Roberto Benigni fans will want to send away for a new set of DVDs that will be released tomorrow in Italy – the first three of five volumes of his television debut from the ’70s, “Life from the Cyclone”, “Free Wave, first episode”, and “Free Wave, second episode”. The third episode will be available in May and all 5 volumes will come with previously unseen footage of Benigni.
If I understand this correctly, Benigni’s character, a farmer named Mario Cioni, successfully hijacks Rai television frequency from his own television studio, Televac (far-off cow), located in a pig-sty on his farm. From a set surrounded by cows and hay, Benigni’s comedy materialized and changed Italian TV.
The “Vita da Cioni” episodes were for 2 years blocked by censors but when finally aired Benignin made Italy laugh as Mario Cicione, who gave voice to the underprivileged as he hurled insults and protests at the world that was keeping him down.
I wouldn’t hold my breath for English subtitles, but if your Italian is decent and you love Benigni, you’ll want to check them out.
I Love Italian Everything 