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Life is Beautiful, But Not for Jews: Another View of the Film by Benigni: 107
Author(s): Kobi Niv (Author)
- Publisher: Scarecrow Press (UK)
- Publication Date: 29 Sept. 2003
- Edition: 1st
- Language: English
- Print length: 136 pages
- ISBN-10: 0810848759
- ISBN-13: 9780810848757
Book Description
With sharp, uncompromising logic and eye-opening insight, Niv analyzes the film and its script scene-by-scene to show why
Life is Beautiful is very far from being the innocent, charming, and heartwarming film it appears to be. The author argues that the film not only lends support to the central arguments of Holocaust deniers, but is actually a quasi-theological, Christian parable which seeks to justify the extermination of Jews in the 20th century as divine punishment for the sin of the crucifixion of Jesus two thousand years ago. Life is Beautiful, But Not for Jews is a riveting book that simply and concisely raises some important and complex ideas about film and psychology in post-Holocaust civilization. It also serves as an elementary course in the appreciation of films and artistic texts in general and in deciphering their deeper meanings, teaching the reader to more clearly grasp the hidden significance of cultural processes.This is the first English translation of the Hebrew text.
Editorial Reviews
Review
Niv”s book is an amazing text that presents its reader with a brilliant analysis, a book that blows your mind. In my opinion it should be required reading. — Dudi Ben-Aroya
A thought-provoking book…[it] has fascinating things to say about filmmaking in general as a way for Western culture to bleach the moral stain of the Holocaust. — Orit Prague
This book is not only a thorough study of the subterranean prejudices in Benigni”s celebrated film, but a brilliant, penetrating “screening” of the cinematic language in general, and of how an “innocent”, “well-meaning” comedy can easily become a vehicle for dangerous racist stereotypes. I read it with fascination – it is a splendid book. — Amos Oz, internationally renowned author and essayist
