Theorem (Teorema)
Koch (1968)
Drama, Experimental/Avant-Garde/Art House, Queer Themes/Interest
In Collection
#741
8*
Seen ItYes
(2/23/2017 Home)
503567011669
IMDB   7.2
105 mins Italy / Italian
DVD  Region 2
Terence Stamp The Visitor
Silvana Mangano Lucia
Massimo Girotti Paolo
Anne Wiazemsky Odetta
Laura Betti Emilia
Andrés José Cruz Soublette Pietro
Ninetto Davoli Angelino - the Messenger
Carlo De Mejo Boy
Adele Cambria Emilia - the second servant
Luigi Barbini Boy at the station
Giovanni Ivan Scratuglia Second boy
Alfonso Gatto Doctor
Cesare Garboli Interwiever
Susanna Pasolini Old Peasant
Andres Soublette
Silvana Mangano Lucia / the mother
Massimo Girotti Paolo / the father
Anne Wiazemsky Odetta / the daughter
Laura Betti Emilia / the servant
Andrés José Cruz Soublette Pietro / the son
Luigi Barbini Il ragazzo alla stazione
Cesare Garboli Interviewer
Director/Choreographer
Pier Paolo Pasolini
Producer Mauro Bolognini
Franco Rossellini
Manolo Bolognini
Writer/Composer Pier Paolo Pasolini
Cinematography Giuseppe Ruzzolini
Music Ennio Morricone
Ted Curson


A wealthy Italian household is turned upside down when a handsome stranger arrives, seduces every family member and then disappears. Each has an epiphany of sorts, but none can figure out who the seductive visitor was or why he came.
Edition Details
Edition Dual Format Edition
Original Title Teorema
Release Date 2013
No. of Discs/Tapes 1
Extras Booklet
Personal Details
Purchase Date 2/21/2017
Location Personal Library
Owner Deitz
Store Amazon.com
Purchase Price $20.52
Condition New
Links ++ Commentary: James Clark (A MUST READ, albeit long)
± Review: NY Times (Vincent Canby, 1969)
± Review: Roger Ebert (1969) His First Crack
Teorema at Core for Movies
TheMovieDb.org
Rotten Tomatoes
IMDB
References
Lists ‡ Rotten Tomatoes: 200 Best LGBT Movies of All Time, ‡ TimeOut Magazine London: 50 best gay movies (11/24/15)
Rotten Critics Rating % (2021) 81
Rotten Best Queer #1-200 (2021) 132

Notes
Theorem uses an ancient story form of a visiting stranger interfering in the lives of those with whom he or she interacts, changing them forever -- In the first half of the film. "the visitor" mysteriously arrives at the household of a comfortable bourgeois Italian family -- he is then, in a series of surreal scenes, seduced by the maid, son, daughter, mother and father -- As mysteriously as he arrived, he leaves -- In the second half of the film, we see the transformed lives of each family member -- In the end we are left with ambiguity -- What is the "theorem" that Pasolini is testing by this allegory? --
This is not a film of for a quick evening's romp, but deserves multiple viewing -- I suggest Jim Clark's commentary in the Links section for a more in depth discussion.