Allegories of Contamination: Pier Paolo Pasolini's Trilogy of Life (Tornoto Italian Studies)

Rating:
Summary: For Academics only
Review: This is not a book for the casual reader or someone looking for a light introduction to Pasolini. The writing style is very academic and unapproachable. This is the first book I've read where I've seriously considered not finishing it half-way through.

There are many lengthy quotes in the book and all of them are given in both the original Italian and in an English translation, as if the author doesn't think we'll trust his translations. While this might be good for Film Studies professors, for the average reader, it's just a waste of paper in the book. There are also several short Italian phrases and words that the author uses without translating--he assumes the reader will know what they mean.

Chapters include:
1. Pasolini "regista civile"
2. Allegories of Contamination in the "Trilogy of Life"
3. Pasolini's Ironic Recantation: The "Abiura dalla 'Trilogia della vita'"
4. Framing Boccaccio: Pasolini's Adaptation of the "Decameron"
5. Afterword: Homosexualities, the Sacred, and the Paying of Debts

If you're just wanting to know more about Pasolini or just have a passing interest in his movies, I'm sure there are better sources out there, this book is strictly for academics and serious students of cinema.