A Special Day - The quiet victims of fascism (Film Essay)

A video/film essay where i explore the two main characters, Antonietta and Gabrielle (played by Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni) in Ettore Scolas masterpiece, A Special Day.

When films explore fascism, it's often by retelling its most shocking events, the focus tends to be placed on the battlegrounds, or the carnage in concentration camps. Focusing on the most dramatic and horrifying elements is one way of dismantling this ideology but what a special day does is far more scathing. Instead, this film follows two neighbours who live mostly innocuous lives, both miserable, both alone and both the quiet victims of fascism. Our characters may not be in concentration camps but they too are shattered under Mussolini's boot.

Music
Salve Regina - Arvo Part
Casta Diva (Piano) - Bellini
Prelude in E minor - Chopin
World to Come IV - David Lang

[GrandmasterDinnerRoll]

You, my friend, are a horribly underrated channel. I swear to god you deserve thousand--if not millions--of subscribers!

[waynem]

An excellent analysis of this fine film with two incredible actors about a period in Italian History we hope to never see again.

[CinemaRockPizza]

A Perfect movie for analysis, gentle, frightening and romantic, one of the best from Ettore Scola.

The visual work on this essay is beyond the standards, thank you!

[starfthegreat]

I was very lucky to briefly meet Scola in a restaurant in a town on the outskirts of Rome just 7 months before he passed away. I will forever hold his movies, especially this one and C'eravamo Tanto Amati, very close to my heart. Here's hoping more people fimd out about his many masterpieces

[Killllian]

Yes! Awesome to see this movie celebrated. It was recommended to me by an Italian professor I had and I was absolutely floored by it. I was particularly impressed with the powerful ideas which are delivered subliminally, and I feel you have nailed them in your analysis. Great video!

[residentelect]

I have had trouble sleeping recently.
I either cannot drift off, or I suddenly wake during the early hours, and often turn to YouTube to help while away these long nights.
I found your video essay on the Spaghetti Western quite by accident, and it blew me away. I found myself headfirst down the rabbit hole, hooked on your content.
The genres, themes and subjects you have highlighted, the sublime and often dreamlike, psychedelic editing, all overlaid with your expert narration and perfectly chosen soundtracks is phenomenal.
Your channel is a true diamond among the rough, and I thank you for keeping me entertained and content, when I could quite easily have spent another lonely night disinterested and frustrated at the same-old, same-old, which is in abundance on YouTube.
I wish you all the very best for the future. You truly deserve to, and undoubtedly shall, have a far greater audience in the near future.
Thank you.

[CookieMonsterMC]

Fantastic analysis of a fantastic film! I really like your editing style, it reminds me of some of the scenes in Twin Peaks Season 3

[sz]

Haven’t seen the film yet but you did a terrific job at analyzing its themes and positions. Well done as always my friend!!

[midnightoilclub]

Your story telling and visual style is beautiful.

[georgelafner]

These are so amazing, it's crazy. Every part of this is just so well done... Do you study films at uni or something?

[Haselgrove]

That was class, I'd never heard of the film but by the way you described I got the idea. Keep up the good work

[bylabrea]

Please post again bro, legit one of my favorite creators

[LucVolteAlSecondo]

Thanks for this beautiful video about one of my favorite movies ❤

Ettore Scola was a genius

[nadesomewhatasandwic]

Just discovered this gem of a channel. This is all great stuff so far.! I hope you're able to use the skills you learned here to do something even bigger and better... or at the very least look back on your work and be proud.

[nomad]

Amazing amazing analysis please do more

[irenesosa]

Amazing analysis and presentation!!!. I'm trying to make a video essay about this film, my favorite since 1978, You express in this beautiful essay my thoughts and feeling that I remember from my first viewing some many years ago.
I would like to watch more of your work.

[ladies_man.]

Great video bro 🙌. Could you do PTA next?

[TP-zbfu]

Hey man, when are you coming back? We need another quality video essay 😅 what do you think you'll make your next one on?

[RahulKumar-mtfd]

I've not watched this film. However the analysis is good.
I watched The conformist yesterday, and I can relate them.

[alteredcatscyprus]

Can’t wait to see what our new ten minute cities are like. I’m kidding. I can. Fascism may change it’s means of forced misery, but it’s fascism all the same. God help us.