Cahiers du Cinema 03.12.2007

A Turino Diary
27.11.-01.12.2007

You Will Return

by Eugenio Renzi

He had everything where he was. Success, the admiration of his friends, the respect of his enemies. He could act, dance and sing. What could have pushed him to abandon the films and native city to which he was so clearly attached for this cold and hostile environment? Politics, of course. But you could also be politically active where he started from, in spades.

At first, it wasn't easy for him. Many attacked him, especially among his old friends. They didn't understand his choice. And how could he be sure to succeed over there? Even the stones know him, he doesn't know how to live without feeling loved. Don't be fooled by his tough exterior, he's a real softie. Finally, he got the recognition he craved - everyone was happy, everyone was enthusiastic. And he seemed so serene. Then he shocked everyone by hinting he might leave - he was homesick.

If you've followed this diary over the last few days, you'll certainly have guessed who we're talking about. The Red Elvis, Elvis il rosso in véi, Italian version, is the last film we saw in Turin, a documentary about someone special. Its protagonist is the American rock singer Dean Reed. Born in Denver, Colorado in 1938, he was a pacifist and defender of Salvador Allende who moved to East Germany and eventually killed himself there in 1986. The Red Elvis is this director's first feature. Why did he take an interest in Dean Reed? "I was interested in Reed's ambiguity, his sincere desire to be politically committed, and to difficult battles what's more - Chile, Palestine, Lebanon - but also the fact that this commitment was indefectibly connected to his desire to be in the spotlight." This is certainly not high praise, but the subject couldn't be more topical. Does Leopold Grun realize to what extent his words could seem malicious here in Turin? In any case, he declares: "My protagonist is a magnifying glass that allows us to understand the present." In other words, a way of understanding many other national saviors.