COMMENT
Son of Italy and The Italian: which of the two made the bigger impression on you? And, what made an impression (talking about the movie, remember the score was not part of it. It's a silent movie, so skip references to the music.)
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The Son of Italy and The Italian are extremely similar but different in so many regards. In The Italian what made a big impression in me was when Beppo went to Mr Corrigan's house and tries to take revenge on Corrigan's child than he felt sympathy for the child. In Son of Italy the impression that got my attention was when he was begging the publisher for him to publish his poems. In both stories the character leave someone they love behind. One a mother and the other a girlfriend.
ReplyDeleteFor me the bigger impression made The Italian. First of all, because it was a visual experience and often it affects you more. This film is very dramatic and made me think afterwards. I did like the the whole concept of the story, how they showed Beppo struggling with lots of obstacles and that unfortunately it ended up with a death of his son. I also liked the moral of the film, how on the edge of despair, anger and hate his inner humaneness took over. The film is not only a sad story, but more an example of what Italians faced back in those days.
ReplyDeleteI agree and disagree with your comment . The Italian did have a greater impact on me, but it was not due to the visual factor . Son of Italy was so well written that it created a picture more clear than any movie . Tiny details were included that a film would not have been able to paint as vividly . In my opinion The Italian was more emotional bcs it included the death of a beloved character .His difficult recovery was beautiful and very realistic . It is something that almost everyone can relate to directly.
DeleteThe bigger impression made between these two happened to be the Son of Italy for me. I appreciated the personal feel, and his recounts of his own memories which made it feel like you personally experienced everything he went through. He was so detailed in describing his downfalls, and finally his successes, that it felt like being right along side with him, throughout his journey in America. I will always remember Pascals moment of happiness after being welcomed into the literary world and his mention of his parents in the end, ultimately signifying that his journey was not made in vein.
ReplyDeleteIn both the movie and the book, it is evident that life proves to be tough as all characters make a transition to a new life in America. The moment in the Italian, where Beppo sets up his stand, and they later cut to the scene where the slum boss treats his gang, makes an impression on me because of the clear contrasts in the lives that these two men have to live.
Yes, I feel more connected to Son of Italy as well. It cannot be deny that in the book, the descriptions of his story is so much more detailed and personal to us. And I can totally understand the struggle of fitting into the community in U.S. for me myself was just like Pascal a few years ago. But as long as you stay positive and persevere on, everything will come smoothly eventually.
DeleteThe biggest impression in the movie was so visual. Even though there was a sad scene it felt so real. Living poor is always a struggle but that didn't stop Beppo from doing all he could do to not only bring his love to America but to continue to work hard to support his family. After the incident with his son he was very upset, and wanted to get revenge with Corriran but once he looked into the child's face he remember his precious lil Tony and instead left the baby.
ReplyDeleteWe are quick to take revenge put however two wrongs don't make a right. I feel that the love Beppo and Anette had for each other they will be ok as time passes on.
Between Son of Italy and The Italian, Son of Italy left a bigger impression on me and I am a film major. The book was just so meaty and detail filled. The movie put me all over the place that I did not know how I felt about the movie after. The book is more close to home for me since both of my parents came from their countries and dealt with some aspects that Pascal dealt with in Son of Italy. The fact that Pascal's dad left back to Italy in the book left an impression on me because I know people from my dad side or mom side that came to America and ended up going back to their countries because it was not cutting it for them. Nearly everything I felt from the movie, I felt in the book so that is another reason why the book left a better impression on me.
ReplyDeleteI definitely understand why you felt that Son of Italy had a bigger impression on you. I also agree that the book was much more organized and personal unlike the film that was all over the place and abstract. I wonder if the film would have left a bigger impression if you didn't have such an easy time relating to Pascal?
DeleteSurprisingly the film made a bigger impression on me . By the end of The Italian I was crying like a baby . Son of Italy will go down as one of my favorite books of all time . I watched this kind gentle man transform into a potential murderer and it was so realistic .
ReplyDeleteGrowing up as a part of a very closely knit family in " the hood" I can understand how hard it is to avoid becoming a part of an overwhelming environment.The trauma can temporarily alter ones character . It took a great amount of love and strength for Beppo to look past all of the resentment and anger. Both he and Pascal made the right choice in recognizing that anger is a very heavy burden to bear . All of the sadness and struggle built within him them, the experiences and character essential to to their success .
Son of Italy made a bigger impression on me. I thought the events in the book clearly illustrate the life of an Italian immigrant in America well. The details in the book were just as vivid as a movie would be. To me, Son of Italy felt like a movie in and of itself. Even some of Pascal’s experiences seemed to come straight out of a film, such as his moments of labor in the camp by himself, working through the rain only to impale his own hand—forcing himself to find job to do. Through Pascal’s descriptions, I could feel the winter chills, and summer sweat, and I could feel both his hopes and despairs.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I say the book made a bigger impression on me, one scene in the movie really made an impact on me—the part when the doctor visited Beppo’s son and Annette went to grab a bucket with their food/milk. The bucket was infested with bugs and it made me feel disgusted.
Yeah, I totally agree Deric. The book left a bigger impression because I could visualize it better. At times the movie was cliche to me, but that is obviously my opinion. The flies in the bucket was very sad I will say given what was happening to the baby.
DeleteAfter reading Sons of Italy and watching The Italian, I still felt more connected to the the book instead of the film. Even though I am a film production student and the film has a visualized story and sound effect to trigger the emotion, I still can't feel the connection between me and Beppo. However, in Sons of Italy because of the similar situation that I have with Pascal (both being first generation immigrant), I have a deeper sense of emotions when I read the book. Another reason is also because in the book, Pascal described everything so in depth and detail that even I could imagine myself in his situation.
ReplyDeleteI remember you discussing this in the last class! Your comments were so passionate . I loved how clearly Pascal was able to paint a picture in our heads . We are opposites because I usually relate more to books. In this case the movie made me more emotional . For most of the film it just seemed like very bad acting . When Beppo looked at the sleeping baby it seemed as though all became right with the world .He went from a monster back to the sweet man that he was at the beginning and seeing him at his child's grave hit very close to home. Every thing happens for a reason and all of his struggles made him a greater person !
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ReplyDeleteThe Italian made a bigger impression on me than Son of Italy. It may be because I have an easier time evaluating things when they are in front of me rather than when I need to imagine them myself. There is no way that I could have pictured Beppo’s face after discovering that his son died as well as the film does. The Italian really helped me see the struggles that Italians went through on a day-to-day life through a great visual. Son of Italy is more personal, but I didn’t feel the same emotion in it that was put out by the film.
ReplyDeleteThe Italian definitely made a bigger impression on me than Son of Italy. Son of Italy I pictured it in my mind while The Italian I visually watched a movie. The part where Beppo get's robbed, his son died, and where he almost went rogue on the Boss' daughter were my biggest highlights. These scenes created different emotions, as it felt so real as if it was a true story. Visually seeing everything that happened in the film definitely helped me see the struggles clearly.
ReplyDeleteThe Italian was of course more visual than the book, however I feel as if the Son of Italy offered more details, and more of a real back story than the Italian did. I can completely understand where you're coming from but to me, the Son of Italy seemed like more of a reality than the plot of the Italian did and appealed more to the reader than it did the viewer.
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