IN THE DOGHOUSE絕境求生

題材黑暗的意大利劇情片描繪齷齪人性

IN THE SQUALOR

of Italy’s abandoned urban settlements, it’s survival of the fittest. But in Matteo Garrone’s latest film, who exactly that is may surprise you.

Dogman’s main character, Marcello (Marcello Fonte) lives a quiet existence as a dog groomer. But there’s a disconnect between this life and the extravagant scuba diving holidays he takes with his daughter – holidays which should be well beyond his means. We soon learn that Marcello’s income is supplemented by a side hustle as a small-time drug dealer. His biggest client – both physically and metaphorically – is Simone (Edoardo Pesce), a violent thug who begins to involve a reluctant Marcello in his illicit, and increasingly unhinged, activities.

Loosely based on the real-life tale of infamous ’80s Italian criminal Er Canaro, ‘the dog keeper’, Dogman is set in a stark, brutalist landscape. Filmed in a largely abandoned holiday village outside of Naples, the harshness of the setting mirrors the narrative of the film. It’s a setting Garrone is familiar depicting, having set the 2008 film Gomorrah

– which delved into the dealings of the Casalesi crime organisation – on the rundown outskirts of Naples.

In stature, the two lead actors are polar opposites, and their performances are enhanced by their physical differences. As Marcello, Fonte (whose performance won him the Best Actor award at Cannes) is all gentleness in his interactions with his family and the dogs in his charge. His mild-mannered, subdued character seems to make him an ideal victim. Meanwhile Pesce as Simone throws his weight around in an aggressive, almost animalistic performance. That contrast is what brings the film to life.

Throughout Dogman, we learn that survival of the fittest isn’t all about force. Marcello maybe not be any kind of hero: but the seemingly gentler man proves himself, however tragically, not to be the victim.

生於意大利髒亂貧苦的荒涼市

鎮中，適者生存才是王道。但在Matteo Garrone 的新作中，最終的生還者可能出乎你的意料之外。

《人心狗吠》的主角Marcello （Marcello Fonte 飾）以狗隻美容為生，過著平的生活。以他的生計而言，要帶女兒享受奢華的潛水假期可謂妄想，因為度假支出遠超他的收入，但我們很快便發現，原來他會偶爾兼職販毒賺取外快。鎮上的惡霸Simone（Edoardo Pesce飾）在檯面上或檯底下都是他最大的客人，這名惡棍更開始將不願蹚渾水的主角牽扯進自己日漸失控的非法勾當之中。

電影改編自真人真事，以1980 年代惡名昭著、有「養狗人」之稱的意大利罪犯Er Canaro 的事跡為骨幹，回溯蕭條崩壞的時代背景。導演在那不勒斯郊外的廢棄度假村取景，荒涼的景象成劇情的最佳寫照；其實他在 2008 年的前作也同樣於那不勒斯的破舊郊區拍攝，打造深入犯罪集團 Casalesi 的作品《我在娥摩拉的日子》，自

然駕輕就熟。

兩位主角身型迥異，卻同樣因外型而演活各自的角色。飾演 Marcello 的 Fonte （憑此片榮膺康城影帝）面對家人和照料的狗兒時溫柔體貼，溫文沉默的性格似乎令他成為受害者的不二人選。而飾演Simone的 Pesce則身材高大、蠻橫無理，呈現好勇鬥狠的原始獸性，兩極的對比令電影充滿張力。

《人心狗吠》讓我們明白到惡勢力並非求存的王道。Marcello 或許並非英雄好漢，外表柔弱的他卻以悲壯的方式證明自己不甘淪為犧牲品。

Dog eat dog It’s survival of the fittest for Marcello and his canine companions你死我活在戲中，Marcello和他的狗狗朋友活在一個弱肉強食的世界