I mostri

I mostri
Directed by Dino Risi
Produced by Mario Cecchi Gori
Written by Agenore Incrocci
Ruggero Maccari
Elio Petri
Dino Risi
Furio Scarpelli
Ettore Scola
Starring Vittorio Gassman
Ugo Tognazzi
Rika Diallina
Music by Armando Trovajoli
Cinematography Alfio Contini
Edited by Maurizio Lucidi
Release dates
 26 October 1963 (Italy)
April 10, 1968 (U.S.)
Running time
 115 min (Italian version) / 87 min (US version)
Language Italian

I mostri (also known as Opiate '67 or, in a cut version, 15 from Rome) is a 1963 commedia all'italiana film by Italian director Dino Risi. It was coproduced with France.

The film was a huge success in Italy. It was censored in Spain. In 1977 an Academy Award nominee sequel was filmed, entitled I nuovi mostri (Viva Italia!).

Plot

The film features several episodes in which actors Ugo Tognazzi and Vittorio Gassman are the greatest performers. The themes of the short stories are intended to offer a clear picture of the habits, vices, of cheating and taste typical of the majority of Italians in the Sixties. Obviously the characters and funny situations are written and staged in a way that touches the limits of satire and coarseness, however many of these issues are still recognized by the Italian company. The satire of the episodes affects people of both noble origins of poor people, both political and police officers who abuse their power and, last but not least the middle classes. To remember are the episodes as The Monster in which a man who has killed the whole family and has barricaded himself in the house was arrested by two policemen (Gassman and Tognazzi) and photographed with the present. However, although the man is a murderer, the two cops are real monsters of ugliness. Another episode to remember is Education in which the parent Ugo Tognazzi educates his son (Ricky Tognazzi) being a perfect cheat to appear more masculine and smart, to pay much less and not plunging into heavy or boring situation would certainly not born. He instructs his son in beating their classmates who do not want him to copy the tasks and lie age when he went to the fair to not pay the ticket. When the child grows, the first thing it will do is make amends for his teachings repaying his father with a pistol and with the theft of all his possessions.

Episodes

The original version is composed of 20 episodes, all starred by Vittorio Gassman and Ugo Tognazzi.

External links