Author Peter Bondanella, who penned the
critically acclaimed new book "Hollywood Italians: Dagos,
Palookas, Romeos, Wise Guys and Sopranos" (Continuum International
Publishing Group, $29.95), will give a talk at Brooklyn Public
Library’s Central Branch on Sept. 9 at 7 pm.
Bondanella’s entertaining book covers the ways Italians have
been portrayed in Hollywood from the 1915 film "The Italian"
to "Saturday Night Fever" (1977) to HBO’s "The
Sopranos," which he treats as film. And of course, Bondanella
discusses Francis Ford Coppolla’s "Godfather" trilogy.
The lecture by Bondanella (pictured), Indiana University’s professor
of comparative literature and Italian, will kick off the library’s
new "Italian-AMERICAN Film Series," curated by Joseph
Sciorra of the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute.
Films to be discussed in Sciorra’s series include Martin Scorsese’s
1974 film "Italianamerican" and Kym Ragusa’s 1997 short
"Fuori/Outside," on Sept. 23; Nancy Savoca’s 1989 movie
"True Love," on Oct. 7; and the 1992 film "Mac,"
by Park Slope’s own John Turturro, on Oct. 21.
Sciorra will introduce Bondanella’s discussion of the history
of Italian-Americans in film, to be held in the second floor
meeting room of the Central Branch, located at Grand Army Plaza.
For more information, call (718) 230-2100. This series is free
and open to the public.
