Renzo Arbore's 'Quelli della notte' turns 35: a milestone of Italian experimental TV

Renzo Arbore's cult TV show 'Quelli della notte' aired for 47 nights from April 29 to June 14, 1985, on Rai. The program blended music, improvisational theater, sociopolitical satire, and linguistic invention, featuring a recurring cast including Giorgio Bracardi, Marisa Laurito, Riccardo Pazzaglia, Nino Frassica, Silvia Annichiarico, Maurizio Ferrini, Andy Luotto, and Roberto D'Agostino. Musical guests ranged from the New Pathetic Elastic Orchestra to jazz musicians like Gegé Telesforo and Massimo Catalano, with archival clips curated by critic Dario Salvatori showcasing African American artists such as Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, and James Brown. The show also gave early visibility to emerging bands like Denovo and the Fabio Treves Blues Band. Controversy arose when Andy Luotto's character Harmand, an Arab translator, was dropped after threats from the Italian Muslim Association. Arbore's satire of Italian politics, including a pointed critique after the 1985 elections, was noted as more incisive than newspaper editorials. The program's surreal linguistic inventions and intellectual references (from classical philosophy to Reagan-era hedonism) were seen as a metaphor for the gap between Italy's cultured and popular classes. The show ended after one season but remains a landmark of Italian television.