker (1920-1993) Fellini and explained why all little boys should be forced to see his film. Q: Why didn't you keep your own voice in the movie? A: It didn't work. Two hours with this thick Italian accent was too risky. And somebody could think that I won an Academy Award and now I try to act in English. It sounds preposterous. Imagine Woody Allen Noun 1. Woody Allen - United States filmmaker and comic actor (1935-) Allen Stewart Konigsberg, Allen talking in Italian. You cannot do that for two hours. Also I couldn't control my acting because I was concentrating on the language. Q: But unlike most foreign actors, Americans know what your voice sounds like. So there's this weird disconnect in hearing an American voice coming out of your mouth. A: Your culture is with subtitles sub·ti·tle n. 1. A secondary, usually explanatory title, as of a literary work. 2. A printed translation of the dialogue of a foreign-language film shown at the bottom of the screen. tr.v. . Ours is with dubbing. They are both revolting things. You have to choose which one is the less revolting. This movie is for children, and they can't read that fast. You cannot subtitle sub·ti·tle n. 1. A secondary, usually explanatory title, as of a literary work. 2. A printed translation of the dialogue of a foreign-language film shown at the bottom of the screen. tr.v. it. Q: Will we ever see the subtitled sub·ti·tle n. 1. A secondary, usually explanatory title, as of a literary work. 2. A printed translation of the dialogue of a foreign-language film shown at the bottom of the screen. tr.v. version? A: Of course! In January, the second week, we come out with the original version with subtitles. Of course! You know, when I hear my voice dubbed dub 1 tr.v. dubbed, dub·bing, dubs 1. To tap lightly on the shoulder by way of conferring knighthood. 2. To honor with a new title or description. 3. by another actor, I faint in my chair! I can't stand it! It's terrible! Terrible! Q: Making this movie seems like such a big risk, given that ``Pinocchio'' has been done so many times and, often, so well. A: ``Pinocchio'' is the movie of my life since I was a little boy. When I left my village, I didn't want to be an actor. I wanted to be Pinocchio. So for me, it is a natural thing to make ``Pinocchio.'' It is like an oak tree to make an acorn. Q: And you almost made it 10 years ago with Fellini? A: We prepared. We shot film. He called me Pinocchio. Every year, he was telling me, ``Roberto, next year we make 'Pinocchio.' '' But he wanted to release ``Pinocchio'' as a nightmare because the classic story is very cruel. And I was telling him, ``Federico, it is also a story full of life and joy, also grief and sorrow.'' And he said, ``No, no, it's a nightmare! A nightmare!'' Q: And ``next year'' never came. A: When he was very sick, I went to find him in the hospital, and I said, ``Federico, come up, don't be sick because we will make 'Pinocchio.' '' And he said to me, ``You will do 'Pinocchio,' Roberto.'' That was his last phrase to me. Q: How do you get around people's familiarity with the classic Disney version? A: The difference between the book and the Disney version is that in the book, there is the strength of the story about our destiny, why we are here, the most ancient of questions of life and happiness. It is a very cruel story, cruel and strong and a deep story. I remember the Disney version, and I must say it is a masterpiece technically, but it is another story. Q: Can you give an example of the way the two differ? A: In the Disney version, Jiminy Cricket is one of the protagonists. In the classic book, in the second chapter, Jiminy Cricket has been killed by Pinocchio, killed by a hammer. Boom! He dies! Pinocchio can't stand him. The cricket is always telling him to go to school and be nice. He finally can't take it any more. ``Shut up!'' But he won't stop talking, so Pinocchio takes the hammer and - boom! - he kills him. Q: Well, all that chirping chirp n. A short, high-pitched sound, such as that made by a small bird or an insect. intr.v. chirped, chirp·ing, chirps To make a short, high-pitched sound. does get a little old. A: Yes! The life of Pinocchio is a path to join the happiness among grief, sorrow, death and all the cruelty of life. It's really flabbergasting what happens to this little boy. The story is like a medicine for the health. It's like a pharmacy! I show it to a famous psychologist in Italy and he says we need to force little boys to see this movie! CAPTION(S): 3 photos |
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