Reviews (7)

They don't know what is on the package.
I just bought this film on VHS produced by Fox Lorber Home Video, to my surprise ( or shock ) I found in the box that the leading male actor is Stewart Granger !!!! instead of poor Farley. And this mistake is repeated all over. This is just poor merchandising. It just happens poor Farley gained inmortality by starring in this movie.

The most beautiful film of all times
It's difficult to find, in all the history of the cinema, a so beautifull, sugestive and deep work like this masterpiece of Luchino Visconti. Glorius technicolor, a magnificent cast (even Farley Granger, a very limited actor, is splendid here),dialogues by Tennessee Williams and a wonderful historical recreation of the "Risorgimento", plus a musical score by Verdi and Bruckner make this film a permanent pleasure for persons of good taste. In my opinion the best film of Visconti and perhaps the most beautiful film of all times.

operatic stories should stay at the opera
what a pitty, to waste this cast on such a screenplay. in fact, if one looks better one can find that the source of the story was boito--the same as arrigo boito, the author of mefistofele and libretist of his time.

the characters are out of place, and the story syncopated.

Bellissimo
One of Luchino Visconti's top four or five masterworks. This baroque but magnificent evocation of the Garibaldi period of Italian Revolution in late 19th century is truly one of the great Italian masterpieces of 1950s. The film brilliantly delineates the erotically charged love story between Alida Valli (her best performance ever) and Farley Granger, and the bitter legacy of the revolution. History and Romance merge in a way only Visconti knew how. And the result is an operatic realism at its highest order. Despite the great, heart-renching performances, though, the film's fascination and power lies the sumptuous "look", the realistically accurate detail of that period. Visconti's unique attention to detail is breathtaking. Some may find SENSO crudely melodramatic and is certainly a notch below Visconti's best film, THE LEOPARD (which also features Burt Lancaster's greatest performance); still, it cannot be ignored. It is a must-see if you want to find out why Visconti was one of the great film artists who ever lived.

Visconti Magic
Set in the 19th century durning the Italy's resistance to Austrian occupation Visconti was able to dazzle us with a wonderful display of costume designs, production design, and all around great acting. This is course is not to mention the great directing by Visconti himself. Alida Valli starts as an Italian countess who finds love in an unusual place, an Austrian officer (Farley Granger). She begins an affair that can lead both of them into great danger. Her husband can find out and cause ridicule and shame. And as for him, he can lose his position. But, each doesn't care. They are in love! When compared to other Visconti films this one might fall short to masterpieces like "Ludwig" and\or "The Innocent". But, when judged merely as an individual film and not part of Visconti's collection it's quite enjoyable. Wonderful locations,screenplay (Visconti co-wrote the film), and pleasant music by Verdi and Bruckner. Not my favorite Visconti film, but one that would be a good film to start off with your collection of Visconti film. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Yes this story is descended from reals events many centuries
...Ago ! MARTIN GUERRE ( WAR MARTIN ) was existe many time ago ! And this story of this movie sentimentalize the inquisition period, the differents credences of our french ancestors who could are able to succeed some incomprehension by the ancient people and when a man as much as MARTIN GUERRE was able to to store the wole of privacy from a frend during the war who has never loved his wife and throught that has leave behind she, thus, subssequently he can appropriate the idendity of his bad friend which is not able to love his wife ! But when his family and more its adbenturess enemy past begain to discern the subterfuge, it's too late for them, because MARTIN GUERRE with his lage, big capacity to store evry events can frustrate them easily ! But his illegitimate wife begin to be scared ! And this is the debut of the end for the poor MARTIN GUERRE who's not a coward, he accept his destiny ! VERY GOOD DVD FILM !

Medieval verismilitude....
I bought "The Return of Martin Guerre" because I am a history buff, and the film had been described by a leading historian as the most accurate film one could find depicting the life of the middle class in Medieval France. The story line has been redone by Jody Foster and cast in post-Civil War Virginia, but this film is head and shoulders above the remake. If you can't understand French, read the subtitles and watch it more than once.

The setting is a small village in France during the late Middle Ages. The tale centers on a soldier, Martin Guerre played by Gerard Depardieu (in his younger slimmer body), who returns home after years of absence. He renews his relationship with the wife he deserted (or rather begins again since his former relationship left much to be desired). His years away have made him a better person than the callow youth he was when left the village seeking adventure. He has become a loving husband and a hard worker, and discordance seems a thing of the past.

After much hard work, one day, he asks his family to relinquish a parcel of land he says rightfully belongs to him. This request disturbs the family who had assumed he was gone for good and would never assume ownership of the land. Their greed leads them to begin a court proceeding against him charging him as an imposter who has no right to the land.

I found the legal angles of the story quite intriging. It was illuminating to discover there were laws and jurisprudence as well as thoughtful judges during this period. The "humanist" movement had begun, so there were newer provisions for protecting individuals from the group. The contrast of these provisions with the archaic punishments that date from an earlier period is instructive.

Why, O Why
Great movie, concur with the other comments, but what moron decided to cut the beautiful love scene between Depardieu and Baye from the DVD (the one just before he gets arrested the 2nd time). The perpetrator should be flayed and hanged and everybody who bought the DVD should be provided with a free replacement that includes this scene to compensate for the emotional anguish at seeing this jewel damaged by an incompetent, hypocritical editor.

Stand-Out performances in this true story!
Gérard Dépardieu is exquisite in this true tale of medieval identity theft. Nathalie Baye is excellent in her role as an ingenue who allows herself to believe in a man who she knows is lying to her.

The story flows well and the cinematography is great. The film rises above all expectations and is in a league of its own!

R I D I C U L O U S
This "film" starring the talented French actor Gerard Depardieu is one of the most absurd, unbelievable stories to be set to film--made doubly so by (or perhaps because of) the ridiculous casting of the uniquely cob-nosed Depardieu as the husband who goes off to war and comes back "improved" (both as a person and we're lead to believe, a lover). No doubt the wife knows he's not the same man who left years before (and this makes the story idiotic from the outset) although she pretends she doesn't (how could she not know?). And (big surprise!) the townsfolk are suspicious. Afterall, how many people look like Depardieu? Well, the movie carries this ruse out for all of two, fairly boring subtitled hours of annoying French-speak and gushy google-eyed lovelooks from the movie's "hero" and "heroine" as the viewer is treated like the fool he (or she) is for watching this drivel. The movie gets two stars (instead of one) because the acting is top-notch.

Believe it not, this movie was remade several years ago (I think it was called "Somersault" or something like that) with better (from a believability standpoint) and worse (from an acting standpoint) casting and starred Richard Gere and Jodie Foster. As ridiculous as the original is, the remake is worse. Avoid both if possible. ... Read more

Description

Praised as one of the top films of the year, ZENTROPA is an erotic, passionate thriller delivering nonstop, suspense-filled excitement. In this Hitchcock-like tale, Leo Kessler, an American visiting devastated postwar Germany, gets seduced by a beautiful woman and suddenly finds himself caught in a never-ending web of mystery and intrigue. Leo's nightmarish journey takes him through a hypnotizing maze of romance, passion, and betrayal -- leading to acts of terrorism, and finally, murder. With its many plot twists and heart-stopping surprises, this riveting, seductive thriller is sure to entertain from beginning to end. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Zentropa
The best film that Lars von Trier directed, better than the more well known films"Breaking the Waves"&"Dancer in the Dark".Although the critics didn't pick it up, this film,I believe, must have been influenced by Herman Melville. It has the theme of an innocent man who ends up dead under the water due to his hubris and naivete. It tells the story of Kessler, an American who makes the fateful decision to become a sleeping car conductor in 1945 Germany. He is beset by his cranky uncle who is his superior at work, he is seduced by asympathizing femme fatale, among other events. The movie has both substance and style and is never short of fascinating due both to its plot as well as the directorial technique. The performances are outstanding. It is highly recommended.

TOO CONVOLUTED TO ENTHRALL, BUT TOO BEAUTIFUL TO IGNORE
In his typical scattered narrative, von Trier crafts a hypnotic tale of an American in the post-WWII rubble of Germany, as he gets entangled with a stunning local woman. Problem is, the woman is revealed to have been a dangerous operative during the war with far-from-simple roots.

Sounds like a fairly comprehensible theme to wrap a thriller around, but no, not under the sly lens of von Trier! His screenplay copiously employs his characteristic symbolism, effortlessly morphing between black & white and technicolor, using double-exposures, backprojections, and some fascinating trick photography such as superimpositions.

The resulting murky, obscure atmosphere of psychological disorientation may lead a casual viewer to much the same frustrations as the film's protagonist -- of never quite finding a footing in the surrealistic, trancy goings-on.

But if you prefer ambitious enigmas to lacklustre boxoffice hits, then give this truly challenging film a chance.

DVD Buyers Beware!
Buyers beware of the DVD version! I bought this DVD version of this glorious film two months ago and for somewhat unknown reasons, this DVD wouldn't play on my DVD player and my friends' DVD players. BUYER beware!

Lars von Triers'masterpiece
Zentropa is much more than a simple movie. The experience you feel when you are under the control of time in the railroad is a brilliant idea that slowly mesmerizes you in a nightmare of horror, passion and death. Lars von Triers built a story where the anguish, the shame, the memory, the werewolf, the loneliness create an evil atmosphere. The edition is unforgetable, the amazing sincronization between the black and white and color, gradually envolves us and make us descends to the unboreable state of tension And this situation is only generated in another film ·Midnight express . of Alan Parker.
Returning to Zentropa, the sense of guiltness surrounds to our american benefactor who initially seems to be in a redemption state . Every one of his achievements are governed by the ethic . But he doesn't realize how the circunstances slowly are engaging him to the gallow. The relationship between him and his uncle, the epic affair with Barbara Sukova, announces us a fate far away he planned it. The performances are superb. You don't find just a hole. The use of the old fashioned effects is a great tribute to the golden age of mude film. From Griffith to Stroheim through the german expressionism Murnau, Wiene and Lang.
The final sequences are so original,fascinating and so beautifully made , that at the end of film the plot permeates your soul and your psiquis several weeks after.
Triers made Breaking the waves and The element of crime, which define him as a brilliant storyteller , with a visual style like very few directors.
Triers belongs to that elite of directors who see upon their shoulders. Creator in the purest sense of the word.
Don't miss the opportunity of watching this movie. You'll appreciate it several times because it's impact will shock you every time you watch it.
This is a true milestone in the cinema story. Orson Welles wherever he is, will be smiling , because Triers is one of his remarkable descendents.

Follow the river...as days go by.
"You are not free not to choose". Kessler's efforts to remain in gray area makes him the only sinner in a railroad-hypnotic view of Germany right after WWII. ... Read more