Annotated Bibliography – FIQWS 10108 Composition Portfolio

Gunderman, R. B. (2015). Life is Beautiful. Academic Radiology, 22(3), 408-409.

doi:10.1016/j.acra.2014.11.002

www.clinicalkey.com/#!/content/playContent/1-s2.0-S1076633214004024?return

In the article titled, “Life is Beautiful”, Richard B. Gunderman MD, PhD, MPH analyzes Roberto Benigni’s film, Life is Beautiful, by examining the symbolic and metaphorical meaning behind the text. He proposes that Benigni incorporates logotherapy in his film in order to demonstrate that “human beings can find meaning in even the most wretched circumstances”, as he did by portraying the Holocaust in a comedical manner. Gunderman claims that beauty is revealed in each of the characters by indicating the meaning behind each of their names. “Guido means guide”, “Dora means gift”, and he even asserts that Joshua’s name plays a biblical role to represent the “heir to Moses”, thus drawing a comparison between Guido and Moses, since Joshua is Guido’s son. Gunderman further argues that “Guido offers glimpses to true meaning of courage” and finalizes the text by stating that Benigni’s intentions in the film is to convey that “if we fully engage our imaginations, we still have the opportunity to make work, life, and the world itself a more beautiful place.” This insight into the meaning behind the film aids to understand the film in a different and more symbolic perspective in order to identify its flaws in the portrayal of the Jewish identity and Holocaust. Although, Gunderman claims that the film’s goal is to convey that meaning and happiness can be found “even under the most desperate circumstances”, it does not justify having the Holocaust viewed as a comedy, especially to those who have gone through this tragic event themselves.

Peary, G., “No Laughing Matter,” Boston Phoenix, Arts Section, October 30, 1998, 9

http://weeklywire.com/ww/11-02-98/boston_movies_2.html

Gerald Peary, in his “angry Jewish column”, “No Laughing Matter?”, firmly argues that the film, Life is Beautiful, illustrates several “Holocaust misrepresentations”, making it “unforgivably obscene.” His reasons being that bringing comedy into a movie about a tragic event, such as Holocaust, does not work well because of the controversies it can arises. Thus, supporting the idea of inaccuracies, in regards to the jewish identity, shown throughout the film. Surprisingly, he notes that Benigni is loved in Italy for his popular shows and movies and his comical undertakings. However, as a Russian Jew, Peary does not find a reason for the Holocaust to be “hilarious”, being that it’s an event that involved the death of millions and left those who lived, traumatized. Therefore, he claims that the film doesn’t justly depict this, even in the moments of tragedy shown in the movie. Peary further communicates that, ironically enough, the film won the Best Jewish Experience Award at the Jerusalem Film Fest. This detail can reveal that society’s perception on the subject is fading more and more as time departs from the Holocaust period. It further entails how many of us use comedy, as Benigni did, to ease the devastating aspect of an event. We can see this highly employed today through social media with use of memes or satire to make light of a subject, especially those consisting of racial slur.

Viano, Maurizio. “‘Life Is Beautiful’: Reception, Allegory, and Holocaust Laughter.” Film

Quarterly, vol. 53, no. 1, 1999, pp. 26–34., doi:10.2307/3697210.

www.jstor.org/stable/3697210

In the journal, Life Is Beautiful Reception, Allegory, and Holocaust, by Maurizio Viano, the author discusses many different critiques on the film, Life is Beautiful, by Roberto Benigni. He acknowledges Peary’s viewpoints as he calls Benigin a “revisionist”, even though his “ father spent two years in a Nazi labor camp.” He then reveals how “Abraham Foxman, director of the Anti-Defamation League,” changed his perspective on the film by saying how the comedy in the film makes it “trivializing” to then “poignant” made with ‘creative genius.” Viano, ultimately, claims how the film is meant to be seen as a fairytale and not a story illustrating reality. He argues, similarly as Gunderman, that comedy is purposely incorporated by Benigni to demonstrate a deeper meaning to life. In other words, the Holocaust is just used as a symbol or event to convey that people should learn to see the good in every bad situation in order to maintain stability and happiness. However, what does this say about society? Have we come to the terms in which we should begin seeing the Holocaust as a joke? This question lies on the sense of perspective. Gunderman and Viano, two non-Jewish men, claim that the comical incorporation in the film serves as an interesting platform for entertainment and deeper significance. On the other hand, Gerald Peary, a Russian Jew, says that the comedy misleads the historical events dealing with the Holocaust and only adds mockery to this unfortunate event. Therefore, it goes to show how one’s background can influence your perspective and could thus add or take away from your credibility depending on the subject being discussed.

Works Cited