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The Gucci family has repeatedly dissociated itself from the portrait that the film portrays, and I will not go into the merits, but now I can finally say that Lady Gaga in the House of Gucci is truly credible, for the vision I had of it.
So, taking up the talk on Patrizia Reggiani, apparently Lady Germanotta’s decision not to meet her did not affect the interpretation, despite Reggiani being annoyed.
Obviously I observed clothes, accessories, and outfits in general, with particular interest both for Gucci pieces and for 80s looks, and I have to say that I enjoyed the work of costume designer Yanti Yates.
Very scrupulous work, starting from months of study in the archives of the Gucci maison.
In an interview with the New York Times, available in full on Instagram, Yanti Yates stated that Lady Gaga was hugely involved, not least because she is a complete clotheshorse and looks marvelous in everything. She was hugely focused on how her character might appear at a particular moment, and had very strong views on aspects like hair and makeup.
But also difficult work, again according to the statements made during the interview: I would create initial selections, and then she would select from there.
Gaga selected.
It also seems that there have been days when for her it was “not today.”
Moreover, the same Gucci website reports as an iconic statement from Yanti Yates: “Lady Gaga told me that in this movie she wanted to dress like her Italian mom. To create her looks, I was able to draw on both her personal and historical Gucci archives.”
Like her Italian mom.
How good does this sentence sound?
At the same time, however, I have this doubt that is spinning in my head, so help me understand if my perception is deceiving me since, actually, in the early 70s despite I wasn’t really in the world from longer (also now I am not, but this is a other story).
Unfortunately I could not find the image of the scene in which Maurizio Gucci introduces Patrizia to his father Rodolfo, but more or less the same goes for the floral dress in this picture.
Obviously I’m nobody to question the reconstruction, which in all other situations I have admired, and I stress it well, but the idea of this dress leaves me perplexed. I’m wrong, right?
I leave you this roundup of outfits.
In addition to the clothes, House of Gucci offers the vision of a fantastic series of precious “vintage” cars.
In particular, I really loved the way director Ridley Scott frames the arrivals at Rodolfo Gucci’s home: focused on the entrance. From the outside to the outside.
This shot occurs more than once in the movie, with different cars arriving in front of that entrance.
For me it was a sort of “story within history,” almost a symbol to mark the time.
In the picture below, with the same principle, in contrast we are witnessing a departure.
Which is also a beginning: the beginning of a strategy for Maurizio being back in the company.
For the rest, I refer you to the review by Matavitatau, me, a bit like Cruella, I really enjoyed the non-original soundtrack.
As for the floral dresses, I felt a sort of temporal disorientation that in some cases conquered me, in others it left me a kind of question mark.
For example, I liked the choice for George Michael’s Faith as soundtrack of the wedding scene: despite the anachronistic incongruity, it gave me a joyfulness that counterbalanced the void created by the absence of Maurizio’s family.
On the contrary, I was perplexed listening to Ritornerai by Bruno Lauzi as the background to the scene in which Aldo Gucci goes with Maurizio and Patrizia to the estate where their historic breeding is located. The song is wonderful, ça va sans dire, and the meaning is centered on returning to the origins, but for my personal perception it is as if something screeches.
Apart from that, I could list one song more beautiful than the other, and I would like to propose them all: Here comes the rain again by Eurythmics, Heart of glass by Blondie, Ashes to ashes by the White Duke David Bowie, Blue Monday by New Order, Una notte speciale by Alice, Sono bugiarda by Caterina Caselli, but also Largo al factotum from Il Barbiere di Siviglia by Rossini, Madame Butterfly and much more.
As you choose which one you prefer to listen to first, here are some coffees.
And… the final blessing.
I like Gucci fashions, they are so stylish, typical Italian Alta Moda of excellent quality. It is a shame that this couple could not live in peace and took such a dramatic end. I have not seen the movie so I can write nothing about it but I find your article interesting, Claudia.
Thank you very much Olivia!
And I’m sorry if I answer you late!
Yes: it’s really a shame. I don’t know the history of the whole Gucci family very well but I followed the news after the murder of Maurizio Gucci as well as various interviews released by Patrizia Reggiani. A story that leaves a deep sense of sadness.
A deep sense of sadness, yes, you have described it very well. I had the same feeling when reading this story. Maurizio cheated on his wife, and she had him killed in revenge. This is a timeless topic. Already in ancient times, such constellations happened. Ancient Greek tragedies often use this theme. Human beings do not change much.
You’re absolutely right Olivia: the disheartening part of history is just that the same things keep happening and it seems like humanity never learns.
The resentment of Patrizia Reggiani towards Maurizio Gucci goes beyond the betrayal in a mixture of resentment also for the exclusion from the management and a dissatisfaction regarding the division of assets for the divorce.
Exactly! It was not only disappointed love that drove her to have her husband killed but also dissentment over money payments. It is a power play. Love and money are two assets to fight about …
Right Olivia.
And to think about it it is extremely sad when money and power take over everything, including love.
She had her revenge but was caught and imprisoned. So she gained nothing with her revenge, on the contrary, she lost. Not only money and a good position in the house of Gucci but also precious time, with years in prison. This shows that revenge is a destructive power. Nobody will ever gain anything by taking revenge.
Thank you thank you thank you Olivia for how you perfectly described the futility and destructiveness of revenge.
And money and power can also destroy lives rather than improve them.
Money and power can be helpful in life, if used in the right way. Revenge, to my knowledge, is always destructive in the long run. It is a very negative emotion that we should never act upon, no matter how much we might feel attempted to do so.
Dear Olivia, you are right to specify that money and power can be used in the right way: unfortunately we have too many negative examples in front of our eyes and we often forget to take into consideration the positive chances.
Regarding revenge, however, there are no positive versions, you describe it well: as a temptation.
I imagine it as a poison: if you do not cure it immediately, it can completely poison.
Yes, revenge is a temptation and a poison, a sort of mental drug. ABSTAIN!
I still remember how impressed I was the first time I saw the movie “Revenge” with Anthony Quinn, Madeleine Stowe and Kevin Costner. I found it terrible, frightening.
I did not see this film, actually I cannot remember any film at all about the topic of revenge, since I do not like to watch films. But in books about history, we can read a lot about revenge and how it mostly goes wrong;
Oh sure history is full of examples of revenge, and books too.
The first that immediately comes to my mind is Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
Do you like Shakespeare?
Yes, I like Shakespeare a lot. I read his works at university, when I studied English language and literature. I find Shakespeare a very impressive and wise personality.
I love Shakespeare too.
Do you have a preference?
Unfortunately I did not go to university and therefore my studies and my knowledge are very limited. And I can’t explain how sorry I am that I didn’t go!
My preference in Shakespeare? I really love all of his tragedies, as well as his comedies, and his sonnets too. For a while, I loved “Hamlet” best, later “Othello”.
I also like his comedy “The Taming of the Shrew”, although it is a rather anti-feminist play. I saw a ballet, based on this text, in the Bolshoi Theatre of Moscow. It was amusing and impressive.
No wonder that the Russians like this theme, since it is still a rather patriarchial society, and Russian men “taming women” is nothing unusual, even today … LOL …. We have to take it with a humorous streak to survive …
I also like EVERYTHING about Shakespeare, although I always know very little and never enough of his works.
For example, I have never read or seen anything about The Taming of the Shrew.
Wow I guess the Bolshoi is spectacular!
An Italian movie backdated 1980 turned the story over to the male, the main character was Adriano Celentano: he was The Shrew to be tamed..
Regarding the female situation, unfortunately it is a sadly current issue almost everywhere. Here society is not patriarchal and yet many women are killed by their husbands, or boyfriends, or in any case by men who said they “loved” them … terrible.
About irony I agree with you: it is saving and many times it is necessary to appeal to the very humorous streak eaxactly as you mention.
THANKS Olivia!
“Adriano Celentano: he was The Shrew to be tamed..”
Hilarious! I would have laughed until my belly hurts. He is one of the greatest Italian machos I know of. Taming him might be practically impossible.
Was he not Ornella Muti’s lover, for a while? I think I read it somewhere, many years ago. If true, then even this lovely lady did not succeed to “tame” that male shrew.
Just like the lovely French actress Carole Bouquet never managed to tame her one-time-lover, the French monster Gérard Dépardieu, a worthy counterpart of your Italian monster.
Both – Celentano and Dépardieu – as ugly as hell, but with a certain male charm that even the most beautiful women cannot withstand …
Yes, the Bolshoi Theatre is marvellous, an architectural jewel in Moscow, and the programme is wonderful, both for opera and ballet.
Oh wow! So you know Adriano Celentano? How wonderful!
Yup! Just as Gérard Dépardieu does not fall within the canons of traditional beauty or even good character, but both have undoubtedly left an indelible mark.
Ornella Muti has acted with him, but his wife is Claudia Mori, they are “the most beautiful couple in the world” for a lifetime.
Here you can find the movie if you are interested.
Meanwhile, I leave you a small advance below.
Adriano Celentano playing chess with his dog – wow! He certainly has a comic talent.
So this affair between Ornella Muti and Adriano Celentano is not true? Maybe he had many love affairs, while married – just like Gérard Dépardieu. Most famous men do.
In questo video Adriano Celentano e Gérard Dépardieu insieme.
Since I have never heard of Claudia Mori, I looked her up on the Internet and found this:
The true love of Adriano Celentano and Claudia Mori
In the summer of 2014, legendary Italian actor and musician Adriano Celentano and his wife, Claudia Mori, celebrated their golden wedding – 50 years together in a legal union, the result of which are three children – Rossita, Giacomo and Rosalinda.
Earlier this year, Celentano, who is the best-selling Italian singer of all time, turned 80. Claudia – as well a performer and actress who has been involved in several of his directorial projects – turned 74.
Despite all the vicissitudes of fate and the frivolous nature of the artist, Celentano and Mori have been together for 50 years! A half-century love story that began in 1963 ….
Right!
I particularly like Rosita and Rosalinda.
Here Adriano and Claudia singing “We are the most beautiful couple in the world.”
That is a nice song. Thank you for the video, Claudia.
Thanks to you for the lovely exchanges we are having dear Olivia!
Thank you too, dear Claudia. I also like our exchanges a lot.
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