Life is Beautiful
Very recently, I had been granted the opportunity to view the 1997 film Life is Beautiful, directed and produced by Roberto Benigni, and I was thoroughly amazed by the various attributes of it. From the charismatic nature of our characters, to the atmospheric effects used, I found it difficult to take my eyes off of the screen. But, in spite of my infatuation with the movie, I also put the contents of Life is Beautiful into further analysis, and what I found was intriguing. Not only did the movie exhibit a variety of different examples of humor, Struggle, and most importantly, life's beauty, but it also bared striking similarities to the book Night, written by Holocaust Survivor Elie Wiesel. I managed to gather a surplus amount of demonstrations of these qualities, and I will objectively discuss them in this blog. Not only will I present my findings, but also how they pertain to the theme of Life's Beauty.
One of the very first comparisons I was able to make between Life is Beautiful and Night was the Father-Son bonds established in both pieces of media. In Life is Beautiful, Guido, A Jewish shop-owner, his wife, Dora, and son, Giosue, are sent to a concentration camp by Nazi officers. Despite automatically being separated from Dora, Guido and Giosue manage to stick together all the way to liberation. During this time, the two, despite their already strong relationship, become closer and closer each day. From convincing his son that the Holocaust was simply a game to spare him from fear, to the son following each and every one of his father's instructions to survival, the two seemed to develop a bond that could compare to no other.
Let's look at Night now. In this memoir, 15 year old Elie Wiesel is sent to Auschwitz Concentration Camp, and much like in Life is Beautiful, he is separated from his mother, but proceeds to join his father in an attempt to survive the horrors of the camp up until liberation. In this excessive period of time, the two become heavily connected to each other, devoting a majority of their heart to helping each other remain sane. From Elie defending his father when he is perceived to be dead, to his dad comforting his son abundantly, it is apparent that the two would not possess the same level of hope if they were separated from the start. The relationship between them also remained during the passing of Elie's father, stating that he could never feel the same now that he was gone.
Judging by the descriptions, these two bonds are heavily correlated with each other. This is because of the strong attachment that the father felt to the son and vice Versace that was prevelant in both pieces of media. The second similarity between the two bonds was the apprehension of death. From Guido to Giosue, from Elie to Elie's father, it is immensely difficult to look past their fear of each other passing. This only increases as time goes by, causing each family to become protective over each other.
The second similarity to take into into account was the hope of unreality of the Camp and/or the Holocaust as a construct. In Life is Beautiful, Guido carries his son through the Concentration Camp, (going through certain procedures in an effort to not be caught of course). While doing this, Giosue expressed his concern about their safety which is quickly followed by Guido responding, stating its all "just a dream". After audiences caught a listen of this line, it was apparent that he was trying his upmost hardest to protect his son from inheriting a negative outlook on the situation. But this was not the only time a similar line was stated in a piece of media pertaining to the Holocaust.
In Night, the main character states almost a direct reiteration of this line. When first arriving the Birkenau, Elie is in absolute shock. He had never been to such a frightening place. In light of this fright, Elie begins to question the events around him. At one point, Elie asks the reader "Was it all just a dream?'. It is abundantly obvious that this line is nearly synonymous with our previous one, and despite perspectives contrasting, both cannot believe the severity of their situations, causing the characters to lose sense of reality.
In Life is Beautiful, the audience can witness a large variety of contrasting characters and atmospheres throughout, which incite different moods and tones. This has become a widely known fact to millions of viewers. From the carefree, upbeat persona carried by father Guido, to the worrisome Dora, the audience senses the chemistry, (or lack there of), between characters whenever they appear on screen. These characters and/or their chemistry can also incite various moods throughout the movie. Guido's humor and positive outlook on life can cause the movie to appear upbeat and comedic, while the frightening conduct of the Nazi Officers at the camp can cause the mood to become more negative and moody.
Another observation one can make about this movie is how true it stays to it's title, Life is Beautiful. Throughout the film, characters display actions and emotions that can incite the reader to conquer with the film's title. One of which is sacrifice. From Dora potentially risking her own life to reunite with her husband and son, to Guido allowing a Nazi officer to take his life in an effort to protect his son from the officers in question, the characters truly make us believe that those who love you will make such tremendous sacrifices to save you from harm's way. Life is also portrayed as beautiful through the positivity maintained by Guido throughout. Despite being just inches away from potential death at every second, Giosue's father cannot let go of the positivity he holds, which incites the audience to believe that they themselves can also due the same, which can make their lives much less stressful and more joyous.
One of the very first comparisons I was able to make between Life is Beautiful and Night was the Father-Son bonds established in both pieces of media. In Life is Beautiful, Guido, A Jewish shop-owner, his wife, Dora, and son, Giosue, are sent to a concentration camp by Nazi officers. Despite automatically being separated from Dora, Guido and Giosue manage to stick together all the way to liberation. During this time, the two, despite their already strong relationship, become closer and closer each day. From convincing his son that the Holocaust was simply a game to spare him from fear, to the son following each and every one of his father's instructions to survival, the two seemed to develop a bond that could compare to no other.
Let's look at Night now. In this memoir, 15 year old Elie Wiesel is sent to Auschwitz Concentration Camp, and much like in Life is Beautiful, he is separated from his mother, but proceeds to join his father in an attempt to survive the horrors of the camp up until liberation. In this excessive period of time, the two become heavily connected to each other, devoting a majority of their heart to helping each other remain sane. From Elie defending his father when he is perceived to be dead, to his dad comforting his son abundantly, it is apparent that the two would not possess the same level of hope if they were separated from the start. The relationship between them also remained during the passing of Elie's father, stating that he could never feel the same now that he was gone.
Judging by the descriptions, these two bonds are heavily correlated with each other. This is because of the strong attachment that the father felt to the son and vice Versace that was prevelant in both pieces of media. The second similarity between the two bonds was the apprehension of death. From Guido to Giosue, from Elie to Elie's father, it is immensely difficult to look past their fear of each other passing. This only increases as time goes by, causing each family to become protective over each other.
The second similarity to take into into account was the hope of unreality of the Camp and/or the Holocaust as a construct. In Life is Beautiful, Guido carries his son through the Concentration Camp, (going through certain procedures in an effort to not be caught of course). While doing this, Giosue expressed his concern about their safety which is quickly followed by Guido responding, stating its all "just a dream". After audiences caught a listen of this line, it was apparent that he was trying his upmost hardest to protect his son from inheriting a negative outlook on the situation. But this was not the only time a similar line was stated in a piece of media pertaining to the Holocaust.
In Night, the main character states almost a direct reiteration of this line. When first arriving the Birkenau, Elie is in absolute shock. He had never been to such a frightening place. In light of this fright, Elie begins to question the events around him. At one point, Elie asks the reader "Was it all just a dream?'. It is abundantly obvious that this line is nearly synonymous with our previous one, and despite perspectives contrasting, both cannot believe the severity of their situations, causing the characters to lose sense of reality.
In Life is Beautiful, the audience can witness a large variety of contrasting characters and atmospheres throughout, which incite different moods and tones. This has become a widely known fact to millions of viewers. From the carefree, upbeat persona carried by father Guido, to the worrisome Dora, the audience senses the chemistry, (or lack there of), between characters whenever they appear on screen. These characters and/or their chemistry can also incite various moods throughout the movie. Guido's humor and positive outlook on life can cause the movie to appear upbeat and comedic, while the frightening conduct of the Nazi Officers at the camp can cause the mood to become more negative and moody.
Another observation one can make about this movie is how true it stays to it's title, Life is Beautiful. Throughout the film, characters display actions and emotions that can incite the reader to conquer with the film's title. One of which is sacrifice. From Dora potentially risking her own life to reunite with her husband and son, to Guido allowing a Nazi officer to take his life in an effort to protect his son from the officers in question, the characters truly make us believe that those who love you will make such tremendous sacrifices to save you from harm's way. Life is also portrayed as beautiful through the positivity maintained by Guido throughout. Despite being just inches away from potential death at every second, Giosue's father cannot let go of the positivity he holds, which incites the audience to believe that they themselves can also due the same, which can make their lives much less stressful and more joyous.
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