MovieChat Forums > La grande bellezza (2014) Discussion > What was the deal with the Japanese tour...

What was the deal with the Japanese tourist?

posted 8 years ago by Mikee333
8 replies | jump to latest

So the movie starts out with this Japanese tourist, who suddenly falls down dead. Aside for introducing the theme of death, what else was the purpose of starting the movie this way?

He was with a group of other tourists, but chose to turn and abandon the sights of the old relics, and rather focus his camera towards the city, right before he died. Was that to symbolize that great beauty lies not in past history, but in the present?

I'm just rambling off the top of my head here... So what do you guys think?

[–] smoogster 8 years ago

Maybe he was overcome with the beauty and history of Rome. Aesthetic overload maybe?

[–] florentyna1972 8 years ago

The Caravaggio syndrome?

[–] florentyna1972 8 years ago

Sorry, Stendhall sundrome was what I meant

[–] evelinesalario 8 years ago

Maybe it had to do with the saying 'see rome and die' ? I think jeb is discovering death is the great beauty, that eveything ends.

[–] psdhart 8 years ago

Maybe it had to do with the saying 'see rome and die'

I agree, also there was that scene featuring Garibaldi's monument with the phrase "Roma O Morte": Rome is dead (straight after the cannon scene right at the beginning)

[–] star-crossed 7 years ago

Roma o morte means Rome or death.

[–] psdhart 7 years ago

yes, you are right, my mistake

[–] Franny25 8 years ago

Mikee, that's a nice take on that scene. His last visions before death are of a beautiful and alive city. Which by his smile he appreciated.