These are very homemade digital video films, shot in Questi's apartment, and starring himself usually in multiple/all roles. The first three short films all begin with Questi turning on classical music and reading. We see images and passages from the books he's browsing, a sort of simple special effect. Then a mysterious, disguised stranger enters bringing menace and conflict. Followed by a summing up coda in the aftermath.
It's intriguing to watch an elderly man explore various possibilities of his own mortality. (By my count he dies 5 times -- or perhaps it was 6 -- in the first three films).
In Dr. Schizo, Questi's questions his attachment to art and culture, in his take on duality. In Letter from Salamanca Questi faces death directly, and literally bares all. Bold, frank and a little unnerving -- I can't imagine too many 80 year old directors (or actors) have filmed themselves completely naked. Tatatatango reflects on the loss of sexuality and companionship that the elderly have to deal with, but treated in a pseudo-sordid pulp vein.
I'm not too up on the digital video revolution, but it's heartening to see Giulio Questi, an old-time experimentalist, on board. I'm looking forward to the four other shorts, and will try to post on those when I do. I think the last one in the set, The Visitors, was shown at the Cannes Film Festival in 2007.
This is originally a 2-disc set, but the version floating around China has all 7 shorts films on one disc.
