Pagliacci - ópera de Ruggero Leoncavallo - Film by Franco Zeffirelli - 1982

Zeffirelli's 1982 film version of the Leoncavallo opera.

"Laugh, Pagliaccio, at your shattered love..."

A troupe of clowns regularly presents a comic version of a man being betrayed
by his wife - to a happy ending as the betrayed man is able to laugh the betrayal
off. Yet, when this happens within the troupe there is a tragic ending.

Please watch the film here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYgVjDZCkT4

Pandemonium/Demons - Toshio Matsumoto - 1971

Ostensibly this is a Michael Kohlhaas type of story - an honorable person is defrauded and then becomes cruel and inhuman in his pursuit of justice.

Yet, there are many deeper levels to this film - for example, the film seems quite self-reflexive and seems to offer many insights and comments on the theater and the theater experience. The 'hero' is, after all, duped into giving away money he desperately needs after watching a highly theatrical performance.

One question the film seems to ask, in relation to the theater, is: what part of our lives is NOT performance toward some self-enriching goal? Is all personal action a deceptive performance?

This film was banned in England, I am assuming for the brutality and cruelty.

You can watch this amazing film here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeTxQHWlQOc