Amore

Introduction

The film "Amore" (1973) by French director Henry Chapier is his second cinematic production, after his debut film “Sex Power” in 1970. The film played in French cinemas in early 1974 for some time, and as for Chapier’s first film, Vangelis composed an original score for “Amore”. Unfortunately this score was not deemed worthy of a soundtrack release at the time. Both the film and Vangelis’ score managed to remain a mystery for a long time after its production, until in 2011 French video archive Ina.fr published the movie online, followed by a DVD release in 2012.

The film itself is a surreal story of a young journalist travelling to Venice in Italy with a mission to rescue the city. In an interview Henry Chapier explained: “This is happening in a city constantly threatened with death. At the time, I thought, there were a lot of documentaries and that I would do it differently. I imagined Venice in the guise of a heroine, a very beautiful woman, Sonia Petrovna, a girl of the Venetian aristocracy ailing, who no longer has the means to maintain its palaces, representing a page of history that has passed. But the fact remains that in the frame, in the subject, there was a little journalistic approach. Also because one of the actors, Daniel Quenaud, was presumed to be a reporter, sent to consider the merits of an architectural plan which would save Venice. So in the agreement, there is a slight journalist contamination. Otherwise there was also a love story, love around Sonia, love for Venice. I think it's more of a fiction film than a documentary nonetheless”.

In 2015 Vangelis’ music for “Amore” was released in France by Monster Melodies on a soundtrack LP, apparently without involvement nor consent of Vangelis. The LP contains longer versions of cues heard in the film, yet at the same time, as is more often the case with films score by Vangelis, the film contains more music than is included on the soundtrack.

Earlier Vangelis had also provided the score for other productions by Henry Chapier, i.e. “Sex Power” (1970) and "Salut, Jérusalem" (1972).

Details and credits

Title: Amore
Year: 1973
Country: France
Length: 85 minutes
Released in France on January 30th, 1974.
Directed by Henry Chapier.
Scenario: Henry Chapier and Anne Capelle
Cinematography: Alain Derobe
Camera: Anne de Gasperi
Music by Vangelis Papathanassiou.
Produced by MARA films and O.R.T.F.

Cast

Sonia Petrovna - Marina
Daniel Quenaud - Daniel
Julian Negulesco - Paolo
Henri Déus - Fabrizio
Daniel Ceccaldi - P.D.G.
Catherine Marshall - P.D.G.'s wife
Gaby Wagner - young German tourist
Nini Ritter - Italian singer

Media

Forty years after its original production, Henry Chapier's film "Amore" was officially released:

DVD

2012 Henry Chapier Cinéaste (BQHL Éditions) France. includes “Amore” and “Salut, Jérusalem”

Synopsis

"This film examines the problem of rescuing Venice. But is neither a documentary on art, nor a television special like S.O.S. Venice. A young reporter goes to Venice, considering he is there on a 'special assignment'. Between him and the city there is no warmth, no affinity. Like a surgeon naively engrossed in his operation, Alquier examines the city's wounds, photographing them and imagining ways to heal them.

Paolo, his Italian collaborator, tries to show him the unusual side of Venice, rather than the postcard, folk tenor version. Alquier visits the dilapidated palaces and the teeming slums and sees people's faces loom into view, but a myth can not be easily erased.

While strolling alone through the city Alquier thinks he sees a face in the stone... The age-old 'love at first sight' takes a different turn. What follows is not a romantic, nor even a realistic, love story. Right away, he films the girl, Marina, in his fantasy. We never find out if the girl has a real flesh-and-blood, everyday existence, or if she merely represents Venice in Alquier's mind.

Alquier pursues his assignment, but it becomes more sensitive, poetic, more human. What was a documentary description becomes a genuine encounter. Marina triggers a daydream in Alquier's mind and begins to have an existence of her own in which the other character, Paolo, plays an important part; he is refractory, rebellious and scoffs at the system, declaring that Venice and the rescue project are nothing more but a farce, a cultural alibi to soothe the conscience of the western world. He is the negative image of an architect.

Rescuing Venice is like winning a person's affection or encountering love; it can not be done from the outside. Daniel Alquier's experience serves as an example and a warning to all who think they can solve major problems with disembodies formulas and viewpoints lacking faith. As for Venice herself, her heartbeat is slower as it once was. Are the stones, pollution and the tides solely to blame? What about the Venetians?”

Links

Gallery