MovieChat Forums > Il conformista (1971) Discussion > whats your favorite scene

whats your favorite scene


the cinematography in this movie is pure brilliance. every scene is breath taking....but if i have to narrow it down to one shot or sequence it would have to be the low angle shot of the car with the leaves blowing in the wind..when Manganiello is picking up Marcello. such a beautiful shot...

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Mine is almost any scene with Stefania Sandrelli in it, like the first scene when Marcello goes to visit her at her house, all the light streaming into the dim room, so beautiful, but almost suffocatingly so, the way Marcello seems to feel. Or the train scene. I love the opening shot too, with the lights flicking on and off.

I also like the scene at the professor's house when a group of men walks towards the camera right around it, and we are left staring at the very confident Dominique Sanda standing alone by the open doorway.
So many to choose from, I could go on and on.





*This is a place to write anything I think is important or smart or cute. It ends all my comments.*

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I've only seen this movie for the first time yesterday afternoon and I can name several shots I loved.
The shot of the leaves is breathtaking.
The series of canted angles earlier also struck me as sublime.
One shot that amused me was from Marcello visiting the minister, when he stands in a hallway where Third Reich icons are being carried through while they face the camera. There's something humorous in that.
Then there's the scene at the asylum, when Marcello's father demands to leave. The way it's constructed has a stunning effect - the dark sleeves of his straitjacket blowing in the wind contrasted with the dominant white marble of the setting and scored by chilling symphonic music.
The scene with young Marcello and the chauffeur was masterfully shot as well.
What else? Marcello hugging the prostitute - agonizingly passionate. Then the later shot where he is striking poses with his pistol.
Also, the scene in which the cave allegory is discussed in Quadri's office, where all light comes from one window.
The forest is an obvious choice, but in particular I was shocked by the urgency of the handheld shots of Anna being chased.
My favourite scene would have to be at the end when a crowd of fascist paraders overtake Marcello and Italo just after Marcello has tried to denounce him. It seems to come out of nowhere after the already devastating betrayal, but the symbolism is frighteningly clear.
Indeed, the film is a cinematographic wonder.

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The cinematography is truly breathtaking, so it's hard to choose, but I will go with two scenes:

1. the dance scene where Marcello ends up trapped in the middle of all the dancers
2. the scene where the two women are looking into shop windows and then go inside one of the boutiques, and Marcello is watching them. Beautiful use of cold blue (the outside) and warm yellows (the inside).

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Definitely the low shot of the car with the leaves blowing toward it.

The shot tracking down slowly while Giulia walks toward Marcello, as he walks towards her as Giulia's mother walks toward Marcello. I don't know why but that shot just drew me in.

And also the whole hand-held sequence in the woods, chasing down Anna. That was pretty freakin cool.

Of course anything with Stefania Sandrelli as well, but particularly the scene where Giulia and Anna are dancing...that was just hot.

One reason I find the direction in this film pretty remarkable, other than all the obvious qualities, is that Bertolucci didn't use any of those zooms that are so frequent in films of the 70's. I don't know if I'm the only one who doesn't like it, but it's something one must get over if one is to enjoy anything from the 70's.

Oh well, great movie.

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The zooming in used in 70s movies are quite obnoxious. Sometimes, though, it can be used in a good way... a la, the Conversation's opening shot and Harakiri (though that's a 60s movie).

This is great movie, but also a frustrating one. I'm going to have to give it time before I watch it again. So complex!

Favorite scene: when Italo is sold out after Marcello's realization. I also really liked the scene at the asylum.

I'm not going there to die. I'm going to find out if I'm really alive.

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The asylum scene looked gorgeous with all that white background.

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Many beautiful scenes. I would probably choose the train scene - as they are fooling around inside the train, we see all sorts of colourful pictures from the window. I suspect F. Coppola was influnced by that scene in his Dracula.

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1:
http://bit.ly/17aPit3

2:
http://bit.ly/15sWDWs

3:
http://bit.ly/ZaQQCy

4:
http://bit.ly/ZGglGk

5:
http://bit.ly/11xjLfQ


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The entire scene in the woods.

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The darker the shadow, the more radiant the light it beams.

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INDELIBLE! The leaves in turbulence behind the chauffeured car ~ Exactly what came to my mind as I read your question!

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Marcello's first sight of the minister through a pair of lady's legs on a vast table.

The chase through the woods with the camera running through trees.

There are so many amazing moments.

A bird sings and the mountain's silence deepens.

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mental hospital (i forget?) where the guy started waving those long white arm-sleeves..

the horizontality of that shot is incredible

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