The cinepanettoni (singular:cinepanettone) were a series of farcical comedy films, one or two of which were scheduled for release annually in Italy for the Christmas period.
Contents
The saga of cinepanettoni
From 1983 until 2011 in Italy were made every year around Christmas time a series of comedies, known as cinepanettoni (Italian: cine "cinema", panettone a type of sweet bread traditionally eaten at Christmas).
These films are usually focused on the holidays of stereotypical Italians: bungling, wealthy and presumptuous members of the middle class who visit famous, glamorous or exotic places. Films were set for example in India (Christmas in India – Natale in India, 2003), Egypt (Christmas in Egypt – Natale sul Nilo, 2002), America (Christmas in New York – 2006, or Christmas in Miami – 2005), Cortina d'Ampezzo (Christmas holidays in Cortina – Vacanze di Natale a Cortina, 2011) or the Netherlands (Merry Christmas, 2001). Directors included Carlo Vanzina, Enrico Oldoini, and Neri Parenti.
Many of the screenplays are not related to Christmas, other than those set in Italy.
The protagonists (almost always Massimo Boldi and Christian De Sica) joined by other comic couples (Sabrina Ferilli, Ricky Memphis, Biagio Izzo, Alberto Sordi, Claudio Bisio, Alessandro Gassman, Michelle Hunziker, Ezio Greggio) and international guests (Danny DeVito, Luke Perry, Ronn Moss) find themselves struggling with their holidays and the various messes that combine abroad. The children of these will often be at the end of the story the only ones to solve complicated situations created by their own fathers, who do nothing but get involved in intrigues with the underworld or love affairs.
Critical reception
Italian critics have often considered such films of little ethical or educational value, because they contain large amounts of scurrilous and vulgar phrases and characters providing a bad example of education to young viewers. It often happens in stories that characters played by De Sica and Boldi, mature and elderly people, loom too large on the scene, preventing younger actors from making a mark. Critics have also said that this line of films, including the authors, actors and directors, represented and emphasized the era and the power of Silvio Berlusconi, and the ideals of his supporters.