Shooting the Mafia isn’t the strongest documentary, though in fairness I don’t watch or review a whole lot of them generally, but even so this is one that seemed to ride the line between two subjects and isn’t fulfilling in either.
Shooting the Mafia
(2019)
Genre(s): Documentary
Entertainment One | NR – 98 min. – $34.98 | March 24, 2020
Date Published: 03/30/2020 | Author: The Movieman
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Cohen Media Group provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this Blog Post.
The opinions I share are my own.
THE MOVIE — 3.0/5 |
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Plot Synopsis: Sicilian photographer Letizia Battaglia began a lifelong battle with the Mafia when she first dared to point her camera at a brutally slain victim. A woman whose passions led her to abandon traditional family life and become a photojournalist in the 1970s–the first female photographer to be employed by an Italian newspaper–Battaglia found herself on the front lines during one of the bloodiest chapters in Italy’s recent history. She fearlessly and artfully captured everyday Sicilian life–from weddings and funerals to the grisly murders of ordinary citizens–to tell the narrative of how the community she loved in her native Palermo was forced into silence by the Cosa Nostra. Weaving together Battaglia’s striking black-and-white photographs, rare archival footage, classic Italian films, and the now 84-year-old’s own memories. Quick Hit Review: Shooting the Mafia is a documentary that feels a bit disjointed, on the one hand wanting to be about this female photojournalist and her personal life, which when it came to her daughters didn’t want to discuss, but also about the mafia’s heavy control in Sicily and Corleone, and the uprising of the population to get rid of them, with the aid of a couple brave prosecutors who sacrificed their lives doing so. While this woman’s — Letizia Battaglia — life is interesting, especially her close relationships, this documentary didn’t seem sure where to focus. Plus, the premise that Battaglia fought against the Mafia didn’t really connect. She took some stark and graphic pictures, but they don’t exactly translate to how she was part of the Mafia’s takedown. Also, they kind of glossed over some major events, including per political career, other than that she got well paid in doing nothing as decisions were made outside of her control. All in all, a fascinating character for sure and I would say it’s worth checking out, but I think more could’ve been done to show viewers a fuller picture of her life rather than bits and pieces intertwined with the Mafia’s brutality. |
SPECIAL FEATURES – 1.5/5 |
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The features included is a Conversation with Director Kim Longinotto (5:38) and the Trailer (2:00). |
VIDEO – 3.5/5 |
| The movie is presented with a 1.78 widescreen aspect ratio and a 1080p high-definition transfer. For the most part this is a fine looking picture although most of the film is archival footage so doesn’t always look the best in HD while the newly filmed interviews come across a bit better, though nothing overly impressive. |
AUDIO – 3.75/5 |
| Similarly, the Italian language DTS-HD Master Audio track is serviceable outputting clear enough dialogue and some surprisingly decent depth for shots with a crowd during older clips. I don’t expect a whole lot for the audio on a documentary, but this one did its job well enough. |
OVERALL – 2.75/5 |
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Shooting the Mafia isn’t the strongest documentary, though in fairness I don’t watch or review a whole lot of them generally, but even so this is one that seemed to ride the line between two subjects and isn’t fulfilling in either. However, anyone interested in the mafia or the woman at the center, this is worth a watch. |