• Release year: 1972
• Director: Marco Bellocchio.
• Producer: Ugo Tucci.
• Screenplay by: Sergio Donati and Goffredo Fofi.
• Cinematography by: Luigi Kuveiller and Erico Menczer.
• Music by: Nicola Piovani.

Shotgun Commentary: great depiction of the subjectivity of news outlets and their dangerous influence.

Review

Slap the Monster on Page One is a thriller that follows the investigation of a murder while simultaneously showcasing the influence of the media on the political discourse and the feeling and thoughts of mainstream audiences.

Set in Italy during the 70s, the political chaos of the time has a huge influence on the story. The film not only represents, but also denounces, the damage the media can do if given enough power. Radiance has released a 4K restoration of this work with some fascinating extra content, more details after the review.

Dirt and relevance

The feature opens with a quick overlook of Italy’s political and social conditions. The combustible atmosphere that covered the streets, instilling rage, indignation and, worst of all: fear. This situation of instability and confusion is the perfect breeding ground for disinformation to be at its most powerful. Il Giornale, the fictional news outlet that protagonises the film, is well-aware of the influence they can have, and does its utmost to exploit it.

In this climate of disarray, the cadaver of a young woman shows up in the middle of a forest. She has been raped and asphyxiated. Where any normal person would see a horrible tragedy and the need to bring a criminal to justice, the editor of Il Giornale sees the perfect opportunity to sway the elections in favour of this boss. Along with the investigation of the murder, he begins to pull the strings in order to make sure that the culprit is known to have ties to the left wing, thus demonising the whole movement and making the right popular.

Indeed, the themes of this film are as relevant as ever. The media has always answered to economic and political powers, and Slap the Monster on Page One is but a tough reminder of this tragic reality. While the narrative is quite simple, the characters bring it to the next level with their complexity. Who’s lying? Who’s cheating? What are truths and what are mere half-truths? The small nuances that separate fact, from opinion, from fiction, are clearly exposed in this work to help you recognise them in your daily life. Or at least become cynic enough to not believe everything you hear.

Complex characters

As previously mentioned, the characters are what truly makes this film, starting with Giancarlo Bizanti (Gian Maria Volontè). He is the editor of Il Giornale, the responsible for its tone and editorial line. As such, he makes sure to convince his readers that the right is the proper ideology to vote. Never mentioning, of course, that his boss is running in the elections under said ideology. Volontè delivers a wonderful performance, his character is as loathsome as ever thanks to his expressions and looks. The duplicity that characterises his character is portrayed to perfection, making you rage at his hypocrisy and deceit.

The other character that is certainly worth bringing up is Rita Zigai (Laura Betti), a woman that seems solely motivated by jealousy and anger. She is a middle-aged woman who is having an affair with a young man. Blind to the real reasons why he stays at her house, she blames everything on the victim, and girlfriend of her lover, and on his friends. Betti’s performance is beautiful as it is tragic. Zigai is, by no means, a likeable person, yet your heart breaks at the circumstances and abuse she suffers throughout the film.

All in all, Slap the Monster on Page One is all about lies, deceit and agendas. The dark portrayal of news outlets showcased here is about as disgusting as it is realistic. If anything, the amazing performances serve as a reminder that one should never take anything one hears or reads as an absolute truth.

LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES

• 4K restoration of the film from the original negative by Cineteca di Bologna in collaboration with Surf Film and Kavac Film, under the supervision of director Marco Bellocchio
• Uncompressed mono PCM audio
• Archival interview with Marco Bellocchio (21 mins)
• Newly filmed interview with critic and author Mario Sesti (2024, 25 mins)
• Appreciation by filmmaker Alex Cox (2024, 10 mins)
• Newly improved English subtitle translation
• Reversible sleeve featuring designs based on original posters
• Limited edition booklet featuring new writing by Wesley Sharer
• Limited edition of 3000 copies, presented in full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings

Find the Radiance release right here!

Advice to take from this movie:

• Don’t take the news as gospel.
• Contrary to popular belief, going to church won’t make you a good person.
• It’s hard to be a journalist with integrity.

What’s your take? Have you watched Slap the Monster on Page One? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀