Body Double trivia....

I love De Palma. I've always loved De Palma. I especially love Body Double. It hasn't always been my favourite, and I haven't seen everything De Palma's ever done, but I'm working my way through the ones I haven't so no doubt something will replace it, but right now I can't stop watching Body Double. I saw it as a teenager and loved it but thought after all this time, it would now be just camp instead of fun camp, but no. It totally rocks my world, it's funny n silly n camp, but deep down I love it for real, not in that shake your head and laugh way when something's just too daft for words. I really love this film. And as part of my obsession all over again I've been researching everything else, including the composer more, since I love the soundtrack as a whole sooooo much! Now as much as I hate to admit it I'm not one for researching musicians and composers even if I'd claim to love their work. I know nothing about the background of Hans Zimmer. I don't know anything about the personal life of Elmer Bernstein. I couldn't tell you one detail of why Carlos wanted to be a Wendy, or why Clint Mansell's old band was so crap when he's totally amazing. But I do know something about Pino Donaggio, something that tickles me beyond words - we was born on one of the Venetian islands. Specifically Burano! And obviously Pino composed the music to many of the other enjoyable De Palma films, if one likes De Palma in the first place. It makes me all the happier to know this, makes me think being a De Palma fan is not just a statement of cinematic sensibilities on it's own, but culturally meant to be. But then again, I always think that when in reference to Venice, I'm very superstitious, in a good way, about any link to Venice. I always think it's meant to be. I love lots of things and people linked to Italy, it's just my thing, but Venice is special. I think the part of me that's all religious/reincarnation skewed thinks I have a Venetian soul, that I'm meant to feel close to it, or something.

Finding that out about Pino makes me literally grin, grin my fucking face off - anyone who knows me well knows that if I ever had the chance, had the financial flexibility, self employment, freedom to travel whenever I want, I would happily move to Venice. Or at least spend at least a bunch of months every year living there, if I ever get any financial freedom that will definitely happen. There is no place on earth I'm happier than Venice. Of course I say that having not been in years because of the health blah, and in those years they've added that stupid bridge everyone apparently trips on, and then theres the billboards, which are an antithetical eyesore even if they are only draped instead of nailed to the walls in most places. And naturally the concern continues that in years to come there might not be a Venice to go to. But even if the Square and all the other tourist spots become the home of only fat American families, pigeons and unnecessary reminders that you can buy perfume and Cola drinks if you get bored of culture, history, chic nightspots, everyone actually born on the main island having run away to Mestre and the surrounding towns on the inland coast, hopefully Burano and the other tiny islands will stay the same and still be a refuge into the real culture of Venice.

The main Square, several years ago:

Burano, also years ago:

It's quiet and beautiful, it's tiny, idylic, simple, friendly, relaxed. And from what I know it's been left alone so far, since it's not a real tourist spot, in the traditional sense, and any stupid pigeon feeding tourists who accidentally turn up there often leave straight away because it's soooo small that what you see straight away is what you get, they tend to climb right back on the waterbus back to the Rialto. And now I know that it was Pino's home when he was young. Given that the island is so small the whole place should have a plaque. Maybe he still lives there - wouldn't that be awesome! I'll have to try to find out. Course, now there's this other part of my brain that automatically thinks since he's still working if we ever get the script finished we could ask him to soundtrack it, or at least the part in Venice if he was willing to consider it. But then again, given that I'm not working on it much is that likely to happen?