S10.E08: Southern Italy

[ElectricBoogaloo]

SEASON FINALE!

Quote

The "Heel of the Boot” draws Bourdain back in time as he visits the largely untouched landscapes and colorful locals of southern Italy and a culture steeped in both Christian and Pagan traditions. Unlike any other part of Italy, locals here perform a Taranta dance and speak the ancient language of "Grieco.” The local cuisine of the southern Italy is showcased during a meal with Italian-American film director Francis Ford Coppola at his hotel, Palazzo Margherita, where Bourdain is served traditional dishes of the Basilicata region like Pecora Pastorale, a summer preparation of mutton and herbs.

[susannot]

What a fantastic episode.  I have never seen anything about the heel of the boot of Italy before.  It's beautiful and mysterious. Fascinating to hear about its pagan heritage, mostly still present today.    The Taranto has ancient roots in the Bacchanals of Crete.

[Nancypants]

The old lady chugging table wine was awesome.

[clod]

it was.

and, iirc, it was from a standard glass.  not a fancy wine glass.

[AuntiePam]

Was there some real chemistry between Anthony and his guide?  I think he was smitten. 

And who knew the Godfather theme had words?  Everybody?  I sure didn't.

The cinematography on this show is always good, but this was especially good. 

[biakbiak]

2 hours ago, AuntiePam said:

Was there some real chemistry between Anthony and his guide?  I think he was smitten. 

You mean Asia? I would imagine so since they have been dating for a year or so.

Given Asia's history I wonder what she thought about "the sluts" who tried to get Giovanni dismissed. 

I am surprised that Tony doesn't know more Italian.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Bourdain's blog on southern Italy

Parts Unknown southern Italy links

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I wonder if Asia is happy or sad that she has footage of herself wandering Italy before she was run out of the country recently.

[AuntiePam]

11 hours ago, biakbiak said:

You mean Asia? I would imagine so since they have been dating for a year or so.

Given Asia's history I wonder what she thought about "the sluts" who tried to get Giovanni dismissed. 

I am surprised that Tony doesn't know more Italian.

Ah, I didn't know that.  Well, at least my chemistry-radar is working. 

Why was she run out of the country?  She's so typically (or stereotypically) Italian, she should be on travel brochures.

[biakbiak]

9 hours ago, AuntiePam said:

Ah, I didn't know that.  Well, at least my chemistry-radar is working. 

Why was she run out of the country?  She's so typically (or stereotypically) Italian, she should be on travel brochures.

She was one of Harvey Weinstein's first accusers and the press were very victim blaming about her.

[Snarklepuss]

This episode hit me on many levels.  Being of half Sicilian descent, I can see that all very southern Italians share a lot in common both culturally and genetically speaking.  It fascinated me no end because so much was so similar to my childhood family growing up in NYC.  If I were at that dinner table I would have been laughing and going along with it in fascination as it took me back to my childhood at the dinner table.  I particularly loved the 1960s gas station glass collection, LOL.  Tony was obviously uncomfortable, which I can understand as he had very different expectations.  I guess growing up with a house full of yelling Italians made me see that situation differently, LOL. 

I figured she was his girlfriend after noticing the chemistry and then remembered her from the Weinstein accusations.  I guess Tony has a thing for southern Italian women given that his ex wife Ottavia was Sardinian with a similar way about her.  Hah, he would have loved me when I was younger.  I'm even part Jewish and French like he is too!  Oh well, the closest I ever came to him was being a regular in a restaurant in Greenwich Village where he was a line cook back in the 80s (which I of course didn't know at the time).   Not that I've ever had a thing for him "that way" anyway.

At least he did this area justice, not like the two horrible shows he did on Sicily.

[copshop]

I loved the cinematography and focus on "real people" versus the mythical stylized stereotype of Italian people (the beach scenes in particular). Having visited the region twice, something bugged me enormously. He made no critique of FF Coppola plopping a boutique hotel that few can afford into a tiny village, but he was dismissive of all of the locals who have opened b&bs in Matera. This was especially bothersome because as he was discussing this, the camera hovered on the sign of the b&b I stayed in both times. It was opened by a local who grew up in the sassi and lovingly restored the place, and now offers the rooms at a bargain. I wish the real issues of development were discussed in a more nuanced way -- like in the Madagascar episode, for example.

[piccolascimmia]

@copshop thank you for your info - that's something that bothered me too.  I just watched the Southern Italy episode, as I just booked a trip for the spring that will start in Naples and Salerno, take me through my grandparents home towns in Basilicata, and then further south to check out Matera.  I figured this episode was good research, but it left me feeling like my desire to see Matera is now lumped into all the hipsters ruining the place, and maybe I should just stop in for a day trip.  Reading your comment reminded me that (hopefully) many of the airbnbs in Matera are locals who are finally coming up good now that their town is being popularized.

Otherwise watching the episode now after his passing and watching the chemistry between him and Asia made me a bit uncomfortable and sad.  I loved the part where he knows fishing there won't be like 'fishing' in Sicily.  It was great to see them clean the catches and cook it too.

The tarantella segments were so odd - I couldn't tell if they really were implying that the dance possession was 'real' or a dramatic re-enactment of the past.  And how dressy the women were eating at that place, it made me wonder if it was a special production or something.