In the cinematic realm of the abstract, the weird...the wonderful, such names as Alejandro Jodorowsky and David Lynch come to mind, but I'd argue there's another writer/director deserving of the same, exalted prestige...Italy's Stefano Dalca, otherwise known as Steven Slozz.
Dalca's specialty is the short film, and in such, he excels, just as Lynch did in his early, pre-"Eraserhead" days. The young filmmaker's fondness for surrealism is contagious. I can't tell you how many times I've watched his material before entering slumber and have had the most magnificent dreams. (For further analysis, please visit my review of "Dissonanze Relazionali: Oct '15). Yes, Dalca is as fine a magician as one will find.
Dalca's latest endeavor is "Trittico Paranoico Terminale" ("Terminal Paranoid Tryptych"): a 66-min, black-and-white sojourn that digs deep into psychological quirks and conditions more than any other production he's fashioned. On many levels, "Trittico" is his most ambitious venture yet, and perhaps his greatest success, considering the subject matter is a delicate one, with focus on obsessive-compulsive disorders and bipolar hindrances, with which so many people struggle.
The film begins with a somber youth scribbling away at a table, and upon showing us his crude handiwork, we're led into such unnerving tracks as mummification; forced feasting; canine transformation; adultery per a fish-faced fiend; a twisted spurt of hide-and-seek; an intoxicated Christmas; anguished strolls and bullying violence; plus ceaseless cleaning, capped by infuriating, irreparable repairs. Oh, dear my! Are these terrible interludes weighed upon us by others, or are we their cause and effect? Does it really matter who's to blame? Our filmmaker seems to say: No matter the emanation, we all do feel life's mounting pains; none of us are alone in the fight.
As grim as "Trittico'"s content is, Dalca has fun with its delivery: his segments equaling a kind of hard medicine coated in beguiling sugar and spice, all arranged in a subtle, three-tier flow. Some of his best examples come when he enters the scenes, showboating his keen knack for pantomime. His cheerfully tormented friends also do a lovely job emulating his style, which reinforces the wry continuity.
"Trittico", like Dalca's previous works, will likely be difficult to pigeonhole for the casual viewer (heck, probably any viewer), even when the obsessive insinuations clearly curdle through. It's more the way in which the moments are rendered that gives the product its unmatched flavor. "Trittico" allows one to drape one's own moody meaning upon the scenes, and once this is accomplished, one is hooked. On this basis, there's nothing in the cinematic field today that even comes close to triggering such personal perception. Dalca, therefore, is the be-all/end-all master when it comes to this alternative, storytelling format.
If you're interested in obtaining a copy of "Trittico", feel free to message Dalca on this post, or contact the man directly at ... https://www.facebook.com/stefano.dalca ... for pricing and shipping arrangements. The dear Mr. Slozz will be more than honored to converse. (BTW: Stefano, I'm most appreciative of the dedication!)
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