It has often been said that we're living in a digital age and that those who control the media control the public. It's such a common sentiment that most western nations have entrenched controls guaranteeing a free press into their legal structure with most assuming that these safeguards protect us all. But this is not true everywhere. It's not even true in all of the western world. And nowhere is it less true than in Italy, where president Silvio Berlusconi not only rules the country but also - if the figures in Erik Gandini's Videocracy are accurate - a shocking ninety percent of its television. And while Gandini must have been tempted to use Videocracy as an endictment of Berlusconi himself, he actually aims for something a little more far reaching and ultimately disturbing - a close examination of the media culture that has allowed Berlusconi to happen and the consequences it has had on the Italian populace.Gandini approaches his topic - the control of the populace via media - from a number of fronts. He features a young man dreaming of instant stardom, a parade of girls hoping to be selected as television models, Berlusconi's neighbour who has created a cottage industry for herself by taking and selling photos from within his exclusive parties, a powerful paparazzi who makes his living not by selling compromising photos to the press but back to the stars, and the man who is arguably the most powerful talent agent in the nation. And what does power bring you? Personal friendship with the President, an all-white house and wardrobe and a collection of Benito Mussolini's Fascist hymns waiting to be played and enjoyed at any time.
As shocking as it is that central image of Fascism is one that lingers throughout the entire picture, the sense that those who can, will. The manipulation is shameless starting with the cadre of nubile women kept of television purely to titilate and keep the male audience watching through to the campaign ads featuring a horde of woman - with nary a man in sight - singing songs thanking God for Berlusconi. It's crass, it's obvious and - shockingly - it works.
Gandini's film is documentary as essay, the entire thing existing to lay out a powerfully presented thesis. It makes for riveting viewing, at times bizarre at other times horrifying but always impossible to turn away from. The access he has gained at the highest levels is perplexing and explainable only by the fact that these people are far from being ashamed of their accomplishments and methodology. They are proud of them and proud of themselves. And that's the most shocking part of all.
"if the figures in Erik Gandini's Videocracy are accurate"
I'm italian and, sad but true, they couldn't be more accurate.
If you're not one of the ruminating bovine in front of the tv screen, dreaming to be a soccer champion or the starlet that will marry him, living here as become quite a nightmare.
And I'm old enough to remember 1994, when our beloved president chose to get into politics to avoid a series of trials regarding bribing and mafia involvement... fuck, sometimes I still can't believe it.
Sorry for the rant, needed to vent.
Amazing documentary, by the way.
I was very disappointed in this movie. It was less an indictment of Berlusconi and more of a critique of "celebrity" in pop culture. There are lots of people worldwide that aren't talented or beautiful enough to be on TV and there are rampant abuses of power in the entertainment industry everywhere ie Hugh Heffner and every other old rich person who sleeps with younger people. Where Berlusconi did the most damage was not by failing to give celebrity wanna-be's their 15 minutes of fame, but by trampling on civil liberties and putting the country into economic peril by destroying the standard of living thru corruption. There was a lot more to be made of the comparison to Mussolini and involvement with the mob which Gandini shied away from. Instead we get an attack on the free choice for those who try to use Italian TV as a springboard to fame and fortune, which is only made possible by the support of the Italian people thru their viewership, and a cowardly shot at political corruption that is far less shocking than JFK and James Dean sharing the same mistress. Italians are sexist, so they support sexist TV, which empowered a sexist leader, and their need for a strong leader within that sexist culture can credibly be linked to strong Italian mothers raising their children oppressively. ALL OF WHICH ARE UNRELATED TO BERLUSCONI. This director will be shocked when Italians continue to watch pointless shows full of hot women when given the choice of viewing any TV show thru the internet, it's embedded in the culture. In North America, our TV wrongly equates celebrity with talent within a media system that is less concentrated (Paris Hilton anyone?) and encourages young people to seek celebrity as if it’s a better life, but if we all stop watching them and stop aspiring to follow their shallow and unfulfilling lifestyles, these “celebrities” disappear. I’d argue that that the celebrity rags that the Italian people choose to buy are Berlusconi’s most legitimate businesses since he is not overtly forcing anyone to buy them instead of legitimite sources of news, he is just exposing the stupid masses for what they are. If the Italian people chose to stop idolizing those anointed with “celebrity” status, Berlusconi’s power would be broken. Someone should make a part 2 of this movie with teeth and show the broader impact of Berlusconi the Fascist.