PODCAST · arts
CAPOLAVORO!
by Ken Barrett
In this podcast Russell Kilbourn, Professor of Literature and Film at Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario discusses classic Italian movies, old and new with Ken Barrett, host of the Brainland podcast, visual artist and former neuropsychiatrist. Each episode focuses on one film and lasts about 30 minutes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
-
VITTORIO DE SICA'S NEOREALIST CINEMA
In this episode Russ and Ken discuss three of the earliest films made by director Vittorio de Sica, Sciusia (Shoeshine, 1946), Ladri di Biciclette (The bicycle thieves,1948) and Umberto D (1952), all films made in and around Rome, mainly with non-professional actors. We talk about De Sica's...
-
ANTONIO SCURATI'S 'M: SON OF THE CENTURY': From page to screen.
In this episode Russ Kilbourn and our guest Sandra Parmegiani, a specialist in contemporary Italian literature, explore the background to Antonio Scurati's internationally successful 2018 novel 'M: Il Figlio Del Secolo' (M: Son of the Century) about Benito Mussolini's rise to power, adapted for…
more -
ADAPTING ELENA FERRANTE: Exploring screen versions of the novels
Regular Russ Kilbourn and today's guest Roberta Cauchi-Santoro have just edited a collection of essays on screen adaptations of the novels of internationally successful Italian novelist Elena Ferrante. In this episode Roberta introduces us to Ferrante and her fiction then we discuss those...
-
POLITICAL SORRENTINO
In this episode we talk about three films by director Paolo Sorrentino, about whose cinema Russ published a book in 2020: his most recent movie 'La Grazia (2025), about a fictional president of Italy at the end of his term, and two films based on real politicians in the later stage sof their...
-
CINEMA DELL'ANIMA
In this podcast we discuss Maria Giménez Cavallo's concept of 'cinema dell'anima', (Cinema of the Soul), an idea triggered by three Italian films from the last two decades. Maria's concept has three elements and she highlights a film for each: transcendental - ' Le Quattro Volte' (2010) directed…
more -
FEDERICO FELLINI'S DREAMWORK
Frank Burke is a leading film scholar with a long interest in Italian director Federico Fellini (1920-1993). Few artists were more obsessed with their dreams than Fellini. In this conversation we talk about his early interest in puppets and circus, and his jobs, before moving into film, as an...
-
SEASON ONE TRAILER
Introducing the Capolavoro podcast: 20 movies from 20 different directors, from Luchino Visconti’s influential 1943‘Ossessione’ to Maura Delpero’s brilliant 2024 ‘Vermiglio’. If you want to know more about post-war Italian cinema the Capolavoro podcast is a great place to start. Participants…
more -
ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST (1968)
In this extended series finale we talk about 1968 film 'Once Upon a Timer in the West', Sergio Leone's operatic and big budget return to the Spaghetti Western. Russ discusses the script, elements of the story assembled from earlier westerns, the main characters and the cinematography. We discuss...
-
NOSTALGIA (2022)
In Mario Martone's 2022 movie, based on Ermanno Rea's 2016 novel, 'nostalgia' is not a bittersweet reflection on the past but an obsessive need to return to the Naples of the main character's youth. We talk about the contrast with 'Gomorah', another movie involving the Camorah discussed earlier…
more -
THE TREE OF WOODEN CLOGS (1978)
In this episode we discuss the 1978 film - ‘L'albero degli zoccoli’, 'The tree of wooden clogs', directed, scripted, shot and edited by Ermano Olmi. We talk about the four stories that make up the film, the way in which Olmi slowly evokes the lives of his protagonists, all local people rather…
more -
VERMIGLIO (2024)
In this episode we discuss the 2024 multi-award winning film 'Vermiglio' written and directed by Maura Delpero, set in Trentino and based on interviews and her own family history. We discuss the casting, of many untrained local children and adults alongside experienced professional actors, the...
-
THE GARDEN OF THE FINZI-CONTINIS (1970)
In this episode we discuss the penultimate film of Vittorio De Sica, one of the giants of Italian cinema. 'The Garden of the Finzi-Continis' (1970) is based closely on the 1962 semi-autobiographical novel by Georgio Bassani andtells the story of a group of people, mostly in the Jewish community…
more -
THE NIGHT PORTER (1974)
After discussing Liliana Cavani's backstory, which included documentaries on the 3rd Reich and women in WW2, we unpick the unusual mix of storylines in 'The Night Porter', an English languarge film that, despite a critical mauling in the US and UK on release, has endured and perhaps increased in...
-
OSSESSIONE (1943)
In this podcast we talk about Visconti's first feature film, based on the James M. Cain the novel 'The postman always rings twice', though set in the Ferrar region of Italy. Hated and banned by the fascists, the film survives because the director kept a copy, but it had to wait until 1977 for its...
-
LAMERICA (1994)
In this podcast we discuss Giani Amelio's neglected 1994 film on Albanian migration to Italy, 'Lamerica', multi award winning at the time and still resonant. The conversation moves from the opening, a fascist propaganda film about Italy colonising Albania in the 1930s, to a discussion of the mass...
-
THE GREAT BEAUTY (2013)
In this podcast we explore what is generally agreed to be Paolo Sorrentino's masterwork, La Grande Bellezza (The Great Beauty, 2013). Russ talks about why he decided to write a book about his movies and why he thinks this, and Il Divo, are his stand out works. After outlining the plot, we talk...
-
THE ICICLE THIEF (1989)
Nichetti's film ( 'Ladri di Saponette' is the Italian title) is both an affectionate homage of 1940s neorealism and a critique of the effects of consumerism, and particularly Berlusconi's media, in 1980s Italy. Russ discusses the social historical background to the making of this film before we...
-
CARO DIARIO (1993)
In this podcast we talk about Nanni Morreti's 1994 film 'Caro Diario' ('Dear Diary'), in which the director plays himself. Russ explains the three chapter structure, the first following him around Rome on his Vespa, the second a trip around Italian islands with a friend and the last an account of…
more -
GOMORRAH (2008)
In this episode we discuss Matteo Garrone's 2008 adaptation of journalist Roberto Saviano 2006 book about the Naples mafia (Camorra). Russ talks about the way the book is adapted, dipping into the many activities of the Camorrah, from drugs to toxic waste disposal whilst also following younger...
-
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW (1964)
In this podcast we talk about Pier Paolo Pasolini's 1964 film 'The Gospel According to Matthew' ('Il vangelo secondo Matteo' is the title in Italian) the unusual cast selection (non-actors), Italian locations and a Jesus depicted with more than a hint of Che Guevara. Russ talks about Pasolini's...
-
LA CHIMERA (2023)
In this episode we unpack the delights of Alice Rohrwacher's 2023 movie 'La Chimera', a film about 'tomboroli' (tomb robbers) in the 1980s. Russ discusses the social and historical background, and the way the film explores attitudes to and roles of women and other aspects of Italian society then...
-
MARTIN EDEN (2019)
In this episode we discuss Pietro Marcello's 2019 film 'Martin Eden', based on Jack London's semi-autobiographical coming of age novel published in 1909. Russ unpacks some of the historical and political backstory of story, as filmed. Unconventional flashback-like sequences are highlighted and...
-
LOVE AND ANARCHY (1973)
This episode explores Lina Wertmuller's 1973 film Love and Anarchy (D'Amore e D'Anarchia), the first female director they've discussed. Wertmuller's route to direction is outlined, including her early career with an avant garde puppets theatre, then work with Fellini, before we unpick some of the...
-
THE CONFORMIST (1970)
In this episode Russ and Ken talk about Bertolucci's 1970 film The Conformist (Il Conformista), based on Alberto Moravia's 1947 novel of the same name. Set in fascist Italy, mainly before WW2, it tells the story of Marcello whose desire to conform makes him embrace and become a willing puppet of...
-
L'AVVENTURA (1960)
In this episode Russ and Ken talk about Michelangelo Antonioni's classic genre defying masterpiece 'L'Avventura' from 1960. After discussing the use of black and white in art house cinema in this period Russ outlines how the film has been critically interpreted as a kind of filmic philosophical...
-
I VITELLONI (1953)
In this episode Russ and Ken discuss 'I Vitelloni' a Federico Fellini Classic from 1953, his first international success. We talk through the story, the main characters and what gives it classic status, including Fellini's use of humour, visual composition and characters. It's the story of a…
more -
ROME, OPEN CITY (1945)
In this podcast we set the scene for the series by discussing cinema under Mussolini including the creation of Cinecittà in Rome. We then talk about the director, and writers of 'Rome, Open City' (including Federico Fellini), the plot (execution of a priest and pregnant woman, based on true…
more
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
In this podcast Russell Kilbourn, Professor of Literature and Film at Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario discusses classic Italian movies, old and new with Ken Barrett, host of the Brainland podcast, visual artist and former neuropsychiatrist. Each episode focuses on one film and lasts about 30 minutes.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
HOSTED BY
Ken Barrett
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does CAPOLAVORO! have?
CAPOLAVORO! currently has 27 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is CAPOLAVORO! about?
In this podcast Russell Kilbourn, Professor of Literature and Film at Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario discusses classic Italian movies, old and new with Ken Barrett, host of the Brainland podcast, visual artist and former neuropsychiatrist. Each episode focuses on one film and lasts about 30...
How often does CAPOLAVORO! release new episodes?
CAPOLAVORO! has 27 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to CAPOLAVORO!?
You can listen to CAPOLAVORO! on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts CAPOLAVORO!?
CAPOLAVORO! is created and hosted by Ken Barrett.
URL copied to clipboard!