Alright, fellow tapeheads, dim the lights, maybe crack open a beverage that isn't New Coke, and let's journey back to a specific kind of cinematic madness. Picture this: the gleaming, slightly overwhelming cathedral of consumerism that was the 1980s department store. Now, populate it with a veritable who's who of Italian comedy legends, wind them up, and let them loose. That, in a nutshell, is the delightful, dizzying experience of Grandi Magazzini (often just called Department Store by us Anglophones lucky enough to stumble upon it), the 1986 ensemble farce from the directorial duo Franco Castellano and Giuseppe Moccia, perhaps better known simply as Castellano & Pipolo.
### Aisle After Aisle of Antics
Forget a single plot; Grandi Magazzini is pure vignette comedy, a tapestry woven from dozens of intersecting threads, all taking place within the bustling walls of a massive, fictional Italian department store over a single day. Think Grand Hotel meets The Groove Tube, but fueled by espresso and featuring an almost unbelievable roster of talent. We get security guards chasing phantom thieves, hapless husbands trying to buy lingerie, cheating spouses nearly bumping into each other, down-on-their-luck actors shilling products, delivery mishaps, prize giveaways gone wrong... it’s a relentless barrage of setups and punchlines.
The sheer energy is infectious. Castellano & Pipolo, masters of the popular Italian comedy throughout the 70s and 80s (they gave us gems like Il Ragazzo di Campagna and the Adriano Celentano hit Asso), orchestrate this chaos with a confident hand. The pacing is brisk, cutting between storylines just as one gag lands, ensuring you're never bored, even if some skits work better than others. It captures that slightly frantic, overwhelming feeling of a pre-Christmas shopping rush perfectly.
### A Constellation of Comedians
Honestly, the main draw here is the cast list, which reads like a hall of fame induction ceremony for Italian cinema of the era. You’ve got the nervous energy of Renato Pozzetto as a down-on-his-luck actor forced into humiliating promotional stunts. The legendary Nino Manfredi brings his effortless gravitas (and comedic timing) to the role of a distinguished, elderly shopper navigating the modern madness. Enrico Montesano shines as a security guard convinced he's onto a major crime ring.
And it doesn't stop there! We see Paolo Villaggio (forever Fantozzi to millions) as a bewildered customer trying to return faulty merchandise. Lino Banfi brings his trademark Puglia charm as a boisterous celebrity guest. Even dramatic actors like Michele Placido (Commissario Cattani from La Piovra!) get in on the fun, playing aGermantourist caught up in the mayhem. Throw in beauties like Ornella Muti and Heather Parisi, plus younger stars like Christian De Sica, and you have an ensemble that’s almost staggering. It's a testament to the directors' pull, and perhaps the Italian film industry's collaborative spirit at the time, that they managed to wrangle such a huge group of stars for one film. Reportedly, scheduling this many busy actors was a logistical nightmare, requiring intricate planning to get everyone on set for their scenes, often filmed out of sequence.
### That Authentically 80s Sheen
While not an action film, the "practicality" here lies in the grounded setting and the physical comedy. The department store itself, meticulously recreated at Rome's famed Cinecittà studios (where Fellini also conjured his worlds!), feels real – a character in its own right. You can almost smell the perfume counter and feel the static cling from the polyester. The gags rely on timing, misunderstandings, and the actors' physical commitment, not digital trickery. There’s a certain charming clumsiness to some of the slapstick that feels distinctly pre-CGI. Remember when a comedic fall looked like it might have actually hurt a little?
The film is also an unapologetic time capsule. The fashion, the technology (or lack thereof), the sheer vibe screams mid-80s Italy. It captures a specific moment of consumer culture, pre-internet, pre-global homogenization, where the department store was a central hub of social interaction and aspirational dreaming. Some of the humor definitely feels dated now, leaning on stereotypes or situations that wouldn't fly today, but it’s presented with such broad, almost innocent gusto that it mostly lands as a charming relic rather than anything offensive.
### Box Office Bonanza, Critical Shrug
Grandi Magazzini wasn't exactly a critical darling upon release in Italy. Highbrow critics likely dismissed it as commercial fluff, another example of the popular cinepanettone genre (comedies released around Christmas). However, audiences absolutely ate it up. It was a colossal box office success in Italy during the 1986 Christmas season, precisely because it delivered exactly what people wanted: laughs, familiar faces, and escapism. It tapped into the collective experience of holiday shopping stress and turned it into pure farce. Finding a VHS copy outside of Italy might have been a treasure hunt back in the day, often relegated to specialty stores or tape-trading circles, adding to its cult appeal for international fans of Italian comedy.
### The Verdict
Grandi Magazzini is like rummaging through a discount bin and finding a brightly colored, slightly garish, but undeniably fun sweater from 1986. It’s loud, chaotic, uneven, and packed with more familiar faces than a class reunion. If you have an affinity for 80s European comedy, particularly the Italian flavour, this is a must-see. It’s pure, unadulterated escapism, powered by an incredible ensemble cast clearly having a blast.
Rating: 7/10 - While some jokes haven't aged gracefully and the vignette structure means inevitable dips in quality, the sheer star power, infectious energy, and nostalgic 80s department store setting make it a genuinely enjoyable romp for fans of the era and Italian comedy royalty.
Final Thought: It’s a gloriously overstuffed shopping bag of 80s Italian humor – maybe not high art, but bursting with the kind of manic, practical comedy energy that feels both nostalgic and surprisingly refreshing today.