The latest installment of classic Italian cinema courtesy of NoShame Films gives American film aficionados something to cheer about. Francesco Maselli's Lettera Aperta a un Giornale della Sera a.k.a Open Letter to the Evening News (1970) sends its viewers back to the turbulent times of the early 70s-80s when the extreme left was making much noise in Italy.

A group of passionate communists gather with the idea of discussing the political present and future of the Italian state. Soon, they are informed that a prominent newspaper is willing to cover their activities. A large letter condemning the ongoing war in Vietnam and the actions of the US in the region is drafted. Much to the surprise of the leftists the letter gets published and the members of the group are asked to defend their statements.

There is a lot in Francesco Maselli's Open Letter to the Evening News that does not bode well with the description provided on the back cover of NoShame's DVD. There you will see that the film has been categorized as a "searing black comedy". I find it anything but funny!

Thought-provoking and revealing is how I would describe Open Letter to the Evening News. The film is filled with unbridled criticism aimed at the Italian political left (the twisted role which the Italian Communist Party played at the time was something the intelligentsia and left-oriented students were quite unhappy with) as well as those who voiced approval for the American presence in Vietnam.

Unlike the works of Bernardo Bertolucci (Il Sosia) and Edoardo Bruno (La Sua Giornata di Gloria) however where the uneasiness of Italian political life from the 70s-80s was covered in a rather philosophical manner Francesco Maselli's Open Letter to the Evening News feels almost like a documentary. The raw footage, the unusual use of light, as well as the unedited dialog, provide this film with an uncanny sense of realism. In addition, many of the questions the communist sympathizers ask are in my opinion just as relevant today as they were thirty six years ago.

Open Letter to the Evening News was a film meant to spur passionate responses, even heated debates. And while the film did manage to achieve its goal(s) it did so without compromising the integrity of its characters-there is no fake posterity here though this Italian production is as close to being the perfect propaganda feature as one could imagine. Instead Francesco Maselli has provided his protagonists with the key ingredient a film such as Open Letter to the Evening News needs in order to be convincing: sincerity.

In addition to the above-mentioned film in this double DVD set by NoShame Films you will also find a second, equally impressive, documentary-Francesco Maselli's autobiographical Fragments of the Twentieth Century. In it the director walks its viewers through the history of Italy while recalling different stages of his career as a filmmaker. To be honest with you one of the reasons I took such a long time to cover this release is because three times I went back to this film. There is plenty here that intrigued me (Maselli talks in detail about events from recent and not so recent years concerning the history of Western Europe and Italy in particular that I actually witnessed) as well as drawing parallels with the current state of affairs in Italy. If one can look pass all of the unfamiliar (I assume) names of Italian politicians and statesmen this autobiographical film is actually quite rewarding as it puts in perspective much of what Italy must deal with at present (political action and reaction are closely investigated). Couple that with Francesco Maselli's passionate desire to "convince" its viewers (his political bias is easily detectable), hence, the energetic remarks and uninhibited storytelling and you have quite an unusual piece of cinema.

How Does the DVD Look?

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.33:1 Open Letter to the Evening News looks and feels as a low-budget documentary feature. The image is a bit softer than what you might expect from a NoShame release and as I understand it was produced so intentionally. There are however occasional specs here and there that do not truly affect the overall quality of the print. This being said contrast is rather acceptable, colors look a bit washed-out, and most importantly the print has been transferred progressively.

The second feature, Fragments of the Twentieth Century, is a much more recent production and therefore everything here is in a near pristine quality. In fact, there is hardly anything here that one could criticize-from contrast and color to overall quality of the print everything appears flawless.

How Does the DVD Sound?

The film is presented with its original Italian mono track and optional English subtitles. I could not detect any disruptive audio drop outs or hissing that may affect your viewing experience.

Extras:

This double DVD set offers plenty of interesting extras to support the two features by Francesco Maselli. First, NoShame have once again provided one of their marquee booklets where you will find a Francesco Maselli Biography, presented in an essay-like form by regular contributor Richard Harlan Smith. Next, there are two short texts: More Psychoanalysis Than Technique (Michelangelo Antonioni, Rome, 1979) and Taking Pictures While Sleeping (Italo Calvino, Paris, 1984). Both of the texts seem to address the uneasy political spirit of the time when the film was shot by drawing parallels with Maselli's hobby (read more in the extras section).

Disc 1: The actual feature is preceded by a short commentary by Franceco Maselli which was recorded for the release of this DVD. In it the director quickly points out a few of the key areas in the film (agenda, history, etc). Next, Open Letter from a Comrade-Interview with Director Francesco Maselli: the director focuses on the history following the release of his film as well as his continuous involvement with the Communist Party in Italy. Next, On the Eve of Revolution-Francesco Maselli and the mayor of Rome Walter Veltroni: Probably the most notable extra in this double DVD set here you Mr. Veltroni discusses in detail his affiliation of the youth Communist movement, he recalls the significance of the film at the time when it was released, and the state of Italian cinema which struggled to recreate the turbulent events from the time. I highly recommend that you see this piece. Next, Portraits of the Artist as a Camera – Exclusive photo gallery from Francesco Maselli's collection with director's introduction: a short series of photographs taken by the Italian director.

Disc 2: The only piece of supplemental material here is The Eyewitness – Interview with director Francesco Masell, a short piece explaining how the second documentary was put together and its significance (mostly technical and secondary information provided by Francesco Maselli).

Final Words:

It took me awhile to go through this set which offers an interesting look at the political past of Italy. Outspoken leftists Francesco Maselli is introduced through a film which I have never seen before and needless to say I am now glad to have in my library. Open Letter to the Evening News looks, sounds, and feels, just as alarming as it was thirty six years ago. See it.