Books and Movies about Sicily?

[Pauline]

I am preparing for our April trip to Sicily and would like some recommendations for books and movies about Sicily.

BOOKS

• I have Midnight in Sicily by Peter Robb but have not read it yet.
  
• I have one of the Montalbano books by Camilleri and have not read it.
  
• I downloaded a sample of a recent self-published memoir about a year in Sicily - Sicily, It's Not Quite Tuscany by Shamus Sillar. It gets some very bad reviews, but I thought the sample was interesting. Has anyone read this? Sometimes these self-published books turn out to be a complete waste of time. I have read so many bad ones about living in France that now I hesitate to read any more. But I do enjoy reading these memoirs when they are good.
  
• Also downloaded a sample of The Stone Boudoir: Travels Through the Hidden Villages of Sicily by Theresa Maggio - has anyone read this?
• Many years ago I read On Persephone's Island by Mary Taylor Simeti. Should I read it again?
• I also read a memoir about living in Taormina, but can't remember the name of it.

MOVIES/TV

• We are watching the Young Montalbano TV series based on the original Montalbano TV series, which is based on the books. Much of this is filmed in the town we are staying in - Scicli near Syracuse.

Weren't there a couple of movies from 10 - 20 years ago filmed in Italy? I am trying to remember their names.

 

[Heidi]

One fabulous classic ~ book and movie (1963) ~ set in Sicily, is Giuseppe Di Lampedusa's The Leopard. You'll get an insiders view of Sicily's old aristocratic class crumbling under the new unification ~ Risorgimento. The back story of its posthumous publication and how Lampedusa based his epic novel on his grandfather, is also fascinating, at least to me.... and then there is the dog....

 

[Colleen]

I tried to watch "The Leopard" (on DVD) but thought it was too melodramatic and gave up after about 30 minutes.

Before we went to Sicily in 2005, I read and enjoyed "A House in Sicily" by Daphne Phelps (the Taormina memoir you were thinking about). Taking a quick look at the reviews, many people thought it was slow moving and presented Sicilians in stereotypes. I thought the author's story of her life and times was interesting.

I really liked the Mary Taylor Simetti memoir. I appreciated the presentation of life on the island in seasonal terms. Francine Prose's memoir of Sicily was short but beautifully written. I think I read Maggio's Stone Boudoir, but it obviously didn't make much of an impression. She also wrote a book about the Sicilian traditional tuna hunt. (I didn't read it.)

For some reason, I didn't care for the Montalbano novels until after I'd seen a few of the TV shows - even though Luca Zingaretti doesn't look like the description of Montalbano from the books!

You've probably seen Cinema Paradiso and Il Postino. I saw the Taviani brothers' 1984 film "Kaos" at the San Francisco Italian Film Festival several years ago - memorable! It's based on 5 short stories by Pirandello set in 19th century Italy and there are scenes filmed in Sicily. I recall one broad view of a Greek temple, which I believe is Segesta.

 

[Pauline]

We did see Cinema Paradiso and Il postino years ago but I had forgotten their names. I will see if we can get them through LoveFilm - would be good to see them again.

 

[Pauline]

Ordered Cinema Paradiso, but Il Postino is not on DVD. Also ordered Godfather 2 - Steve's suggestion (as if we haven't already seen it 10 times).

 

[Colleen]

The Godfather 2 is one of those movies I have to watch whenever I see it on TV, even though I've seen it 10 times!

I thought I had "Il Postino" on DVD - but all I can find is the soundtrack.

 

[Heidi]

Aww, yes! Daphne Phelps' memoir A House in Sicily is one I meant to comment on again. I had already mentioned it in your "Sicily in March or April" thread because I thought you might be interested in visiting her home Casa Cuseni, which is now a hotel. I believe they may even have garden tours? I read the book after staying in Taormina, so missed visiting this lovely estate. It's on my list for another visit!

I almost hate recommending this next book because the author is so breathy, so full of herself, too romantic... and yet... I've liked some parts of some of her books (how's that for a disclaimer?) Reading That Summer in Sicily by Marlena de Blasi may enhance your Sicilian travels. I liked it. It's an interesting nonfiction that seems like fiction to me... I've seen Marlena in Orvieto several times now and just can't take my eyes off her... sorry if I offend some of her fans but she looks like a caricature of ...what?... Herself? I just find her hard to take seriously

 

[Steve]

I just ordered the Leopard from Lovefilm. A review said the movie's epic treatment lost the sense of the book and the great locations, filming and costumes didn't redeem it. I'll settle for great filming and settings. Plus, it has Claudia Cardinale and Burt Lancaster.

 

[Colleen]

I read Marlena de Blasi's "A Thousand Days in Venice" and thoroughly enjoyed it, and that was AFTER I'd given up reading those kinds of memoirs! (But I will never give up reading about Venice. ) A friend who also read it and I agreed that she must have a BIG personality. I didn't know she had a Sicily book out - I will look for it.

 

[Pauline]

I liked Marlena de Blasi's Venice and Tuscany books. If I remember right, I was not as thrilled with the Umbria book. I did buy the Sicily book but it got left behind in the US and I did not read it. I will get it for the Kindle.

I talked to her at a reading in Santa Fe and she was lovely, but that makeup is scary!

 

[Pauline]

I read Daphne Phelps' memoir A House in Sicily years ago. I should probably read it again.

 

[kcalnyc]

I've read all but the books listed, with the exception of the Montalbano books. I just read Sicily, It's not quite Tuscany. While I liked it and laughed a few times, I feel like it's a book you read after having been there. It's an insider book that is a bit dark and mostly about Catania so it's not really an inspiring, ah Sicily kind of book.

I liked A House in Sicily but I really expected Taormina to be a small little village where everyone knows everyone and it is a very large town. Not what I expected from the book.

I liked Stone Boudoir a lot as well as the Mary Taylor Simetti books and had a hard time getting through the Peter Robb books - his writing style doesn't appeal to me.

 

[susan]

There is The Sicilian Girl. I liked it. I can't remember all the details now though. Watched it a couple of years ago. It is violent. Mafia stuff.

Here is the description from Netflix: "In this drama based on a true story, teenager Rita leads a privileged life when her father and brother are slain by rival Mafiosi. Bent on revenge, she breaks the code of silence, enraging Sicily's most powerful men and putting her life in jeopardy."

 

[Valerie]

The Montalbano shows were filmed in the area of Sicily that you're going to! Beautiful! Ciuema Paradiso is a sweet film.

I loved That Summer in Sicily. One of her better narratives (and I like Marlena de Blasi, but like you think that make up is way over the top!)

 

[Shannon]

Malena is a very good film that was made in Sicily.

 

[Jim Zurer]

A second for Kaos.... very beautiful photography. I am a big fan of The Leopard also. I am very fond of Antonioni's L'Avventura--locations include the Aeolian Islands, Taormina and Noto. La Terra Trema is an evocative film about fishermen in Aci Reale (near Catania) directed by Luchino Visconti. It is based on a famous Sicilian novel I Malavoglia by Giovanni Vera. And don't forget the Roberto Rossellini film Stromboli starring Ingrid Bergman.

The last third of Godfather 3 takes place in Sicily, ending up on the steps of the Teatro Massimo opera house.

 

[Roz]

Has anyone seen the film The Wedding Director? I just happened to see the DVD at our local library, so checked it out. We haven't yet watched it, but apparently it is set in Sicily.

 

[Dana]

La Terra Trema is an evocative film about fishermen in Aci Reale (near Catania) directed by Luchino Visconti. It is based on a famous Sicilian novel I Malavoglia by Giovanni Vera. And don't forget the Roberto Rossellini film Stromboli starring Ingrid Bergman. The last third of Godfather 3 takes place in Sicily, ending up on the steps of the Teatro Massimo opera house.

I loved La Terra Trema too, but thought Stromboli was a bit of a waste of celluloid, in spite of the lovely Ingrid. And that scene on the steps of the Teatro Massimo with Sophia Coppola is soooo bad I'm laughing now, just thinking about it. Will have to watch again.
Also there's the excellent Salvatore Giuliano directed by Francesco Rosi about Sicily's 'Robin Hood'.

 

[Pauline]

Leaving for Sicily in two weeks and very unprepared (as usual). I read The Stone Boudoir by Theresa Maggio and enjoyed it mostly (some parts seemed like essays she wrote for something else and put into the book). I circled the villages she writes about on my map, but most are on the northern side of the island and we will be on the southern side.

I read the sample of De Blasi's book and the writing is too flowery for me, and I liked her first two books.

We are half way through the movie of The Leopard (with Burt Lancaster??) and are enjoying it. Great scenery.

We watched Cinema Paradiso and while the movie was good, you saw very little of Sicily. Il Postino is not on DVD or streaming here.

Steve used the trip as an excuse for us to watch The Godfather, part 1 where Michael goes to Sicily, yet again. Lovely scenes in Sicily, but again in the area near Palermo.

STILL TO DO:
More movies: Godfather 3. The Sicilian Girl. Kaos. Won't get to them all. I have left it too late.
Read The Leopard. I have it on my Kindle.
Read more of the Cadogan guidebook so I can understand something of the history.
I will probably never read the Peter Robb book, but I have it ready on my Kindle. Maybe I can get Steve to read it.
(Learn Italian.)

 

[kcalnyc]

Pauline: They didn't really film in Corleone. They filmed the wedding scenes in a bar and church in Savoca which are near Taormina. There was an article about it a couple years ago: http://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/Taking-the-Godfather-Tour-in-Sicily-2462081.php#page-1