(The Driver's Seat)
Giuseppe Patroni Griffi
102 minutes
In English

One of the most famous actresses in the history of cinema, Elizabeth Taylor became a child star in the 1940s when Hollywood was still old school, knocking out lush technicolor studio productions. But by the late 60s, the entire Hollywood foundation was crumbling and everything was up in the air. Some of the established actors tried to keep their previous image, others went with the flow and embraced the changes. Elizabeth Taylor was of the latter group, choosing increasingly more risky and off-beat choices. Especially the roles in this later period were inspirational for many... kicking back against the traditional role models of what a woman should be.

This movie was one of the last feature films she made, and despite the fact it stars such a legendary actress, it became a cult gem cherished by few who saw it, but is otherwise almost unknown. After it was made it was immediately abandoned and lost at sea. Everything about this picture is quirky and unpredictable - from its fragmented plot, to its meticulous camerawork by Vittorio Storaro (Apocalypse Now, The Conformist) to the unexpected cameo appearance of Andy Warhol of all people.

What is the film about? It's about a woman who travels to Italy on a trip of no return. She seems to have a plan, but what it is exactly remains a mystery. In the mid-70s Italy was being ripped apart by terrorism, including bomb explosions in the streets and city squares... and these scenes of carnage are used as a backdrop for the film, and occasionally erupt into the foreground. The story is based on the book by Muriel Spark, the controversial Scottish novelist, poet and essayist. Apparently, she loved the film when she saw it.

Elizabeth Taylor is still captivating, and it's great her character is the central focus. In many films she was pushed slightly to the side, but not in this one—she simply glows. Apparently she had divorced her husband Richard Burton the day before, and threw herself into this project. This flick was studied by Kier-La Janisse in her highly unusual book about women in cinema called 'House of Psychotic Women', bringing it back to life for a new generation. Oh yeah... you might also wonder what the title means. An identikat is a drawing made by a police artist of a criminal suspect, composed from the memories of a witness.

One viewer simply said after watching this movie "The Liz Taylor that my Mom loves and the Liz Taylor I love are two very different movie stars."

This will be a high-definition screening.

CINE INTERZONE