Serial killers seem to exert a massive hold on the collective consciousness in the modern world. I think my first encounter with the concept was when I read the second volume of Sandman – The Doll’s House. After this there was The Silence of the Lambs (SOTL) and now there are films, TV series and podcasts focussing on them.
One of the less well known is Il Monstro – the Monster of Florence. He preyed on women and courting couple around Florence, taking advantage of the Catholic culture’s prohibition on pre-marital sex as couples parked in out of the way places.
He was never definitively caught, prosecutions were mired in the corrupt culture in Italy at the time (not prejudice – my friend Paolo has talked a lot about that culture in general). There were various suspects but nothing could ever be proved.
(Il Monstro)
The TV series Hannibal (the life of the young Hannibal Lecter, well pre SOTL) had him go to Florence in the appropriate time period. Hannibal was a bit arty for my taste but it showed an incredibly beautiful city. Hannibal left a trail of death across the city.
In 2015 Dad and I went on a tour of Italy and one day of that was in Florence. It is a magnificent city with a striking cathedral. Any church in Italy seems to be worth a visit as even the smallest has something special in it.
(Cathedral in Florence)
The food in Italy is wonderful – so many great places to eat proper Italian food, even in the tourist traps if you look away from the main streets. Paolo (https://fivemilesout.home.blog/2020/09/30/and-at-work-i-just-take-some-time/ ) told me that one of the biggest differences between the UK and Italy was the art. I really did not get it until I went there. Art is everywhere, frescos, statues, paintings – in public places, in churches in museums. I am not a big fan of “art” but the beauty of the work of the Italian renaissance and post renaissance artist was really something else – I particularly love Canaletto.
Obviously you need to try and avoid the tat that is sold in tourist shops, but that applies anywhere. Everywhere in Italy also seemed to have designer shops – even quite small villages would have high end stores. Maybe they were aimed at tourists but I am not sure all could have been. It was noticeable in Florence how stylishly the locals were addressed – especially the women.
One day was not enough to even touch on this place and I really want to go back. Along with Venice and Rome it deserves a much longer examination. I love Italy and the Italian people.
This is the exact position they used for the establishing shots in Hannibal. When we stopped there I had to get a shot of me there. Panama hats are cool.
On the whole trip I was listening to a compilation called Magic Bus – a lot of hippie music which fitted the lovely weather. This is Scott McKenzie.
San Francisco
Five Miles Out 