This monkey just managed to get his hands on a copy of NaziRock, the new documentary by film-maker Claudio Lazzaro.
The film takes a look at the neo-nazi scene in Italy, focussing in particular on a number of bands that produce ‘rock identitario’ or ‘identity rock’ the hallmark of which appears to be angry slogans, ham-fisted guitarists, and singers determined to waver out of tune.
The film has effectively been kept out of the cinemas thanks to the legal threats of Forza Nuova, a fringe right-wing party featured heavily in the documentary. Roberto Fiore, leader of Forza Nuova, has recently been shunted into the European Parliament, whose members had this to say about him. In many countries a bit of controversy like this would have a film distributor smiling, guaranteed extra seat sales through the publicity generated. Discretion, though, is perhaps understandable, given that the film-maker is probably not on the list of this current government’s favourite directors – amongst his films is an expose on the Lega Nord Camice Verde (Greenshirts).
Similar to Marco Travaglio’s recent run-in with the state broadcaster, the interesting thing is that Nazi Rock is legally available despite the threats, just not in the cinema.
Fiore, and the ideology of Forza Nuova are well worth discussing, but at a later date. What struck me most about NaziRock was primarily the absurdity of the identity at the heart of this ‘identity rock’.
Go to google.it and do a search for Hobbit, and rather than finding Tolkien’s buccolic flat-footed dwarves, you’ll find the #1 result is for a band from Peruggia singing songs like ‘Ragazzo dell’Europa’ (Boy from Europe) and ‘Cuore Nero’ (black heart – Mussolini’s fascists were the blackshirts). Instead of Bilbo Baggins, you’ll get anti-immigration neo-fascists.
It says it all though, doesn’t it? One of the most popular Italian groups tied to an ideology that dictates racial purity and the defence of local culture can find no more apt name for themselves than that of a fictitious (and comic) race created by an English writer. Whilst they whinge about globalisation, they take their name from a global brand.
The fascist obsession with race was always a strange one, but it takes on another comic turn when the self-image you project is not that of a roman legionary or a blonde-haired stormtrooper, but that of a hairy-footed dwarf.
Like the Italian skinheads that talk about preserving Italian culture whilst dressed in regulation skinhead shirt – a Ben Sherman one from England.
What they don’t seem to realise is how close they are, for their Northern European racist ‘kamerate’, to the North African immigrants they seek to expel from society.
NaziRock is an important film that should be seen in Italy, and throughout Europe. The ideology it examines, though, is pure spinal tap.