William Faulkner, scrittore, poeta, drammaturgo e sceneggiatore statunitense (1897-1962), premio Nobel per la letteratura nel 1949, considerato il rivale di Hemingway. Uno scatto intimista, rubato in un momento di relax,in un posto che potrebbe essere dovunque, lo ritrae in atteggiamento pensoso: l’autore della foto è sconosciuto. Sembra che stia fissando qualcosa o qualcuno di molto lontano, il contegno è misurato ed elegante; una dignità che appartiene decisamente solo ad uomini vissuti in un tempo remoto: è un ritratto che mi ha colpito. Quell’apparente distacco emotivo che non tradisce i sentimenti e uno stile nel sensopiù largo del termine che riguardano al passato, oggi solo accidentalmente trovano un riscontro reale; mi vengono in mente di nuovo uomini di una volta, come Visconti e Pasolini. L’unico italiano contemporaneo cui penso d’istinto, che rappresenta nei modi e nell’attitudine un tratto così nobile, è il giovane e bravo giornalista Angelo Flaccavento. Il contesto si è fatto serio e nostalgico, mi pare riduttivo scrivere frasi del genere “ecco i vestiti più consoni per unire la classe alla disinvoltura”. Tanto più che, la classe, non si apprende.

Brunch-time is one of the best times of the week, a context of space and time either short or long lasting, without any rules. I like it because you can be alone, in New York as in Milan without having the feeling of being watched, perhaps by commiserative eyes. I like that leisure atmosphere, having no constictions and no particular etiquette to follow. I like it because it marks the end of the week leading you through sweet and savory to the beginning of a new one, an interlude of bacon, fried eggs and muffins. The best one, I have to say, is the brunch in Paris: at the Cafè du Palays Royalafter wandering around the jardin or any brasserie in the Marais or Saint Germain de Pres. The typical Parisian’s artistic (also slightly cheeky)temper, is quite fashinating. They are the only men in the world who can manage to look attractive even before shaving, hiding their uncombed hair under unconvincing ugly hats, wearing large shapeless cargo trousers and pulling them off incredibly well pairing them with worn out monk strap shoes instead of the same old sneakers. In the picture a ceramic plate by Fornasetti

The filmography of Eriprando Visconti (1932-1995) encompasses only ten movies which have been filmed during the 60s until the last one, shot in 1982. Visconti, nephew of the more famous Luchino, won the critics’ choice award at Venice Film Festival when he started off in 1961 with “A Milanese Story” but never became widely known to the general public and that’s why it’s hard to remember him. The 1977 movie “Una Spirale di Nebbia”, based on the Michele Prisco’s novel by the same name, which I have now miraculously found in DVD, really affected me as a kid. Although the memory kept taking me back to the scenes of integral nudity that surprisingly haven’t been censured (Novecento by Bertolucci came out the very same year) and the audacity of the contents, I also remember very well the intimist and plush atmosphere..foggy indeed, built around the screenplay and the storyline. It’s a crude and realist plot, laying bare the Milanese upper class hypocrisy. A very contemporary film. Today more than yesterday. In the picture, a scene from the movie with Marc Porel.

“Stormbringer” is the funkiest Deep Purple’s album. It came out at the end of 1974 in full “austerity” period, reaching a breaking point with hard rock: the homonym single was as danceable as “Smoke on the Water” from the older album “Made in Japan ” but more soul. The visual impact of the illustration on the cover was suggesting a stormy scenario (although the title was exhaustive enough) and a statement of intent throught the use of colors, mainly purple, yellow and orange. Such cover desearves to be included among the strongest in history of discography, it represent contemporary anxiety in its very own way addressing several analogies with a certain kind of fashion aesthetic which is currently in style for men’s clothing. In the picture the cover of “Stormbringer” by Deep Purple.

Let’s pretend I don’t know who the man in the picture is. I wouldn’t find him handsome or particularly interesting either.Then I find out he’s Anthony Hopkins and I change my mind: the VIP persuasive power. Be careful though, it’s a damn thin line between comfort and scruffiness, one’s got to be aware of that even walking the dog on a sunday morning, imagine for other occasions. Everyone is free to wear whatever they feel like, just remember that a cartain casual way of dressing, which has been deceiving us for years with the illusion of appearing younger, could be persuading a distracted passer-by to leave you some spare change: “here, good man have a coffee!”.
In any case I am talking to the twenty year olds too, they also cannot escape the clochard effect. Dowdiness it’s not good for them either. In the picture on the right , Anthony Hopkins on set in Rome, by Rino Barillari.