I believe that Italian movies are essential to understanding Life in Italy. La commedia all' Italiana shows best of Italy, always with a touch of irony.
One different aspect of the Italian movie comedy is the 70s sexy comedy (once referred to as trash), a style of its own that definitely has its followers. We can compare this type of comedy perhaps with
Cheech and Chong, but sex, not smoke, is what the movie was all about.
Popular actors of this genre included Lando Buzzanca, Lino Banfi,
Edwige Fenech, Laura Antonelli, mario carotenuto, Aldo Giuffre', Aldo Maccione, Pippo Franco, Bombolo, renato Pozzetto, Gianfranco D' Angelo
Italian Sexy Comedies list:
Montagnani - Vitali " Pranzetto a casa del commenda "
Moglie in bianco, L'amante al pepe. L
Banfi 1980
Chiavi in Mano
Quel Gran pezzo della Ubalda Tutta nuda tutta calda
Quando le donne persero la coda ( Buzzanca â€" Mule' )
Jus Primae Noctis with Lando Buzzanca,
Renzo Montagnani, Marilu' Tolo Paolo Stoppa
Vieni Avanti Cretino Directed by L. Salce with Lino Banfi
During the same period, an 'extra-light' money-making line of movies were made with Christian De Sica and Massimo Boldi, who teamed up in many comedies. These are roughly the equivalent (actually lower than)
the Chevy Chase "Vacation" series or Dumb and Dumber.
These films included:
Attenti a quei P2
Grandi Magazzini
Ma che siamo tutti matti?
SPQR
Vacanze di Natale
Vacanze di Natale 91 1991
Vacanze di Natale 95
Juppies
Juppies 2 ( C. De Sica, , Ezio Greggio, M Boldi, Jerry Cala)
Rimini Rimini un anno dopo
Rimini Rimini, P Villaggio+ L Antonelli
Anni 90
Anni 90 Parte seconda
Compagni di scuola, Alessandro Benvenuti and Christian De Sica
I do like the trashy Italian comedy and I enjoyed the above movies even though they
are perhaps an acquired taste.
Also s slightly different extra light genre but still in the 'trash category' is Paolo Villaggio