Death in Venice (Luchino Visconti, 1971)
"Death in Venice" came out in the year 1971, with all the ingredients to be neglected by the general public due to the scarcity of action and dialogue. However, it succeeded in securing its place in the public memory. Luchino Visconti, with his characteristic exquisiteness when it comes to recreate the past, paints a breathtaking picture of Venice at the turn of the century. We discover it through the eyes of an ageing composer, Gustav von Aschenbach, who comes to the city to recover from ill health. He soon becomes obsessed with a guest from the hotel he is staying at, Tadzio, a teenager from an affluent Polish family who embodies the epitome of beauty. "Death in Venice" is a portrait of solitude. The camera follows the wanderings of an old man relentlessly. It is, essentially, a film about decadence and the passing of time. Tadzio not only represents beauty, but also youth. Gustav is seeking for what he lacks. He constantly relives his past, recalling tim...
