"Carlo Monterossi is an involuntary winner in love with losers. His characteristics are disenchantment and irony: this makes him an anomalous detective. Bob Dylan for him is a sort of big brother, a vinyl friend, to chat with and In every situation he has his own song to put as a soundtrack. A passion that I share: I keep all the books with the lyrics of his songs, I used to decipher them all night ". Word of Fabrizio Bentivoglio, protagonist in a state of grace of the series between crime and comedy 'Monterossi', from January 17th on Prime Video as a world premiere, based on the novels by Alessandro Robecchi (Sellerio) and directed by Roan Johnson, a Palomar production.
Bentivoglio plays a television writer, Carlo Monterossi, who leaves the trash program that brings him fame and money but which he hates, Crazy love, is threatened at the door of his Milanese home by a hooded man who shoots him, saves himself thanks to his glass of whiskey that deflects the blow and begins to investigate. In the cast, among others, Donatella Finocchiaro, Tommaso Ragno, Diego Ribon, Martina Sammarco, Maria Paiato and an extraordinary Carla Signoris in the role of cynical and tearful TV presenter, in balance between suspense and irony.
"Many - admits the actor during the presentation of the TV series - can find similarities between the character and my character and in fact there are some: we are both Milanese, passionate Inter fans, but also the blues disposition in the "to face life with disenchantment. Monterossi knows how to mix irony and melancholy as in a cocktail, he is willing to laugh at himself, and therefore at everything". For Robecchi, seeing his stories take shape was "surprising. Writing is something you do alone, but the collective work that goes into the adaptation is exciting. The importance of a translation, of an adaptation, is faithfulness. ".
Director Roan Johnson points out: "We immediately fell in love with novels. Having already adapted Malvaldi for BarLume and Camilleri for 2 TV films, I know very well that you must never betray the heart of the book. In this case the writing is very cinematic, we therefore almost stifled our ego to avoid adding too much. " The setting in Milan, the birthplace of Bentivoglio who has lived in Rome for years, is also important: "Even if it has changed a lot, I trained at the Piccolo, the Milan I remember is completely different from today, where there is a square Gae Aulenti there was a shooting gallery of an amusement park ".
But did you Bentivoglio make little television compared to cinema and theater? "It is partly a choice and partly a career direction, I had no preconceptions even though maybe I preferred the theater. Times have also changed. Seriality offers an actor the opportunity to tell the character with different spaces and times. When I won the Volpi Cup for A soul divided in two, there was the great Marcello Mastroianni who saying goodbye to me said 'to' Bentivo 'mo not put you on the TV ...'. more than 15 years ". But does he watch TV? "Not much: the news and football matches. And when I have the opportunity, Eduardo's theater".
Carla Signoris is Flora De Pisis, host of programs that make pornography of feelings. The actress hides behind a no comment, she does not want to say to those who inspire her: "She is a woman capable of asking: 'Her parents were killed, but is she photogenic?' This is our attitude, TV represents us. If there are professionals who do it, some come to mind but I don't say it. Flora is a hyena. The character grew up with books, in the last one they kidnap her, I can't wait. She represents all the cynicism of TV that it's the exact opposite of who I am. I read scripts and learn. "
What do you watch on TV? "Documentaries, of all kinds, from those about Madonna to those about history or about animals. And then the political talks. Even if they make me very angry.I must not share ". (ANSA).
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