简介："Weareallvictimsofthecinema,"saysMarcoBellocchioandhiscollaboratorsinthisnastilyfascinatingItalianversionof"HollywoodBabylon."Forbetterorworse,themoviescanennobleus,debaseusorevendestroyus.Noonewhocomesintouchwiththe"cinemamachine"(theItaliantermformoviecamera)asaparticipantoranobservercanremainuntouched.Originallyconceivedasafive-hourseriesforItaliantelevision,THECINEMAMACHINEisaradicaldocumentarybeingcirculatedina100-minutecondensationofitsbestepisodes.Wesee,forexample,thestoryofTonyDeBonis,anex-boxerwhoorganizeshome-moviefestivalsinhishometownandthenawardshimselftopprize.Thereisanepisodeinwhichthemakersofamateursoft-pornmoviesintheprovincestestaspiringplayersbyhavingthemundress.Thereactionsoftheapplicantsrangefromexhibitionisticbravadotoutterembarrassment.CertainlythemostmovingepisodeintheentiremoviecomesattheendwiththeextendedinterviewofactressDanielaRocca.SheisbestrememberedasthemustachioedwifeofMarcelloMastroianniinthecomedyDIVORCEITALIANSTYLE.Althoughconsideredasensationatthetime,shewasgivenfewerrolesofanyconsequence,andhercareerwentnowhere.Seenhereasthevictimofmentalinstitutionsandbankruptcycourts,shelivesinpoverty,apatheticfigurewhoisignoredbytheindustryandspurnedbymanyofherformerfriends.Sheseemstobeasadiconoflonelinessinaworldwhereifnothingsucceedslikesuccess,thensurelynothingfailslikefailure."Thecinemawillcomebacktome,"shetellsus,"ifIdon'tkillmyself."Therehasrarelybeenasprofoundlymovingoramusinglove-hatedocumentaryonthemoviesasthisfilm.Initeventhosewhohavebeenthemostshabbilytreated,eventhemostradicalandpoliticized,admitafrustratingbutvividloveforthefilmcameraandadeeplongingforitsendproduct:thecinema.…