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The Architecture of Gomorrah - La Vele di Scampia

la vele di scampia

I recently saw Gomorrah, which took the Grand Jury Prize at Cannes, and was definitely intrigued and curious as to the origins of the beastly, monolithic sail-like housing complexes where the movie was shot. La Vele di Scampia, or the Sails of Scampia was an offshoot of the post-war modernist social housing explosion gripping the world, including Naples, Italy where it was located. Each complex, shaped like a sail, consists of apartment units with stairs leading to central walkways on each floor. The result is a spectacularly open public space in which people can see and be seen.

gomorrah film

Scene of a typical walkway of the housing complex

gomorrah film

Scene of the walkways on all floors.

Top image via Walkers. Last two images via Youtube.

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Also worth checking: Frederic Chaubin- Photographs of Soviet Architecture

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04.30.09 in Seen Elsewhere by Liz

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tra i migliori film italiano degli ultimi tempi.
guardate anche “L’ora di religione” per capire cos’è l’italia di oggi.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40_zpCk5QmQ&feature=related

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Gomorra is one of the most important lately italian movie.
Look also “L’ora di religione” by Marco Bellocchio. This movie is more representative of actual italian situation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40_zpCk5QmQ&feature=related

i live there. The zone is not accessible due the camorra

04.30.09 |

Massimo |

Seen Elsewhere |

^^^ If that’s true, then how come they allowed filming to take place there for a movie which exposes them?

04.30.09 |

skeletor |

Seen Elsewhere |

Camorra decided to allow it: they gave some ’special pass’ to Garrone and his troupe. They also supervised it, giving some advices to make it more real: during the shooting they played a fake drug dealing scene and some real junkies arrived, going away with some powder instead of cocaine… some actors were real convicts or ex convicts.

http://www.mymovies.it/dizionario/critica.asp?id=316666

Saviano is still under protection but camorra was helpful with the director and all the production: the article explains this strange behaviour with cinema’s fascination; mafia is attracted by movies: police said that criminals (camorristi) changed they way to clasp guns after they saw Tarantino’s movies and the boss Schiavone built his mansion like Scarface’s one.

The sail buildings figure prominently in Gerald Seymour’s novel of Naples and the camorra, Colloborator. It is portrayed as a frightening, brutal place. Which, I must say, the building does suggest.

12.22.09 |

Paul Willcocks |

Seen Elsewhere |

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