In his series of lectures at the Havard University about issues most likely to become prominent in the third millenium (which he was spitefully denied to fully accomplish), Italo Calvino talks about Lightness as being one of these issues/ memos, dedicating a whole lecture to it. He goes to point out how already at the end of the twentieth century airiness and volatileness have become important to some artists - for further reading Calvino's lectures have been published entitled Six Memos For The Next Millenium.
Of late I've been reminded of this lecture after watching a new film version of Das blaue Licht / The Blue Light / Het blauwe licht , which rather stresses the gentle and dreamlike light aspects of this story even converting some of its elements to better fit this issue. Lightness and gentleness, especially when it also applied to environmental issues, which are very important to Calvino as well, go very well together. Thus this adaption proved to be very up to date.
The circle closes again when one realises that Calvino has also published a most delightful compilation of fairy tales.
No comments:
Post a Comment