EPISODE 33: Lauren Hates Melon

PROMPTS: Italy, 88, Chartreuse

Neal and Lauren explore two vastly different works—one about the magic of cinema, the other about fruit, vegetables, and a very ominous cucumber.

Neal kicks things off with Cinema Paradiso (1988), Giuseppe Tornatore’s love letter to film. He breaks down how the film blends nostalgia, mentorship, and the bittersweet passage of time through the relationship between young Toto and his surrogate father, Alfredo. From the iconic “film reel of kisses” to Ennio Morricone’s hauntingly beautiful score, Neal explains why Cinema Paradiso continues to resonate decades later—and why it’s one of the most romantic films about movies ever made.

Lauren takes a left turn into the world of Spanish Baroque painting with Juan Sánchez Cotán’s Still Life with Quince, Cabbage, Melon, and Cucumber (1602). She unpacks the eerie beauty of Cotán’s bodegón style, the stark black void that frames his produce, and why some of her students find this painting “deeply unsettling.” Plus, she shares how a seemingly innocent discussion on melons once caused a classroom mutiny.

Neal’s Topic:

Cinema Paradiso (1988)

Directed by: Giuseppe Tornatore

Lauren’s Topic:

Still Life with Quince, Cabbage, Melon, and Cucumber (1602)

Artist: Juan Sánchez Cotán

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