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Thirty-two years before My Big Fat Greek Wedding brought Greek-American culture to a mainstream audience, Never on Sunday took mainstream culture to Greece, with similarly popular results. Expatriate director Jules Dassin wrote, directed, and costars in this vibrant and (in retrospect) rather simple-minded celebration of good living, as embodied by the vivacious Melina Mercouri in the Cannes award-winning role of her career. She's Ilya, a fiercely independent prostitute who hand-picks her clientele, and Dassin plays Homer, an American intellectual enamored of all things Greek, and determined to steer Ilya onto the straight and moral path. He's out of his depth, of course; it's not long before his efforts are exposed as naively self-serving, and half the fun of Never on Sunday comes from watching Mercouri amiably deflect any attempt to dampen her indomitable spirit. Innocently good-natured by latter-day standards, Dassin's delightful film still retains its popular charm, and its familiar bouzouki theme is an irresistible invitation to join in the fun. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

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In the opening scenes of Central Station, colorful crowds of Brazilians streaminto and out of a Rio de Janeiro train, pushing through doors and windows.You're immediately pulled into the brutal vitality of a nation in motion,setting the tone for a picturesque road movie that charts Brazil'srenaissance in a little boy's search for his father and an old woman'semotional reawakening. When we first meet Dora (Fernanda Montenegro), thisfrozen-hearted, sour-faced woman is the epitome of immobility: day after day,she sits in the train station selling her letter-writing skills to allcomers, but often doesn't bother to mail these precious messages. When awoman who's paid Dora to write a pleading note to her son's long-missing dadgets run over by a bus, the child, Josue (Vinicius de Oliveira), is up forgrabs. (The summary execution of a thieving street kid--inlongshot--underscores the seriousness of this waif's plight.)After anabortive attempt to sell Josue for a new TV, the aspiring couch potato findsherself reluctantly propelled into an occasionally Fellini-esque odysseythrough the hinterlands of Brazil's sertäo, where Dora and hersidekick find unexpected faith and family. Former documentary filmmaker Walter Salles(Foreign Land) mixes magic with realism in his appreciation of striking facesand places, but Central Station is primarily fueled by the tough/tenderperformances of Montenegro, Brazil's Judy Dench, and de Oliveira, an airportshoeshine boy Salles cast over 1,500 other hopefuls. (Montenegro wasnominated for a Best Actress Oscar, and Central Station was in the running forBest Foreign Language Film.) No cloyingly cute child-star, de OliveiraplaysJosue as a bracingly idiosyncratic brat. And watching Dora's face and soul slowly, unwillingly unclench as she gets back in motion--and emotion--ispotent pleasure, even if Salles's trip does dead-end in soap opera as hisBrazilian pilgrim's progress winds down. --Kathleen Murphy ... Read more

Reviews (94)

A real story about a country called BRAZIL
Central Station was definitely the best brazilian movie I have ever seen in my life.
It seems to me that part of the jury who decided which film should win the best foreign film oscar the year it was nominated for the award, didn't really understand that the movie was related to a very significant period of the brazilian history, which was the mass migration of Northeasterns to the south-East brazilian cities during the seventies and eighties.
Despite the excellent job done by Walter Salles ( filmmaker ) as well as Fernanda Montenegro and the nine-year-old Vinicios de Oliveira, the very emotional and also sometimes very sad movie unfortunately was not clear enought to the world that it was not just a beautiful storie of a lady ( Dora ) who was returning a poor boy ( Josue ) to his father, but that it was describing part of the real life of hundreds of brazilian Northeasterns that moved to the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo to escape from their extremely poor and dry homeland called SERTAO.
The modesty of Fernanda Montenegros role was definitely the highlight of the whole movie, which in my opinion was much more "down to earth" than Life is Beautiful or even Shakespeare in Love.

It has everything a perfect motion picture should have!
Congratulations to director Walter Salles and all that contributed to the production of Central Station (Central do Brasil), a masterpiece of Brazilian cinema and one of the best motion pictures ever produced in the cinematographic world! Central Station is a perfect motion picture: all the elements of the movie are perfectly integrated compounding a cinematographic production with inestimable quality, which reflects the professional talent of Walter Salles direction. By the way, talent is something that do not lack in Central Station: with an extremely emotive and original screenplay, extraordinary performances by the young actor Vinícius de Oliveira, and two of the best Brazilian actresses, Fernanda Montenegro and Marília Pêra, a wonderful dramatic score, and an spectacular cinematography, besides other high quality cinematographic elements, Central Station is a motion picture that portrays faithfully and with an humanitary reality the dramatic and touching journey of Dora and Josué to the heart of Brazil, and the life of millions of Brazilians!

Central Station is a motion picture that is an important chapter of the Brazilian cinematographic history for marking the top of the growth of Brazilian cinema and consolidating Brazil as a great source of cinematographic production. All the awards conquered and its international repercussion are merits that belongs to the quality of the movie and the spectacular work of all its cast and crew to turn it to a reality. Central Station is a cinematographic production that makes me feel proud to be Brazilian, a production that will always be a cinematographic masterpiece recognized not only in Brazil, but in the entire world!

Touching!!!A MUST watch!!!!!*
I feel it so warm and touched throughout the whole plot.I'd like to emphasize that Central Station is really a simple but DEEP movie!!I seldom watch road movie,and since watching Central Station,I have a completely new insight about it!!
Fate lead Dora (Fernanda Montenegro) & Josue (Vinicius de Oliveira) come together.You will find everything is so natural & Logical.
As for the pictures, I especially love the one when Josue look outside the train to search his home. The scenery is beatiful yet blurred(coz the railway is moving)! I guess it implys that he's searching for his blurred identity.
Moreover,I do think that Montenegro is the highlight of the movie. Her role is sometimes cynical but interesting, & sometimes touching & lovely too!
I highly recommend this movie!!!It reminds me "Love Actually is everywhere"!!~~*

Masterpiece
An emotionally spellbinding masterpiece is what we have here. Everything about this film adds up to give us a film that is beyond your average tear jerker, it is an unforgettable story about what it means to be human. It is about priorities, family and the concsiounce (sorry, I need spellcheck).
Get the plot gist from other reviewers, I'd just like to throw in my 2 cents and let all who care to read how wonderful this film is.

FORGET THE COMMENTARY
This film was purchased for a Brazilian studies class. The film is ruined by the commentaries throughout the entire movie. You cannot hear the lilting Brazilian Portuguese in the background. ... Read more

Description

Federico Fellini's towering masterpiece follows burned-out celebrity director Marcello Mastroianni through a series of bizarre encounters and wild daydreams, the first of which finds him ascending into the clouds during a traffic jam. Seeking solace and rejuvenation at a remote health spa, he finds himself plagued by journalists, his producer, his mistress, and most inconvenient of all, his wife ("A Man and a Woman's" Anouk Aimee). Caught between past, present, and fantasy, he longs to make a pure and honest film while his producer goads him into shooting a big budget science fiction spectacle. Widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made, this visually dazzling feast also stars Claudia Cardinale (The Pink Panther), Barbara Steele (Black Sunday), and Rossella Falk (Modesty Blaise). Outrageous and unforgettable! 1963 Academy Award winner for Best Foreign-Language Film. ... Read more

Reviews (78)

We invent ourselves endlessly!
1. Federico Fellini. Sensitive, vulgar - il maestro.
2. Saraghina - beauty and repulsion just a few jiggles away.
3. Sandra Milo is dimples dangerous and blessed.
4. Marcello M. as Guido Enselmi, loveable hypocrite.
5. Guido's father moaning about his burial arrangements.
6. A little fantasy in reality or a little reality in fantasy.
7. Claudia Cardinale carrying mineral water.
8. Crappy musical inspired by film. How many movies claim that honor?
1/2. The spaceship - masculinity/identity in progress of going up or coming down?

The "close but no cigar" portion of the list:
Terry Gilliam carries on about how scenes in this movie have influenced his career (see no.2); Nino Rota's music, brilliant as always, probably should have been included in my top eight list; DVD extras - especially lost gem A DIRECTOR'S NOTEBOOK; boring commentary; when this picture first opened in Italy, the anticipation was compared to the excitement over a new Rossini work in his time; Fellini was like a fish in water when it comes to film design and invention - a true master; It moves at its own pace and logic, critics be damned; Fellini was brilliant because the people who worked on his films were equally brilliant - the best in their respective fields; the whip-master fantasy, I can actually agree with the impulse behind that one; it's an epic about one man's over-sized ego - what a wonderful subject to create a brilliant film about! The perfect movie for a century that has been incredibly affected/effected by the ideas purported by the science of psychology. Fellini had stated he was a great admirer of Carl Jung's work, and it is no surprise he would take up that banner.

If you can, check out CITY OF WOMEN - another film by Fellini that works on a similar logic, but takes it several steps beyond what he did with 8 1/2. Ciao!

Life is our greatest invention!
1. Federico Fellini. Sensitive, vulgar - il maestro.
2. Saraghina - beauty and repulsion just a few jiggles away.
3. Sandra Milo is dimples dangerous and blessed.
4. Marcello M. as Guido Enselmi, loveable hypocrite.
5. Guido's father moaning about his burial arrangements.
6. A little fantasy in reality or a little reality in fantasy.
7. Claudia Cardinale carrying mineral water.
8. Crappy musical inspired by film. How many movies claim that honor?
1/2. The spaceship - masculinity/identity in progress of going up or coming down?

The "close but no cigar" portion of the list:
Terry Gilliam carries on about how scenes in this movie have influenced his career (see no.2); Nino Rota's music, brilliant as always, probably should have been included in my top eight list; DVD extras - especially lost gem A DIRECTOR'S NOTEBOOK; boring commentary; when this picture first opened in Italy, the anticipation was compared to the excitement over a new Rossini work in his time; Fellini was like a fish in water when it comes to film design and invention - a true master; It moves at its own pace and logic, critics be damned; Fellini was brilliant because the people who worked on his films were equally brilliant - the best in their respective fields; the whip-master fantasy, I can actually agree with the impulse behind that one; it's an epic about one man's over-sized ego - what a wonderful subject to create a brilliant film about! The perfect movie for a century that has been incredibly affected/effected by the ideas purported by the science of psychology. Fellini had stated he was a great admirer of Carl Jung's work, and it is no surprise he would take up that banner.

If you can, check out CITY OF WOMEN - another film by Fellini that works on a similar logic, but takes it several steps beyond what he did with 8 1/2. Ciao!

A CONTROVERSIAL MOVIE.
Frequently, the name or label "Art film" is given to a movie that presents innovative techniques, an experimental narrative, abstract and ambiguous characters, complex dialogues...and slow pace, with complicated scenes, so complicated that the audience doesn't quite know what's happening, sure you can say a theory or what you think might be happening, but in the "Art films" sometimes even the director can't give an accurate explanation. Anyway, since "8 ½" presents all those elements, "8 ½" is an art film.

Federico Fellini's cinema is one of the most mysterious and influent styles at the same time, modern filmmakers such as David Lynch owe a lot to the italian director. With "8 ½" happens something very interesting, there are a lot of scenes that are almost incomprehensible, but they are very interesting to see, because since the movie offers few explanations, the audience must be thinking most of the time, trying to solve the puzzle, so "8 ½" requires an active audience.

The cast is very good, the obvious mentions are Marcello Mastroianni and the gorgeous actress Claudia Cardinale. "8 ½" presents some of Fellini's trademarks: there are a lot of surreal scenes that look like a complicated Dream, or a Nightmare if you wish. The use of the camera is very artistic and groundbreaking. And the pace is slow.

The thing with the "Art cinema" is that for some, it's the only way of cinema that really counts, and for others the art cinema is just a pretentious way to call a slow and boring movie. I choose not to be in any of those extremes, I rather be in the middle because to me "8 ½" is a very, very interesting movie, worthy of study and analysis, but sincerely I think that Fellini did better movies, like "La Strada" or "La Dolce Vita".

Anyway, "8 ½" definitely is not for fans of the "American Pie" trilogy or the Adam Sandler's comedies. "8 ½" is for lovers of the cinema in its more artistic expression.

Fellini's fragmented masterpiece of an internal crisis...
The prominent film director Guido (Marcello Mastroianni) finds himself overworked, harassed, and fatigued in all aspect of being. Guido is sent to a health spa where he is supposed to recover from his stressful life, but instead is continuously pursued by people around him, by his past, and by his conscious. The people around Guido are either dependent on him, desire his company, or merely try to advertise themselves in his presence. In order to cope with a large number of people Guido has developed a social dance where he is able to circumvent or approach the individuals of his choosing. This dance is also Guido's way of dealing with life and its complications, which affects him physically, psychologically, and socially.

8½ fragmentally displays Guido's life as he dances between reality, dreams, and memories in the developmental stage of a film production. This cerebral dance helps him to avoid what is deemed as uncomfortable as he escapes into his memories where he can find some joy and peace. However, Guido often reminds himself of how his past sometimes plagues him as he can recollect deep memories of discomfort and guilt. These negative emotions lead Guido into an internal crisis where he struggles with his decisions in the light of moral judgment that is heavily weighted by his Catholic upbringing. Despite the internal crisis, the dance continuous as Guido is compelled to flee his painful memories by seeking company outside of his marriage as he seeks self-affirmation when he is alone. The cheating provokes further guilt which urges Guido to remain dancing as he escapes into a dream world where he attempts to unify memories with the present where his consciousness sets the rules. But to Guido's dismay he finds the dreams forcing him back into reality as his dreams rebel against himself. This is due to his conflicting ideas that are simultaneously rejected and approved of in order to find temporary happiness and please those around him. In essence, it is Guido's denial of his own lies that is the root to his guilt and unhappiness.

Fellini's 8½ is a cinematic masterpiece, which encourages analytical and artistic thinking as it dives into a dense fabric of inventive imagery. Vividly Fellini paints Guido's moral crisis onto the silver screen, which offers a surreal cinematic experience as it drifts between reality and dreams. In addition, 8½ shows Fellini's profound understanding of human psychology, which possibly could have been based on himself. The fragmented story line enhances the visual feeling of the stress that Mastroianni's character experiences as well as developing a deep understanding for his mind. The opening shot where Guido dreams of being enclosed in a smoldering car stuck in traffic displays Fellini's true cinematic genius as he develops an image of panic, anxiety, and fear. This visualization is something that can be discovered in every film that Fellini has directed as well as his trademark of having a circus-like atmosphere. 8½ has everything of what makes it a Fellini film, which offers a unique experience that could only have been accomplished by a true cinematic artist.

Best Movie About the Artist
I saw 8 ½ (1963) for the first time on South Street in Philadelphia at the old TLA theatre. I was in my mid-twenties and liked the big-breasted women. Saw the movie again yesterday at the Colonial in Phoenixville, PA, a wonderfully restored small town theatre, and reentered the world of the great director Federico Fellini. The cast consisted of Marcello Mastroianni (mid life crisis of the great director), Claudia Cardinale (the perfect woman), Sandra Milo (the chesty but dim lover) and Anouk Aimée (the ordinary wife he cheats on).For Fellini, 8 ½ continued a trend away from the realism of his early movies to a surrealistic view of his own life. The film has a simple premise. The great director has no idea what his next movie is about, while his producer and film company wait for Mastroianni to tell them what the movie is about. It does not help that Mastroianni falls in love with every woman in the cast and every woman he ever knew. The famous harem scene is near the end of the movie, where all the women in his life await his every whim. The older ones get banished upstairs. When the women revolt, he gets his whip and regains order. The women love him again. Oh, irony, but in Surrealism, Freud reigns supreme and dreams are a wish. I rate 8 ½ one of ten best movies ever made. ... Read more

Reviews (48)

One of the finest courtroom dramas ever filmed.
Anatomy of a Murder is one of the finest courtroom dramas ever filmed -- on a par with Witness for the Prosecution and Inherit the Wind. Jimmy Stewart gives one of his finest performances as a small town attorney defending an army officer who has coldbloodedly killed a man alleged to have raped his flirtatious wife. The rest of the cast is uniformly good, especially Lee Remick as the beautiful sexy wife and Ben Gazzaro as her jealous husband on trial for murder. Stewart's character is assisted by his old friend, an alcoholic former attorney convincingly played by Arthur O'Connell -- an outstanding character actor whose work, unfortunately, is often overlooked. A young George C. Scott (in one of his first films) plays a skilled and implacable prosecutor. This is movie making at its best; a true classic.

Good movie, if you haven't read the book. Otherwise, lousy
I had the great misfortune of reading the book before watching the movie. The book was a masterpiece, arguably the best piece of courtroom fiction ever written. John Grisham's a head of lettuce compared to Robert Traver's brilliant, accurate portrayal of the controversial (fictional) trial of Frederic Manion.

But if you've read the book, DO NOT WATCH THE MOVIE. It will be a massive dissappointment.

You will be put off by the Duke Ellington soundtrack. Sure, it's good music, but this is the story of rural northern Michigan, not the nightclubs of NYC. Duke's jazz does a disastrous job of complementing the setting of the film, and seems quite jarring in spots.

You will be put off by the inaccuracies, like Biegler's ability to play the piano, which never happened in the book (and which only happens in the movie to make Duke's score fit). You will feel that the story could have happened anywhere, anytime, whereas the book was distinctively Upper Peninsula in atmosphere.

You might agree with me that Jimmy Stewart was miscast. Sure, he does a great acting job as always, but whenever I looked at the screen, I saw Jimmy Stewart: Jimmy Stewart is talking to the bartender, Jimmy Stewart is arguing in a courtroom--as opposed to seeing Paul Biegler. It's like watching a movie where Jimmy Stewart's the lawyer, not Paul Biegler. Jimmy Stewart, defense attorney.

The only real highlight, what saves the movie, is the superb acting job by George C. Scott, whoever played the Irishman, and others. If it weren't for them, I'd be giving this movie a one-star review.

Perhaps if you haven't read the book you'll delight in the movie. It's a good stand-alone movie. It's fairly enjoyable despite its faults. But if you've read the book first, you'll hate it. And if you haven't read the book, I highly recommend you read it now. It's far superior to the movie in every way.

Think of it as a Courtroom Film Noir
The excellence is Anatomy of a Murder lies is how it doesn't try to cram itself down your throat. The movie takes its own sweet time telling an intelligent and challenging story. There really aren't any good guys here and there are no easy answers. That's the point of film noir. Everyone is bad in some way, everyone has motives, and happy endings rarely take place in real life. Very direct for a movie made in the late 50's. A woman's alleged rape and the murder of her alleged rapist by her husband is described repeatedly and in detail. James Stewart is surprisingly effective as a weary cynic who takes the case not because he thinks the accused is innocent or a swell guy but because he thinks he can win and get the guy off. After Stewart returned from the horrors of WWII, he turned away from the cheerful harmless fare of his younger days. It can be fairly said that he had two careers. His post war career is much more serious and mature. Introspective characters. Deeply troubled men. Obsessed men. Men of dubious morality and hard bitten practical values. Stewart never made a WWII movie. He didn't need to, he lived it.

"I beg the court...let me cut into the apple"
This film hooks you in the first minute with Saul Bass' brilliant titles and Duke Ellington's music, and then has you caught for the duration in the next few scenes; the dialogue is sharp and intelligent, and at the age of 50, Jimmy Stewart gives one of the best performances of his illustrious career, as Paul Biegler, an attorney who would rather be fishing than getting fees for his work. Stewart is so natural, so real, and so immensely likable. He's the kind of guy you wish you could have in your family, but wily enough to argue a good defense in court.

Lee Remick has just the right amount of provocative sensuality as Laura Manion to make one wonder what exactly happened on the "fateful night" in question.
After playing Southern belles in both "A Face in the Crowd" (1957) and "The Long Hot Summer" (1958), Remick was offered the role of Laura because Lana Turner, who was supposed to play the part, refused to wear an "off-the-rack" wardrobe, and wanted dresses designed by Jean Louis (hardly what a Army wife would be wearing). It was a big break for Remick, and she makes the most of it.

The entire supporting cast is superb: Ben Gazzara as the intense Lt. Manion, Arthur O'Connell as Biegler's assistant and friend, Eve Arden as Biegler's loyal secretary. George C. Scott is Dancer, the Assistant State Attorney, and Joseph N. Welch, who gained fame for being the Special Counsel for the Army in the Army-McCarthy Congressional hearings, is a delight as Judge Weaver. Duke Ellington makes a cameo appearance as Pie Eye, and even Muffy the beer drinking dog does a great job. Otto Preminger's direction flows at a lovely pace, with a balance between the dramatic tension and thoughtful scenes tinged with humor.

There were Oscar nominations for Best Actor, Supporting Actor (both O'Connell and Scott), Picture, and Editing (all losing to "Ben Hur"), as well as Sam Leavitt's beautiful b&w cinematography (lost to "The Diary of Anne Frank") and Wendell Mayes marvelous screenplay adaptation of the Robert Traver best-seller (lost to "Room at the Top"), proving that 1959 was a great year at the movies.
I love courtroom dramas, and this is one of the best ever made; it's unpredictable, with a very authentic feel to it, perhaps because the author, using the pen name of "Robert Traver", was actually Michigan Supreme Court Justice John D. Voelker.
Total running time is 160 minutes.

A legendary film
Otto Preminger was one of the most creative and brave directors of the american cinema in the fifties and sixties.
His works were loaded with a ravishing realism , they were very expilict , challenging and disturbing .
Imagine what it means the plot around the adultery commited by the wife of an officer in that age . You can reply me with From here to the eternity but this film is more shocking , and overcomes in dramatic punch to From here ...The other examples you may think is Baby doll and Dial M for murder in the fifties, but this one wins the match.
The powerful sequence in the Court has only a serious match in The Nuremberg judgement . Never before there was not a previous film so disturbing like this that film who explicitly turned around the bitter and awful consequences about the adultery .
The plot is overwhelming , magnificient built , without any hole . The cast is incredible . Consider these giants actors as Ben Gazzara , George C. Scott , Arthur O'Donell, James Stewart and Lee Remick in her screen debut .
This film was nominated as the best film but was unlucky , because Ben Hur literally won all the prizes and somehow that fact stroke the undeniable virtues of that superb work.
However the time seems to set in the right place this picture.
Acquire this one.
One of the most remarkable films in the american cinema story.
If I could give this film ten thousand stars , I 'd do it . ... Read more

Amazon.com

The second half of this recording is an important item in the too-scantyvideo discography of Maria Callas. Matched with another great singing actor,Tito Gobbi as the lecherous, hypocritical Scarpia, she participates in a textbookdemonstration of how Act II of Tosca should be performed. Thereis a subtlety and nuance in their interactions that one seeks in vain in later,technologically more advanced videos. With a murder onstage, torture offstage,sexual harassment, and deep anguish (beautifully expressed in "Vissi d'arte"), this act provides rich opportunities for these performers, and they take fulladvantage. You may hear it better sung; you are not likely to see itbetter acted. The first half, a 1964 recital, offers less scope for acting, and Callas's voiceis slightly past its prime, but she performs impressively in the mezzo range intwo arias from Carmen.--Joe McLellan ... Read more

Reviews (6)

BRILLIANT!
It's the TOSCA segment that surpasses everything! Besides the superlative vocal aspect - it is her incredible acting that impresses ...... before the 'murder' - the partaking of a goblet of wine - just to 'calm' the nerves - then realizing that the alcohol is taking effect [stress?] she puts her hand over the glass - fingers twitch nervously ... etc. etc. GREAT subtext!

.... confused?

No, no - this rare example of Callas skills as a talented actress is not to be missed - often imitated - the original is the one to see.

Pity so little is left though.

"THIS is the kiss of Tosca!"
And she plunges the dagger into the breastbone of her tormenter, Scarpia, and then it gets really good. She rises
over him as he staggers back mortally wounded and roars, "Did you torture me enough?...And so I forgive you." Most everyone loves the firey brilliance and dramatic dash of a Callas performance, even if her voice isn't that pleasant sometimes. This is a pair of thirty-minute black & white BBC TV programs from 1962 and 1964, the first a concert consisting of three arias, and the second a staging of Act II of Tosca with Tito Gobbi (who was also the finest Baron Scarpia ever). Just a taste, then, of someone who needed to be filmed for her legend to be fully appreciated. If only they had captured her Norma and Lucia of the mid-fifties--JE REGRET!

horrible
I am stunned at the acting and even worst the singing. In the second act. Callas's gestures and body movements-awkward, and hutchback remind me of the wicked witch in snow white.
This is the biggest hype of all time.

O My Goodness!
I first heard about this performance (Tosca) nearly 30 years ago when I was a teenager and new to the world of opera. Since then it had stuck in the back of my mind, occasionally being brought intensely to the forefront whenever a snippet of it was shown during the occasional documentary.

Here it is, after three decades, it's going on 2 a.m., and I've had one of the most profound experiences in recorded opera.....whew!

First of all, this is a barebones dvd: Chapter list and some brief but interesting notes in the accompanying liner.

Then there are the performances...Callas in concert at Covent Garden in 1962. "Tu che la vanità" from Don Carlos, plus the Habanera and Seguedille from Act 1 of Carmen. Callas sings with the expected intensity in the Verdi, and with atypical jovolity and coyness in the Bizet, which are all ably conducted by the young Georges Prêtre. If this were the entire content of this dvd, it would be worth the cost.

But along comes Act 2 of Tosca, from two years later. Holy Toledo! Renato Cioni sings Cavaradossi just adaquetely, and not really serving a whole lot of dramatic purpose with a standard performance. Robert Bowman as Spoletta and Dennis Wicks as Sciaronne are better in their acting, but not very impressive vocally. The conductor, Cillario, leads without much insight...again, standard opera fare.

Obviously, the big bucks went to Callas, Gobbi, and Zeffirelli who all certainly earned their pay. Callas and Gobbi had seen better days vocally, especially Callas who, though in pretty good voice, sounds downright nasty here and there. But those very few exceptions are far and few in between.

Here are two masters, two artists at the very top of their craft, two legendary performers giving a definitive performance of sight and sound. From the beginning of the act, Gobbi dominates with a presence that few could ever hope to do. And when Callas finally enters, the sparks fly. Nearly every gesture, every vocal inflection, every subtle nuance carries weight that cannot be measured. There are very very few moments of stage mannerisms, so complete are their portrayals. While not always pretty vocally, they show off to the world why they dominated the opera stage during their prime. The intensity they create together is incredible, seldom letting up in the cat and mouse game they play.

Technically, the picture is good, but not great.Pretty good by early 60's television standards. The camera work for the most part is well done, save for a few instances of poor angles or exclusionary closeups that can be pretty frustrating.Overall, it is quite good.

Zeffirelli, the ultra conservative, directs a wonderful production,but when you go back in time, you see how little he really changes over the years.

For all it's relatively minor shortcomings, this is one of the greatest operatic moments on film. The earlier clips are priceless, but after a (literally) hair raising Tosca, you may barely remember them! 5 stars to the 10th power! Thank you EMI!

Tosca, finalmente mia! ...
Finally we have the 1962 Covent Garden concert on DVD (previously it was available only on VHS). Of course, for many Callas fans, the coulomb lapse at the end of "tu che vanita" is piece of cake, but this is not the only reason to have this sound document. Maria is relaxed and her voice is is good condition (you will not hear any problems in the upper register here). She is happy and that's all we need from and outstanding artist. One should physically see the young Georges Pretre (with whom Callas recorded in these years Carmen). He conducts in the very extraordinary way, especially the I and III Act preludes from Carmen. The (1964) II act of Tosca with Gobbi and Cioni is an valuable material where Callas shows that she is still THE Queen. Gobbi is a little in rush and one can see that he was getting old. You cannot compare this performance with the 1958 Paris Gala concert (also with Maria, available on DVD). There is not that charm anymore... But despite all the pros and cans, this DVD is an additional step in the journey of the Callas appreciation; and you know that video is always a big deal in opera. Buy it today and you will be fascinated with the presence of Callas! ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Kinky, voyeuristic, entertaining.
Personally, if an erotic movie lacks sensuality, I'm not really interested. So that was my initial opinion. But personal taste aside, this movie was flawless (especially in the boundaries of what the director had in mind.)

It's about a 38 year old married artist: thin, average appearance, with a penchant for sexual sadism (done to himself or his partner, he can go either way) ... and an 18 year old student: tall, pretty, willing to do anything.

There are very few other characters that appear; the movie follows these two very closely and has a documentary-like feel. The documentary style and with a constantly moving hand held camera, I think, would have made the movie feel long and laborious had the director not included some of the craziest techniques I've ever seen. At one point, they had sex in a very silly high speed. Another example is when, during a scene where the girl's friend beats her up in a jealous rage, the director yells "cut!" and the film crew comes in to the picture as the actresses hug and recover. Also, this movie has some great, memorable lines:

Y (the girl) proclaims to J (the man), "So cute, but weird. I missed it so much. I could cut it off and take it with me!"

J says to Y over the phone, "Sock marks are so sexy."

And my favorite: narrated by J, "Y had no other luggage with her. What else would an innocent angel need? Just a school uniform with little angel wings. And the stick that makes everyone happy."

Some things about the description to this movie though are misleading. It sounds like it's full of psychology and that J ends up going too far and Y withdraws. She's understandably pulled into other directions eventually (growing up and all) but their relationship only ends when she moves to Brazil. The only lies involved are the ones that they tell to others, not each other. There's never a climax or demise to their relationship as with most erotic films. Which personally, I thought was refreshing. It's really just a crazy, kinky film. It's heavily crafted though and brilliantly acted which moves it from being simply entertaining to also "ah.. uh..... interesting!"

The DVD is in Korean with optional English subtitles. Comes with a trailer, filmographies, and a statement from the director .. in which he sums it up well with: "It only takes a small change of angle to see love as absurd or hopeless."

Strange erotic movie
Lies is a film about a sexual relationship between a final year high school girl and a grown up artist. A Teenager girl wants to loose her virginity to a married grown up artist . Their relationship gets stranger with the artists lust for pain and sado mazo actions. Later girl develops a liking towards this acts and becomes the fountain of life for him. The sex, passion and sado actions are portrayed as real as a responsible camera gets thus coming closer to the soft porn cliches with beating each other with sticks that are collected from the parks by the couple.
It is an interesting movie with the 2 characters lust in Korea a modern but a traditional country where morality and respect is appreciated. Film is not about real love but passion, lust and phantasies, so be warned.
Interesting fact is that film is based on a book which caused writer to end up in jail. But film is all around the world and especially screened in festivals.
It is not an easy film to watch sometimes so you have to make up your mind.

Not a shock
The movie it's attractive until the half, with plenty of love scenes and sadistic ones, but it's not as shocking as other movies. The movie becomes very disgusting when J wants to be whipped and he wants to be dominated, that's very weird. The problem it's the voice off and the sudden changes of rythm, when things go right, suddenly the image it's distortionated or the colour changes. However you can see the movie with no problem, I can't consider it a porn movie.

about the movie lies......
The story is basically about a school girl(Y) losing virginity to a married man(J). They met very often practising the same religion and there was once that Y's brother gets to know her sister's relationship with this married man and burnt his house. Y later retaliated by asking her friends to pass message around top reach his brother's ears which made him confused that he got into a bike accident(which killed him). Y learnt of his brother's death and went back to the family where she later met J the last time in Paris before she flew off to Brazil to meet her kins there. There is a hardcore scene after viewing the DVD for a few minutes. They are two sex scenes on bed and a handful of oral sex scenes and the beating scenes(almost similar to Japanese style of love 'torture') switched between the Y and J where they are beating marks on the Ass. Recommended purchase for those whom are interested in this genre of movie.

Not as shocking as you've been led to believe
This Korean film was the focus of SPCS moaning (unfounded, as usual), so naturally it immediately went on my list of must-see movies. The only positive thing about this morals society/ community watchdog group/ lobby group/ national menace is the free publicity they give movies- never mind they seldom bother to WATCH the movies that wind them up. David Lane had to watch BAISE MOI twice for it to fully sink in- which remains the only movie I've seen they've "publicized" where their complaints actually lived up to all the controversy hype. Proof that he's isn't half as clever as he thinks he is.
In actuality, LIES is a movie that will offend only the most wet-behind-the-ears conservatives, & could be described as 9 1/2 WEEKS meets THE GRADUATE.
Based on Jang Jung Il's novel "Tell Me A Lie", LIES tells of a torrid S&M based relationship between J (Lee Sang Hyun), a 38 year old sculptor whose wife is in Paris on business & Y (Kim Tae Yeon), a 17 year old student whose main goal is to lose her virginity before she graduates. We later learn that this is an emotional response to the suicide of her sister, a victim of brutal sexual abuse- Y would prefer to lose her virginity at a young age to a stranger than to lose it later through potential rape. Heavy stuff.
On a (slightly) lighter note, LIES features shots of the actors talking direct to the camera during the sex scenes & ECU's of nipple chomping, as well as lots of full frontal nudity. This softcore art outing soon takes a different turn when J & Y introduce BDSM practices into their relationship... and this of course marks the beginning of the end. It's probably safe to presume the movie's foley artist had a great time.
LIES is similar to the later British movie INTIMACY (which almost put me to sleep) except it's a bit more interesting.
Continuing the lighter contrast, the film is split into chapter segments which are titled to make the whole affair seem like a round of golf (this will make sense when you watch the movie).
The dialogue is often hilarious- in one scene the narrator says "J whips her 35 times to match her hip size". And more I can't write here so it will be a nice surprise when you see it for yourself.
Another interesting angle is that director Jang Sun-Woo has incorporated behind the scenes material into the actual film with the actors explaining why they chose to take on such controversial roles. Unfortuately, good intentions aside; this ploy comes off as simply intrusive & ruins the overall impact of the movie. It's still worth a look for all the (unnecessary) controversy it stirred up. I was a bit disappointed in that sense. LIES is far from being a masterpiece but its still worth watching for curiosity's sake. ... Read more

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The first DVD edition of Puccini's last opera (left notquite complete at his death) immediately becomes the best availablein any video format. It is likely to keep this status for quite awhile, though the music comes across more powerfully in severalaudio-only editions.

The visual challenges of Turandot are formidable, and they are met spectacularly in this production, filmed on location in the Forbidden City, where the story takes place. Turandot is a princess to die for. Dozens of foreign princes have literally lost their heads after seeking her hand in marriage and failing to solve three riddles. Ideally, a Turandot should have the voice of Birgit Nilsson, she should have the looks and acting skills ofTeresa Stratas in her prime, and it's nice if she at least appears Chinese. Soprano Giovanna Casolla scores a B-plus on these requirements, and that's about the best we can expect. Among other principals, tenor Sergej Larin sings well, looks right, and doesn't really try to act (probably a wise decision). Soprano Barbara Frittoli is superb and the supporting cast is generally good. But what makes this production unique is the setting; you are there in ancient Peking, with its real buildings, flags, armor and uniforms, costumes,and statues of dragons and other legendary monsters.

This is one of the first operas intended for original release on DVD; others were initially issued in more limited formats and have kept their original limitations in the new format. The wider range of options on DVD is significant. Those who will settle for audio-only recordings, which cost about the same and offer much less, should try either of Birgit Nilsson's CD editions (with Björlingor Corelli) or Joan Sutherland's. Both of these great divas are, alas, visually inappropriate, offering another argument for this striking visual re-creation. --Joe McLellan. ... Read more

Reviews (32)

Great production and performance overall!
A great opera production must strike a perfect balance between music and theatre. It is not enough to have great singers accompanied by a great orchestra without there being an equally great stage production; vice versa is true as well. In this grand production of Puccini's Turandot, you not only have a great maestro Zubin Mehta spearheading the musical side of the opera, but top notch Chinese theatrical professionals who paid a careful attention to reflect the intricate custumes and aura of Ming Dynasty.

This DVD was not only a pleasure to the eyes but to the ears. Although, I must confess that I was not very impressed with the cast except Barbara Fritoli who sang as Liu. This relatively young soprano sang with clear unwavering voice with passion and musicality involved in the role of the slave girl. I think she would have been better as Turandot. Giovanna Casolla is an older, very mature soprano who, in my opinion, was an okay candidate to sing Turandot, but a more younger soprano with higher and brighter timbre would have been better suited to sing the impetuous and temperamental princess. Sergei Larin was also okay as the young prince Calaf, but don't expect Pavarotti, who has epitomized the role of Calaf. The song in point was of course Nessun dorma, where Larin failed to take full advantage of the high C at the end to not only show the audience what he can do but to flourish and declare triumphantly his soon to be realized victory.

But again, in the grand scheme of things, there was a great balance of music and theatre in the highest order. I recommend the DVD and it is worth watching it over and again.

Piece of Opera History
Though this may not be the best recording of Turandot ever released, it is arguably the best DVD of a live performance to date. The crew lensed the performance with careful attention to dramatic detail -- we are taken from the grand sweep of authentic Chinese spectacle to almost claustrophobic close-ups of soloists, then back again, all timed with excrutiating precision to the soundtrack. The widescreen presentation captures much of the grandeur of the original performance as I remember it (one of the few bonuses of my previous career was an ability to travel to events such as this) and the sound quality is superb. Sergej Larin's Calaf is competently respectable and Barbara Frittoli stands among the great Pings on record. The PCM Audio track is superb, though the enthusiast should be aware that it lacks some of the clarity of the audio CD on some of the larger numbers. Although conductor Mehta's sometimes heavy hand is apparent in the pomp of the production, it is in the backstage photos (over 100) and the "Making of" vignette that we see his disarming charm work to bring together not only the cast and crew, but the many Chinese officials attached to the project. This DVD is a genuine pleasure for any fan of live opera, and for the enthusiast, it beautifully records a unique moment in opera history when Italian composer Puccini's famed Turandot "came home" to China. David R. Bannon, Ph.D.; author "Race Against Evil."

Avoid this turkey
For a long time I avoided buying this DVD, fearing that it would be like the football stadium Aidas that you see here and there: "Cast of thousands! Horses and elephants! Truly spectacular!" Finally, after getting all the other Turandot DVDs, I broke down and bought this one. Unfortunately, I was right -- this is just a circus.

The musical values are actually not all that bad, but they are overwhelmed by the colossally bad production values. All the action is set in the midst of a vast plaza in which no one ever would expect an opera to be set. The cinematography specializes in displaying "look how big this is!" Scene after scene is shot from afar, over the heads or shoulders of a huge audience, presumably to show us how big the square is in Peking, how many people are attending, and how enormously clever the producers are to have arranged this. The opera itself is largely overlooked in the rush to be with it.

I could go on about other, less serious faults, but why bother? There are three other Turandots -- the Met, San Francisco, and Salzburg -- that are infinitely superior to this production. Buy one or more of them, and leave this turkey on its roost.

Turandot at the Forbidden City
Turandot is an excellent opera and this production does it justice. The spectacle of it all, and the occasion (on the original site!!!) combine to make it near-to-perfect.
The only things that keep it from that beloved fifth star:
Larin's acting leaves a good deal to be desired.
Casolla's singing is not bad, but is much less than ideal.
Mehta's choices in conducting, especially his tempos, are exaggerated and inaccurate.
But aside from that, Larin's singing is heavenly, and Fritolli's voice and her acting are superb. Yimou's stage direction is the perfect combination of Chinoiserie and operatic refinement, and is visually stunning.

I LIKE THIS MOVIE
I LIKE IT TOO MUCH ,YOU HAVE TO SEE IT ... Read more

Amazon.com

This 1990 production of Wagner's magnificent mid-period music drama atthe Vienna State Opera is wholly triumphant, not least because of its now-antiquated notion of not updating, contemporizing, or otherwise making mincemeat of the opera's original setting. Conventional staging is not foolproof, but when it's done as well and as directly as stage director Wolfgang Weber and set designers Rudolf and Reinhard Heinrich have done here, then it is a welcome non-encumbrance to enjoying and appreciating this masterpiece.

Claudio Abbado conducts the Vienna State Opera Orchestra in a refined, relaxed performance that allows the singers to find themselves inside their larger-than-life characters, not unimportant for Wagner's epic operas. And what singers they are! Placido Domingo (as Lohengrin) and Cheryl Studer (as his beloved, Elsa) are both in their prime, singing and acting with extraordinary subtlety and emotion. Robert Lloyd, Hartmut Welker, and Dunja Vejzovic contribute first-rate support.

Spread out comfortably on two DVDs, this Lohengrin has no extra features, but needs none. With a clear, crisp 5.1 sound mix and well-transferred video images, this is a must-have for opera fans in general and Wagnerites in particular. --Kevin Filipski ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Abbado and Domingo Main Attractions In Vienna LOHENGRIN
This DVD of Lohengrin from Vienna in 1990 gives us a fine rendition of the opera, highlighted by several outstanding performances -- mainly that of the conductor and the tenor. Abbado's Vienna State Opera orchestra plays beautifully for him, showing off the string and brass sound that Solti's Ring made famous so many years ago. The tradition is still going strong. Though Abbado does not summon the seamless, silky sound of the Berlin Philharmonic under Von Karajan in his EMI recording, and occasionally a chorus voice sticks out, what you are hearing is a live performance and such flaws and lack of balance are to be expected. Mr. Domingo, on the other hand, gives a fully committed and vocally sumptuous performance in a role we are not used to hearing him sing. What a treat to hear almost no vocal strain, and no "Bayreuth Bark" -- a common pitfall, especially as the opera approaches the end of the evening. Cheryl Studer sings musically, if rather cooly -- which results in the beautiful ending of her duet with Vejzovic (as Ortrud) going for practically nothing. Emotionally the two women don't seem to "go for broke" as Marton and Rysanek would do. Vejzovic's best moments are at the end of the opera during her final ravings where many and Ortrud has come to grief. She is interesting to watch and her eyes in particular are riveting. Robert Lloyd is authoritative if somewhat woolly as King Henry. However, Hartmut Welker sings rather than snarls Telramund, earning him one of the largest ovations of the night. The sets by Rudolph and Reinhard Heinrich are traditional (for that we should be thankful) but not atmospheric or magical. The procession to the cathedral in Act II moves in stops and starts and Ortrud's interruption comes almost expectedly and not as a great suprise. Still, I highly recommend this video for your DVD collection. The MET LOHENGRIN, due for release within the next few months, has more to recommend it with regards to it's female leads: the previously mentioned Marton and Rysanek. However, Domingo is far superior to Peter Hofmann and his performance is a musthave for the great beauty of singing he brings to this role. The opera is spread over two discs: Acts I and II on the first and Act III on the third. Sound and video quality are superb, with 5.1 Surround or 2-channel stereo as your audio options. Thank you, Image Entertainment; keep releases like this coming!!

A wonderful event
This is a live performance recorded in Vienna. It is nothing short of a special event, as musically many of the singers are at high level.

But first, a minor caveat. This DVD does not feature subtitles, so you'll need to get your hands on a libretto to follow along (something rather easy for Wagner opera lovers).

Now back to the review. I thoroughly enjoyed Placido Domingo as Lohengrin: His voice is superb, and as another reviewer noted, he can also act. Cheryl Studer is a fine Elsa, and sings with great warmth. Hartmut Welker is a surprising Frederick: He sings with power and a sense of nobility. Of all the characters, the weakest singing is provided by Robert Lloyd as the king. Nonetheless, for a live performance, this is actually an appealing DVD.

The Vienna State Opera does a fine job. However, I am not necessarily an avid admirer of Claudio Abbado's conducting. Still, the music is so beautiful and the performance so captivating that this DVD deserves the highest rating.

What a great pleasure: !!Dunja Vejzovic is Ortrud!!!!
Never mind Placido Domingo and Cheryl Studer (who are both wonderful)listen to DUNJA VEJZOVIC. The main character in this opera (in my view) is Ortrud and Ms. Vejzovic is more than perfect; she is Ortrud. I saw Eva Marton (who is my favourite soprano) in the same role in Budapest last week but Ms. Vejzovic is second to none. Buy this DVD now and watch it over and over again as I do.

A Visual Disappointment
Domingo is a fine Lohengrin and the rest of the cast sing beautifully. They are also well complemented by Abbado and and the Vienna Philharmonic.

But an opera is more than its music: It is also a drama. Those of us who purchase a DVD also expect -- and deserve a convincing production. And, unfortunately, this Lohengrin is not worth seeing. The staging is stilted and confined. The camera work is boring. Even the poor king's costume lacks regality.

Domingo is wonderful
It is difficult to be a hero in Wagner's operas, to both sound and look the part. Domingo does that. It seesms to me his distinctly non-German voice sets him apart from the rest of the cast and adds to the White Knight ness of his character. Welker is a first rate "bad guy"; he seems to have a soul, and be much more than the usual two dimentional characters you encounter in this type of role. The sets are odinary and depressing. Thank God for the singers! ... Read more

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Although the confectionary does make an appearance at the end of the film, Turkish Delight, as a title, may be interpreted in a number of ways. This violent tale of love is told in flashback from the perspective of bohemian artist Eric Vonk (Rutger Hauer, collaborating for the first time with director Paul Verhoeven). When the film opens on a brutal attack and then a succession of one-night stands, it seems that the guy's a complete jerk. Then a sudden lurch backwards two years reveals the motivations for both his dreams and behavior, as well as the subject of the photos he spends his time pining for. He meets Olga (a fantastic Monique van de Ven) as the result of a car accident. But their tempestuous relationship is shaken by many peculiar events: a surreal wedding ceremony, unveiling a statue to the Queen and the death of Olga's father. The real problem is Olga herself, however, which leads to a shock ending many have compared to Love Story.

Somewhat dated now, and made long before his move to Hollywood, Turkish Delight is nonetheless unmistakably a product of the now-familiar Verhoeven style. The film's language and images still have the power to shock or offend, and we certainly get to see far too much of Hauer's private parts, even though some amazing visuals (mirrored candles, inspired beach art, and a nightmarish red Chinese restaurant) are some compensation. --Paul Tonks ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Instinct (Basically)
Wow! When Paul Verhoeven is on, he is really on. This film has one of those openings. Fantastic, sucks you right in, and then you find out what the film is really about. From what has been previously written about this film, suprisingly, it was not what I expected. In a film that opens with extreme violence and sex (Verhoeven staples) it quickly evolves into an interesting and insightful character study on love and death.

Eric (Rutger Hauer) is a sculpter who lives impulsively and freely until one day, on one of his impulsive adventures, he meets Olga (Monique van de Ven). It takes Eric about a minute to "convince" Olga that he loves her and their meeting ends with a bang, literally (I don't want to give too much away). There relationship goes through the normal ups and downs, oh, and there's plenty of "affection" in the relationship. The film takes some unexpected twists and turns and there are several bizarre scenes involving Olga's mother (she was great) and her family which culminate in an unusual (if not unpredictable) ending.

This film scores on many levels. The acting, the story, and the cinematography are all top notch. Rutger Hauer's character is especially engaging (I love how he molds trash into art) and he turns in one of the best performances of his career. What really sets Turkish Delight apart from other films though is Verhoeven's willingness to go to the extreme. The graphicness of his films (i.e. violence, sex) is something he has fought the censors and the critics on his whole career. But with good reason, it makes his films more interesting and it sets them apart from conventional cinema. He wants to show it all, and while some of his American films may have been graphic or risque, they are tame compared to Turkish Delight. He held nothing back as a filmmaker on this one.

I can understand why this film ruffled some feathers when it was released in 1973. Somewhere around this time Pauline Kael was writing her famous article for the New Yorker exclaiming Last Tango in Paris as a revolutionary film and Turkish Delight would certainly fall into the same catagory as it. However I think it is even more provocative (in terms of the sex scenes) than Last Tango. Definitely not what I was expecting, but a very good film regardless.

Thoroughly depressing
Can't really say much more. When I first watched this the start of it made me laugh.....don't know why but it just did. There was a scene in it where Rutger Hauer says he's better than Jesus ( in the bedroom ) but come the second half of the movie, the film is ultra depressing and you'd have to have a heart made of stone not to be a little emotional. The thing is is that it feels so real what's going on that it's hard remembering that it's only a film. For weeks I couldn't get this out of my head and even now I'm a little reluctant to put it back in because the film although I haven't seen it since I bought it but there are parts in the film I can remember too well. When Erik ( Hauer ) brings home another girl that was prime for the bed there's the statue of Olga ( the amazingly beautiful Monique Van de Ven ) and for a split second Hauer thinks he sees Olga in the flesh until the girl turns the light on and sees that it was just the statue. It's enough to turn off Erik's passion for sex in an instant. It's truly chilling when you see it again ( OK I admit I tried watching it again but just couldn't after I saw that scene )

The love that Erik has for Olga is beyond intense. He's so obsessed that he cannot bear to see her with another man. And like Erik this is the sort of film that transcends that message across to the viewer. Some relationships that have broken up can still have the " we can still be friends " and can happily go on but for the others they may not want to go through the pain again knowing the things they know. It's my opinion that in some respects this movie could also leave you ending up one or the other

Musique?
Great movie!
I thought he music was an important part of the film.
All these reviews are helpful, but the main theme starting with the beach scene was credited wrong.
In the directors commentary he credits Szymanowski-King boris, but the only thing close to that title is King Roger, which i purchased, but that music is not on the king Roger CD.
does anybody know?

Powerful Love Story
Ranks as one of Verhoeven's best films with hypnotic and electrifying performances by Monique Van De Ven and Rutger Hauer. I was completely blown away by the images in this film and its frank honesty. This is a must see film that is easily of the best love stories ever captured on celluloid.

A VERY ADULT LOVE STORY....
Paul Verhoeven's 1973 far-from-Hollywood film opens with the [physical] escapades of Erik (Rutger Hauer) a womanizing self-destructive artist. Alone in his apartment/studio, he reflects back on his life and a painful episode that he can't forget. He met Olga (Monique Van de Ven) in a car accident. They embarked on a wild [physical] affair and Erik fell in love...hard. Olga had personality quirks that confused Erik but he just wrote it off as part of her nature. They married and Olga's behavior became more disturbing until she finally retreated to her mother's and refused to see Erik. Confounded, Erik demanded to see her and still didn't understand the problem. Then Olga winds up in the hospital seriously ill and her problem is revealed to Erik's shattered disbelief. "Turkish Delight" is the name of Olga's favorite candy. He brings it to the hospital to try and get her to eat. This is a powerful, moving and , yes, erotic story beautifully done by Verhoeven and brilliantly acted by Hauer and especially Van de Ven. There is very frank nudity and [physical] scenes that threaten to push your buttons but Verhoeven is the type of director who just throws back the curtain and tells the story. You understand why Erik is the guy he is. Love and [physical attraction] are powerful drugs and death can make you extremely bitter. "Turkish Delight" was nominated as Best Foreign Launguage film in 1974 at the Oscars in Hollywood. Once seen, it is not easily forgotten. It's a very potent adult love story and a gut wrencher. Excellent DVD transfer from Anchor Bay. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's not necessary to see the first Swordsman before you see Swordsman II--though some of the characters are the same, the cast is almost completely different. Into the thick of a clan feud in long-ago China comes young swordsman Ling (Jet Li), who has a romantic attachment to the leader of one side of the feud (Rosamund Kwan). However, on the other side is an evil sorcerer, Asia the Invincible (Brigitte Lin), who has found a magical scroll that will give the user formidable powers if the user castrates himself. Not only has Asia done so, over the course of the movie he transforms into a woman. Ling accidentally meets the newly feminine Asia, who remains silent to hide her still masculine voice, and they find themselves in the throes of a powerful attraction. But this much of the plot is only the tip of the iceberg; Hong Kong movies routinely pack enough story for three films into one, and Swordsman II is no exception. What is exceptional is the emotional power of the story, the superb performances, and the spectacular and hyperkinetic cinematography. Lin is completely magnetic and Li is at his buoyant, charismatic best. There's something so delightful and inviting about the special effects in Hong Kong films that it's simply more fun to believe them than not, even if they aren't realistic by Hollywood standards. At their best, Hong Kong fantasies (like A Chinese Ghost Story or Green Snake) become much more than camp. An epic of amazing scope and surprising richness, Swordsman II is quite possibly one of the greatest movies ever made. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (52)

Not what you'd think
So long as you go into this movie expecting a fantasy epic instead of a martial arts film, you'll do fine. While there are some pretty good fight scenes in this movie, it's more along the lines of the Chinese Ghost Story series than Dragon Inn or Iron Monkey. Just don't let that stop you from seeing it. This movie completely revitalized Bridgette Lin's flagging career and after watching it, you'll understand why. Lin is magnificent as the trans-gendered Asia, playing the role with a threatening and aristocratic gravity that's truly awesome and one of her best performances outside of Peking Opera Blues. Jet Li is always awesome to watch (although admittedly, he didn't get much oppurtunity to truly demonstrate his skills in this one). Still, his fluid grace and power come through as always. SII also has some truly great visual effects, and a seemingly unending stream of surprises. The weapons that are brought into play besides the usual swords and spears range from sewing needles to man-sized hooks as well as the vampire like "essence absorbing stance." Rosamund Kwan is lethal with a bull whip, attractive in a turban, and also (one of) Jet Li's romantic interests in the film, along with the delectable Michelle Reis; and whoever played Blue Phoenix was also more than a little attractive as well, despite her nasty habit of keeping snakes in her clothes and rustling up hordes of scorpions to swarm her opponents (she'd be your worst nightmare for a blind date). One of Tsui Harks and Hong Kong Cinema's best and definately one of my personal favorites.

Good MOVIE, average Martial Arts Film
I really liked this film. It was very entertaining, had a solid story (that was hard to follow at times), but still very interesting. The characters were great, each and everyone. Brigitte Linn was badly under utilized, using Magic over her martial arts skills, that was disappointing.

Actually, think back, Jet Li was the only character in the whole film that used martial arts, everyone else used magic.

Jet Li's acting was extremely fun to watch. The interaction between him and his sister was great (though she was awful jealous for a sister).

As a whole this movie is a joy to watch, the story and plot are great. But don't buy this movie thinking you are going to see a Kung Fu movie, or skilled martial arts, because you won't.

As a movie I would give Swordsman II a B+
As a martial arts film I would give Swordsman II a C-

This is the dubbed version
Dubbed and renamed. See the original Swordsman II instead.

Strange role for Jet Li
When I first saw Jet Li in this film, I wondered. After watching it though, I have to say that he played the role well, and even made the movie. Michelle Reis was excellent as his "sister," and Rosamund Kwan played the role of village chief flawlessly.

This is a classic.

Buena Vista Home Vid DVD ruined it!
Im here rating "The legend of The Swordsman" wich is actually "Buena Vista Home Vid" DVD version of a great movie called "SwordsmanII"...

First of all, A LOT of dialogues just disappeared, scenes were cut and combat sounds effects RUINED ! ! ! I guess thats what happens when u ask a spanish comapny to re-do a HK classical movie.

Anyway dont just buy the "Buena Vista Home Vid DVD" Called The Legend of the Swordsman, aka Jet Li collection... yeah good job ruinning Jet Li classics Buena Vista Home Vid .... grr ... Read more

Reviews (32)

Outstanding view of the greatest castrato
Set in 18th Century Europe, this is the story of castrato Carlo Broschi (known as "Farinelli"), arguably the greatest (at least the most popular) singer of all time. The film delves into his life in a deeply personal, if fictionalized, way. Reminiscent of "Amadeus" in its mixture of truth and fiction, we follow the lives of Farinelli and his brother, the composer Ricardo Broschi, from street trumpet duels through stardom, and Farinelli's life as a court figure and personal singer to King Phillip V of Spain.

Farinelli struggles with fractured memories and painful questions as he learns to use his talent apart from his brother's composing. No, no, that's too flat a description of the story -- after watching this film MANY times, I must say that each time I see it, I find new sub-plots and new techniques applied in direction, cinematography and music.

The film features lush cinematography and a unique and rich soundtrack (featuring the computer-b! ! lended voices of Derek Lee Ragin, Counter-tenor, and Ewa Mallas-Godlewska, soprano, to simulate the vocal range of Farinelli).

I could not give a higher recommendation to this film, which I *believe* won a Golden Globe for best foreign language film, and was nominated for an Oscar in the same category.

CORRECTIONS: Stefano Dionisi is the star, not the Director or Producer (the listing should read, "by Gerard Corbiau"). Also, the name of the film is "Farinelli, Il Castrato" END

A Second Review Of A Great Film
Director Gerard Corbiau's Farinelli won Best Picture of 1995. The foreign film, mixed Italian and French, retells the story of the famous and greatest castrato singer Carlo Broschi. The film is exotic, intensely emotional and loaded with beautiful music of the Baroque Era (1600-1750). With all the good things about this movie, comes some things that might be rather disturbing or inappropriate for a younger audience. This is assuredly an adult film. There are two explicit sex scenes at the beginning and end of the film. This is a movie for an adult who is interested in the period, in the life of the castrati and in opera at this time. The opening introduces Carlo Broschi as a little boy singing in the church choir. Another young lad has been castrated to preserve his voice and is so mortified he leaps to his death. Eventually Carlo's brother Riccardo is obligated to do the same to his brother. We don't learn until later in the film that it was Riccardo and not Carlos' brother that conducted the castration. Here, Farinelli is usually quite ill and is forced to take opium as medicine. Farinelli does not seem to think highly of his brother's operas, which are written exclusively for his voice. Instead, he believes the greatest composer of this time is George Frederic Handel, played convincingly by Jerome Krabbe. In a dinner party, in which the Nobles insult Handel, Farinelli is outraged and declares that Handel will long be remembered and not the Nobles and their operas. This ends up being true since Handel is considered one of the greatest composers of this period togeter with Johann Sebastian Bach.

The movie has some inaccuracies and are not historically true. Naturally, this being a costume drama, there are some elements which were entirely fictional created for the sake of sensationalism. Although it is true Riccardo Broschi did compose operas for his brother Farinelli, there is no real evidence they "shared" the women they bedded. In the movie, a Countess is so enamored with Farinelli that she jumps into bed with him only to discover he's castrated. Thus, Riccardo plants the seed and Farinelli only lures the women into bed and seduces them. This is fabricated material to "sex up" the movie. In real life, Farinelli I'm inclined to believe was chaste. He sung many times for religious services and was a devout Catholic. He may not have been at all bitter for his castration since he lived like a king all his life, surrounded in luxury. He was well acquainted with European royalty, all of Europe loved him and he died after years of singing in the chambers of King Phillip of Spain. The rivalry between the Nobles Theatre Opera and Handel's opera company is true. In fact, it remains the only true thing about this movie. The English in London disliked the German foreigner Handel and his prominence in London. He was so beloved that even King George and Queen Anne protected him. The Nobles schemed endlessly to get rid of Handel. The portrayal of Handel as a musical genius, a man of stubborn, perfectionist character is all true. I think the most moving scenes are those with Handel, such as the scene in which Farinelli is overhearing him play the organ in the church and is moved by the music and the scene of Farinelli singing "Lascio Chio Pianga" from Rinaldo which ultimately moves Handel to tears. All the scenes of opera and Farinelli singing in his majestic costumes in this movie are stunningly beautiful. Finally, this movie's soundtrack is incredible. It contains the combined voices of tenor Derek Rogin and soprano Ewa Mallas as the singing voice of Farinelli. The arias sung here are taken from Riccardo Broschi's operas Idaspe and Artaserse and from Handel's Julius Caesar and Rinaldo. A superb film and a must see for fans of Baroque opera.

The Exotic History Of Opera: Farinelli The Great
This DVD comes equipped with English translation from the Italian that this movie was made in. There are also subtitles in French and Spanish, as well as scene selections. French director Gerard Corbiau decided to make a lush film about the life of Farinelli, the greatest castrato singer in all history, portrayed by Italian actor Stefano Dionisi. On DVD, this film looks exquisite. It's a film of adult material (nudity and sex) and for specialized interests. Opera buffs will want to take a glimpse back to the early days of Baroque Opera when the castrati were the music idols of their day, enjoying rockstar status and great wealth. Everything about this film is really engaging to look at. The authentic historic costumes and the precise European locations provide the film with an immediacy and virtual historic escape. We are there in 17th century Italy following this dramatically heightened take on the career of Farinelli. Stefano Dionisi does a great performance, though his effiminate looks, mischief and diva temperament reveals something of a homosexual but this notion is taken into question when we see him in the love scenes with the many beautiful women that are his groupies and loyal admirers of his voice.

This drama may not be entirely true. The story of how the two brothers who are at conflict (one brother reaps the benefits the other is left frustrated and obscure) may be a deliberate attempt to resemble Milos Forman's Amadeus.Farinelli came from a family of musical ambitions and when he was about to hit puberty he wanted to be castrated for the sole purpose of making millions of money and acquiring world fame as a singer. Castrating male youth so as to keep their high-pitched soprano range was an Italian custom, which died out in the 18th century where women began to enjoy more prominet roles in opera, such as the operas of Mozart. Farinelli was the greatest castrato singer of his day. He was incredibly rich and enjoyed the company of royalty. After his many theatrical performances in operas by Handel and other composers, he gave up the stage to sing in the private chambers of Spanish King Phillip V. He lived in luxury there for the rest of his life.

The film is exotic and beautiful to look at and to listen. The music of Handel is prominent, since it was Handel who most wrote for the castrati voice. Impressive are the scenes at the opera, where Farinelli dazzles and mesmerizes his audience against the colorful and elaborate Baroque stage sets. In one scene early in the film, he sings what looks like the sun god Apollo, in a feathered helmet, and is briefly interrupted by a young lady's turning the pages to a libretto. He continues his singing and finishes with an elongated note that is impossible to hold for any tenor or soprano nowadays. Today, the castrati vocal sound is extinct. Perhaps close to it, and even this by a little off, is the male countertenor or a highly developed falsetto. I find that the female mezzo soprano voice is the closest to castrati singing, especially Cecilia Bartoli. Her singing in the recent Salieri Album comes dangerously close to sounding like castrati.
In the movie, creative editing and synthesizing combined a tenor's lung power and a soprano's high top register to effectively portray the sound of a castrati, which sounded like a weird blend of male and female voices, with the female being the stronger range. With that voice, coloratura is unleashed with freedom, agility and high-flung acrobatics.

Never more impressed
I have eclectic tastes--I watch Fellini, Altman, Halstrom, Eastwood, and Campion with equal enjoyment. But I have never been more impressed with a film than with "Farinelli."

This is a character-driven story, not a plot-driven one. In "Farinelli" the essential debate in all art is fully played out on film: From whence does artistic beauty spring? From the interpretive vehicle or the creative one? From the source of the inspiration or from the one who is inspired? It even dares to ask whether there is an element of destruction in the act of creation. The triangles outlining this debate abound. Handel-Broschi-Farinelli is underscored by the relationships between Farinelli-Broschi-Alexandra and between Performer-Composer-Audience. I have seen this film 6 or 7 times and I still rediscover parallels along these themes. It is an impressive achievement to use art to outline art's own tensions without ever once losing sight of the overriding storyline or forcing your actors into unnatural posturing for the sake of making a debate point.

Others have praised the sets, acting, music, lighting--in short, the ambience and opulence of the film. All that is here. And yet all that is also in "Amadeus" and "Immortal Beloved." What this offers that the others does not is the insider's take: If you watch this movie, you will feel Farinelli's emotions, Broschi's emotions and Handel's emotions as they strive for recognition through their art. This is not a movie from which you walk away sympathizing with one character or another. This is a movie from which you walk away knowing you have lived someone else's experience for a brief time.

Farinelli-Great movie
I saw this movie in the theartre when it was new. It's such a beautiful film to look at, and the music is so incredible you forget that it's in Flemmish and you're reading subtitles.

If you like this movie I would also reccomend reading "Cry to Heaven" by Anne Rice. It's a story of the castrati and gives you an understanding of that time in history. It's a great compliment to the movie. As one has nothing to do with the other it's just a very fortunate coincidence.

It's sad that there are no recordings of these beautiful voice as this custom was stopped and those who had performed had died before machanical recordings were popular. I beleive there was one who was actually recorded by Thomas edison on his new invention.

It's something anyone alaive today will never be able to hear. ... Read more