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The cult film that brought Squallor’s comedy to the big screen returns to the cinema at the Modernissimo in Bologna. Director Ciro Ippolito will also be in the room for New Year’s Eve: screening, then panettone, toast and music
«Disastrously directed by Ciro Ippolito»in just 15 days as the credits say, Arrapaho is the film that brought Squallor’s comedy to the big screen.
The «worst film in history» according to the historic «Morandini» dictionary», «a criticism that made him immortal», is entrusted the end of the year of the Cineteca di Bologna, on 31 December at 10pm at the Modernissimo, with the director in the room announcing more than one surprise.
A New Year’s Eve screening accompanied by toasts, panettone and other delicacies to celebrate the arrival of the new year with the sound of music, again chosen by Ippolito. In 2025 Ippolito has already presented the restored film during the last «Il Cinema Ritrovato» festivalawaiting the return to Italian cinemas scheduled for next May.
Director Ciro Ippolito: «I gave a face to Squallor»
«Give a face to Squallor – recalls the 74-year-old Neapolitan director and producer – putting their brilliant songs on video. To the top I really care about it as the worst film, I hope it remains unbeaten. It was born as a crazy adventure, in an unrepeatable era, it has become a cult and even anticipated the language of the web”.
The story of Arrapaho, a film that has become a cult
The beautiful Scella Pezzata, daughter of Palla Pesante, chief of the Cefaloni tribe, she is promised to Crazy Horse, but she is in love with Arrapaho, son of Black Mace, chief of the Arrapaho tribe. But also Luna Caprese from the Frocheyenne tribe he is in love with Arrapaho. Also defined, by Oreste del Buono, as «obscenity at the infantile level (including noises)», for the ultra-cult critic Marco Giusti Arrapaho it’s «a crazy gay-demented-musicarello western immediately loved by the bad boys of the Eighties and then grew into the cult that he openly played with trash, low costMonty Python-style cinema.
All is due to the meeting between Ciro Ippolito, great name of popular cinema, after Alien 2 – On Earth and the films of Mario Merola, and the musical group, very active at the time, of Squallor, formed by Daniele Pace, Toto Savio, Alfredo Cerruti, Giancarlo Bigazzi, real musicians and record companies who played with the crazy and had only released the album Arrapaho the previous year.”
No one had ever attempted a similar operation and no producer, starting with Goffredo Lombardo of Titanuswho would then produce Squallor’s second film with Ciro Ippolito, Uccelli d’Italia, wanted to co-produce or distribute it. The story, defined by Ippolito as «a sort of Romeo and Juliet in redskin sauce”, is crossed by parodies of commercials of the time and from fake TV clips like a pre-blob. Also famous is the launch phrase «Hello! See yourself Arrapaho!”.
The other New Year’s Eve screenings
Speaking of New Year’s Day in the room, Also worth mentioning is the «New Year’s Cinema» at the Odeon in via Mascarella. With four exclusive previews to ring in the new year, Sentimental Value at Joachim Trier, No other choice at Park Chan Wook, Sirat at Oliver Laxe It’sad’s man we are called to the entbrobbrob.
All films, in original with subtitles, they will end before midnight with a single entry costing 16 euros. In time to toast and celebrate the new year with sparkling wine and panettone. Toast also for the Pop Up circuit at the Bristol in via Toscana, with a special New Year’s Eve screeningalso in this case with sparkling wine and panettone, at the end of the announced blockbuster film Buen Camino with Checco Zalone.
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December 30, 2025
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