Sony G90 Cute cameo which perhaps hints at a sequel, Aspect ratio and running time incorrectly

original Pink Panther film – go figure). Sad to say,

though, the film just doesn’t work. The dramatic plot

of international intrigue (the kidnapping of the

Princess of Lugash played by Debrah Farentino) is

murky and uninteresting. The comic plot with which

it is intertwined – that of Commissioner Dreyfus’ (the great Her-

bert Lom) discovery of a bumbling yet dedicated Gendarme

(Benigni) who causes the return of his familiar paranoia and

accompanying facial tick, is an inspired concept. Naturally,

Benigni is delightful as Jacques Gambrelli-Clouseau, Jr. – and

though there are a number of hilarious moments and bits of busi-

ness, the direction is stale, and the poorly realized script doesn’t

give Benigni enough to work with. For Benigni fans, it is worth

watching for those fun moments, and it includes Braschi in a

cute cameo – which perhaps hints at a sequel.

MGM/UA Home Video released the film in pan-and-scan on

VHS (which is out of print, but seemingly about to be reissued)

and in widescreen (2.35:1) on laserdisc [ML103044], which origi-

nally retailed for $35 but can now be had for $10. The disc also

includes the trailer, which gives the impression of a much better

film. With its scope framing and chapter markers, the disc is a

great way to savor Benigni’s best bits. Oddly, the jacket lists both

the aspect ratio and running time incorrectly.

The Monster (Il Mostro)

1994 • 111 minutes

Produced right before Life Is Beautiful, The Monster is a near

perfect comedy of mistaken identity, making it an obvious

companion piece to Johnny Stecchino. (Like Stecchino, this

film also sports a nifty score by Evan Lurie.) Benigni plays

Loris, a clever fellow who gets by on part-time odd jobs, sup-

plementing his resources through inventive small-time

scams as he manages to stay one step ahead of his creditors

(a character not unlike Chaplin’s Tramp). Through a hilari-

ous risqué incident and subsequent misunderstanding, Loris

is pegged by the local law enforcement as the elusive sex-

crazed serial killer they’ve been after. Sure that they have

their man, they put the unknowing Loris under surveillance,

and as they misconstrue every innocent move he makes,

they become progressively more convinced that he is the

murderer. Obsessed with catching Loris red-handed (and

finding out what makes him tick), the police psychologist

(splendid French star Michel Blanc) enlists the assistance of

a policewoman named Jessica (again, the enchanting

Braschi) to go undercover as “bait.” Pretending to look for

an apartment, she ends up rooming with the unsuspecting

Loris, who is mystified at her relentless attempts to be

provocative. The comic situations and developments that

take place under these circumstances are nothing short of

hysterical. The ending (a topper to a running gag) is exquis-

ite and serves as a loving nod to Chaplin. The film is brim-

ming with brilliant gags and bits of slapstick resulting in

farce on a grand scale. That, combined with the vibrant char-

acterizations of the entire cast makes this one of the most

satisfying comedies of all time. This may be just the begin-

ning of what Benigni, along with Braschi, has in store for us.

The film was released in Italian with English subtitles on

VHS through Columbia TriStar Home Video in 1997 and has

just recently come down in price to

the $20 range. The transfer is service-

able although it’s clear throughout

that the film would have greatly bene-

fited from letterboxing. It’s worth not-

ing that the version available here

omits an early four-minute sequence

that, while not essential, is quite funny

and sets up certain adversarial relation-

ships that follow.

Alice Artzt is a professional classical

guitarist who has performed world -

wide and recorded extensively. She

writes on music for The Absolute

Sound.

Bruce Lawton is a motion picture and

video specialist, serving for five years

as archival director of New York’s Kil -

liam Shows, where many silent clas -

sics are stored. He has produced and

edited documentaries and presenta -

tions for public and international

television, and has presided over

home video and laserdisc releases for

Republic Pictures Home Video and the

Voyager Company. He writes for

Sound and Vision, and BraiPlay.com,

and produces “live” film presenta -

tions (including The Silent Clowns

series) in New York City.