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Considered by many to be his masterpiece, L’Avventura positioned Michelangelo Antonioni as an international talent. What appears to be a search for a missing person is actually an examination of alienation and self-discovery found along a voyage through the morally decadent world of the idle rich. Less concerned with a smooth plotline, Antonioni tells his story through the use of symbolic images and flawless character development. Using 'real time’ camera shots and rich, landscape imagery, Michelangelo Antonioni creates an unpredictable world where nothing is ever resolved. Ironically, what makes L’Avventura so unpredictable is the high level of realism portrayed by each character and their environments. This isn’t your packaged, formulaic film with a happy ending. A tough one to watch but well worth it...and it gets better and better with repeat viewings. L’Avventura is quintessential Antonioini. Not to be missed. --Rob Bracco ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Best Criterion Collection DVD Thus Far; Excellent Commentary
L'Avventura is one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen and this DVD does it perfect justice. The transfer is pristine reflecting the breathtaking cinematography, and the commentary by film historian Gene Youngblood illuminates Antonioni's revolutionary genius by offering awe-inspiring insight into nearly every scene of the movie. Of all the commentary offered so far by criterion this is by far the best though the film is not necessarily for everyone. The pacing is a bit slow at times for the moviegoer who enjoys films with more action and overt sexuality(though the two lead actresses have beauty enough to leave you enchanted), but L'Avventura is always interesting for fans of film who want to learn more about the technique and art of moviemaking. The documentary provides a good overview of Antonioni's career and Jack Nicholson reads documents that provide knowledge of Antonioni's philosophy of art. If you have enjoyed prior Criterion Collection editions of great films this DVD is perfect for your collection.

"L'Avventorment. . ."
"After finishing L'Avventura, I was forced to reflect on what the film meant." -director Michelangelo Antonioni.

This is the greatest film about adult romantic relationships ever made. Every topic is touched on: infidelity, jeaslousy, male preoccupation with sex, female preoccupation with resistance, the urgency of love, and the futility ("why,why,why,why...") Is there a better? Perhaps I am underinformed.

And the sheer beauty! My God, it's enough to make you forget the plot. For picturesque rocky islands and splashing surf, this must be the Ansel Adams of Palermo. This is not to mention the rest of the film. As a friend of mine said, every frame could be in a book of modern photography. Antonioni knows how to frame his shots.

Enough, please, of this film being 'Boredom Personified.' Woe to those who are thoughtless enough to resist assimilating its message. This is not a film for children - or the childish. This film is partly about the psychological issues of love and romance in the modern industrial age. It is partly about keeping the difficulties thereunto connected, in proper perspective. Those who hold such an exercise as tedious, are advised to go back to the mall.

Yet, "For those who wish to listen, it will have a value beyond words."

Literally Dazzled
Monica Vitti is very blonde, very classy, pretty. She wore her Jackie Kennedy dresses with grace. The black and white photography of her white-dot suit literally dazzled. The scene where the Sicilian men stand about Monica (Claudia) like the scenes in Hitchcock's "Birds" made me very uncomfortable. The background is Italian Neo-Realism, rocks, sand, and the juxtaposition of old Italian Architecture, art, and communist style people's housing, empty and lifeless; I confess I drank about 2 bottles of water, more than my viewing of "Lawrence of Arabia." What happened to Anna on that volcanic island? Weird, L'Avventura (1960) is ranked on many cinema lists anywhere from #1 to #10.

a great film with beautiful imagery
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

Michaelangelo Antonioni's "L'Avventura" also known as "The Adventure" or "The Fling" is hailed as a masterpiece by many critics.

In the film, a group of people go on a yachting trip in the Mediterranean sea. Later, a woman in the group disappears and they begin a fruitless search. One woman helps the vanished girl's boyfriend search for her, but they soon forget about searching and fall in love with each other.

My cousin, who is half Italian says that the subtitles on this edition are word-for-word unlike older copes of the film.
The cinematography is excellent and I agree with the statement made in the supplements about each indivudual frame being worthy of use as a photograph.

The special features on the DVD are good also. On the first disc is the actual film with optional audio commentary by Gene Youngblood. The second disc has a theatrical trailer, a restoration demonstration, a 58-minute documentary on the director, and audio of actor Jack Nicholson narrating writings by the film's director, Michaelangelo Antonioni, plus Jack Nicholson's recollections on working with Antonioni on the film "The Passenger" made in 1975

Fans of Italian cinema will surely love this release and many others would like it also.

The Most Pure Film Ever Made
No film is more pure in the cinematic sense than L' AVVENTURA. L' AVVENTURA is nothing like you've seen. It may be more than 40 years old and it still feels amazingly modern and refreshing. The first time I saw it when I was 18, I hated it ... it was so slow and dull and it was impossible to relate to any of the characters. But 15 years later, I came across the DVD and the picture of Monica Vitti with the "pyramid" in the backround evoked a very strangely powerful wave of images, sounds, and words. So I decided to give the film another chance. It was too beautiful and hypnotic that I couldn't stir for nearly 2.1/2 hours. After I got up from the couch, the world never looked the same again. I woke up the following morning feeling like a new person. I think the most perfect time to watch the film is around midnight when everything is quiet and dark. Turn off your phones and lock the doors. Turn off the lights and close the curtains. Push the "play" button and then the film will transport you to a totally new world that will haunt you eternally. But I think the film will work even more powerfully and beautifully if you wait for a week or two and watch it again. Most people I know "clicked" with the film during their second or third viewing. If you find yourself puzzled or even disappointed when L' AVVENTURA ends, that's okay. Don't give up. Wait for a few more weeks or even a year; then view the film again. You won't regret it; I can promise you that. The audio commentary by Gene Youngblood is magnificent. Make sure to listen to it. L' AVVENTURA is not called the landmark film for nothing. The Criterion Collection's treatment of the film is perfect - just like the film. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

As Satisfying a Film as Ever Made - Revised Review!
THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS is a miracle movie. As conceived and directed by Denys Arcand this film is a brilliantly entertaining story, full of hilarious dialogue and situations, full of intellectual stimulation, brilliant metaphors and similes, full of probing philosophy, while standing as the finest examination of our society as it stands at the moment. The beauty of the film is that for all of the intellectual wealth it contains, it never bogs down with cerebral weightiness. The mood is consistently entertaining: the infinite messages contained are left as after burn.
Remy (and indelible characterization by Remy Girard) has lived a life of sexual freedom, intellectual pursuits (he is a Professor of History and defender of free thinking), and seems to have placed his family and wife in the periphery. Suddenly faced with a diagnosis of a rampantly aggressive and untreatable cancer, he rages against the world that no longer holds his tenets of civilization dear: he faces death having no legacy to leave the world he entered. His ex-wife notifies his worldly and wealthy Baby-Boomer generation son in his important office in London to return home, despite the fact that the son sees little point in rushing back to the father who was never a father to him. The son Sebastien (in a sophisticated, engrossing performance by Stephane Rousseau) flies to Montreal and, in his manner of control, takes over, planning the care of this 'shameful father' in a manner that allows him to provide the best amenities while putting more emotional distance from his father. Money talks, and after Sebastien drives him to the USA for the best of scans and opinions only to hear that Remy will not follow-up by entering a US Medical Center, Remy is moved to a deserted floor of the hospital (grandly redecorated and staffed by Sebastien's conniving way with money bribes). Sebastien gathers the wildest assortment of Remy's friends, mistresses, and political/intellectual oddballs and gives Remy everything he could ask for - even satellite conversation with Remy's yachting-on-the-seas daughter. When the disease advances and the accompanying pain encroaches, Sebastien even arranges for heroin by coercing the addicted daughter of one of Remy's mistresses to supply the need. Eventually as the situation changes, Sebastien arranges for the entire entourage to move to a beautiful house by a lake outside Montreal and there the group eats, drinks, philosophizes, and entertains their old friend. At this point Sebastien and Remy are alone with their personal histories and disappointments and regrets and it is the playing out of how this is resolved that is the utter magic of this magnificent film. Though the ending of the film is implied from the outset, to spoil the final moments by revealing the actual moments of the story would be a disservice to the viewer
An added attraction on the DVD (in French and English with subtitles) is a filmed dinner with the entire cast (and to a person, this is a cast of gifted, virtuosic actors), discussing the movies, their characters, and more importantly looking at the Montreal that was the dream of the future when all of these actors were young and idealistic and now faces a stagnation and void that each sees as a threat to the future. These are articulate actors and their words and thoughts are intensely sensitive and informative. This added feature adds yet more depth in accompaniment to the film. THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS is a film to purchase for your private collection, a film to return to often as a reminder that living our lives as individual sanctities is the only way we will be able to maintain 'civilization' in this era of instant gratification and disregard for the past. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ON EVERY LEVEL!

A Film of Beauty and Intellectual Wealth
THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS is a miracle movie. As conceived and directed by Denys Arcand this film is a brilliantly entertaining story, full of hilarious dialogue and situations, full of intellectual stimulation, brilliant metaphors and similes, full of probing philosophy, while standing as the finest examination of our society as it stands at the moment. The beauty of the film is that for all of the intellectual wealth it contains, it never bogs down with cerebral weightiness. The mood is consistently entertaining: the infinite messages contained are left as after burn.
Remy (and indelible characterization by Remy Girard) has lived a life of sexual freedom, intellectual pursuits (he is a Professor of History and defender of free thinking), and seems to have placed his family and wife in the periphery. Suddenly faced with a diagnosis of a rampantly aggressive and untreatable cancer, he rages against the world that no longer holds his tenets of civilization dear: he faces his mortality convinved he has no legacy to leave the world he entered. His ex-wife notifies his worldly and wealthy Baby-Boomer generation son in his important office in London to return home, despite the fact that the son sees little point in rushing back to the father who was never a father to him. The son Sebastien (in a sophisticated, engrossing performance by Stephane Rousseau) flies to Montreal and, in his manner of control, takes over, planning the care of this 'shameful father' in a manner that allows him to provide the best amenities while putting more emotional distance from his father. Money talks, and after Sebastien drives him to the USA for the best of scans and opinions only to hear that Remy will not follow-up by entering a US Medical Center, Remy is moved to a deserted floor of the hospital (grandly redecorated and staffed by Sebastien's conniving way with money bribes). Sebastien gathers the wildest assortment of Remy's friends, mistresses, and political/intellectual oddballs and gives Remy everything he could ask for - even satellite conversation with Remy's yachting-on-the-seas daughter. When his disease advances and the accompanying pain encroaches, Sebastien even arranges for heroin by coercing the addicted daughter of one of Remy's mistresses to supply the need. Eventually as the situation changes, Sebastien arranges for the entire entourage to move to a beautiful house by a lake outside Montreal and there the group eats, drinks, philosophizes, and entertains their old friend. At this point Sebastien and Remy are alone with their personal histories and disappointments and regrets and it is this exploration of how these two disparate souls find each other that the utter magic of this magnificent film. Though the ending of the film is implied from the outset, to spoil the final moments by revealing the actual details of the story would be a disservice to the viewer
An added attraction on the DVD (in French and English with subtitles) is a filmed dinner with the entire cast (and to a person, this is a cast of gifted, virtuosic actors), discussing the movies, their characters, and more importantly looking at the Montreal that was the dream of the future when all of these actors were young and idealistic and now faces a stagnation and void that each sees as a threat to the future. These are articulate actors and their words and thoughts are intensely sensitive and informative. This added feature adds yet more depth in accompaniment to the film. THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS is a film to purchase for your private collection, a film to return to often as a reminder that living our lives as individual sanctities is the only way we will be able to maintain 'civilization' in this era of instant gratification and disregard for the past. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ON EVERY LEVEL!

outstanding
The best movie I have seen in years!!

Can anyone help me learn the name of the final song?

Gets better as it goes on
Barbarian is a movie that gets better as the minutes pass. It's about making the most of your time alive. It's a movie of humanity, that'll make you laugh and leave a tear in your eyes. An enjoyable movie in the end.

Great movie--TERRIBLE print!
The DVD pictured above is to be avoided at all costs! The background and characters are frequently light green; it claims to be "widescreen," but it filled my entire screen, and the film was distored, with elogated people, etc. There are 3 (three!) previews before the film starts! --oh yes, the first time I watched this Buena Vista release, it hicchoughed several times; the second time it didn't.

The subtitles are very readable; the soundtrack is excellent (and should be listenable to those who really speak French).

If I cannot find another print of this movie--which I saw many times in the theater, I will be left with a beautiful memory! ... Read more

Description

Hong Kong, 1962: Chow Mo-wan and Su Li-zhen move into neighboring apartments on the same day. Their encounters are polite and formal-until a discovery about their respective spouses sparks an intimate bond. At once delicately mannered and visually stunning, Wong Kar-wai's In the Mood for Love is a masterful evocation of romantic longing and fleeting moments in time. ... Read more

Reviews (83)

Wong Kar-Wai's Masterpiece
If you were to find a fault in Wong's film it would be the pace: slow, methodical, but inspite and because of that pace "In the Mood for Love" is an utterly engrossing tale; a tale of a man who suspects his wife of cheating and a women who suspects her husband of the same. As they secretly share their pains and suspiscions they fall in love, a love which, due to guilt and the society they live in, cannot blossom.

"In the Mood for Love" is a period piece, taking place in 1962 Hong Kong, and it captures the period wonderfully with small details like the snippets of Shanghainese speech and Nat King Cole's melodic voice floating in an American-style diner.

In this movie Wong Kar-Wai achieved brilliance on every level. Not only does he create a perfect mood with his methodical pace, dark yet beautiful camera work, but he tops it off with excellent performances by Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung and an enthralling soundtrack that ties it all together. I have been a fan of Wong Kar-wai for some time, but in all of his films I felt something was missing. Here he has captured it all. With "In the Mood for Love" Wong leaves the label "a good director" behind and becomes "a great director".

The DVD is full of fascinating extras: interviews with the cast, Wong Kar-wai; descriptions of the music used in the film; trailers, posters, images. You can spend hours not even looking at everything but the movie!

Best movie of the year
It's only a shame that this wasn't released several months ago in the U.S. as it was in the U.K. or else it would have been nominated for some major awards. It's actually really hard to fault anything in this movie: the acting, directing, music and cinematography are all world-class.

The story centers around a woman and a man who live next to each other in a Hong Kong apartment complex in 1962. They both suspect their spouses of having an affair with each other, and begin to fall in love themselves. Being in such tight surroundings they obviously cannot show very much affection to each other in public and rely on subtle glances and very little actual physical contact: it is a testimony to the superb acting skills of the two main leads, Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung, that the relationship is believable. The director Wong Kar-Wai is also brilliant at mixing in slow-motion shots (perhaps to emphasize how slowly their relationship develops) and Spanish music, which fits the mood of the movie amazingly well.

To add to the atmosphere, the movie is almost completely shot indoors except for some shots outside at night and in the rain and the haunting last scene. You really get a sense of clautrophobia after a while, not only of the living space but how confined the characters' marriages and even lives are as well. Futhermore, the movie also has a political overtone which is, like everything else here, subtle, but suffice to say its setting in 1962 is not accidental.

Finally, the lack of a huge amount of dialogue means that those who don't like subtitles won't have to suffer through so many. For those of you like me who were disappointed with most of the junk nominated for Academy Awards this year, finally here's a movie that lives up to its reputation.

An unforgettable journey.
'In the Mood for Love' is a touching, engrossing meditation on, you guessed it, love: what it is, what creates it, what ends it, what keeps it sewn strong together. All of these aspects are collected into a clever, lovely, sometimes devastating piece of artistry directed by the fabulous Wong-Kar Wai. Those of you who love romantic comedies or grand, epic love sagas will be immensely disappointed with his latest film. It is not either. Rather, it is a gem of cinema that strives for emotional truth and absolute realism. Inside of cramped apartments and old diners, that, too, is what the main characters of 'In the Mood for Love' yearn for.

The film takes place in Hong Kong during the year 1962. Chow Mo-wan (Tony Leung) and Su Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung) have just moved into neighboring apartments and have met each other rather casually. But the two progressively realize a secret about their respective spouses and a profound relationship develops almost instantly. From there, the film sets a tone that is cislunar, seeming to float in its own world situated between reality and a sense of disconnection. Kar-Wai perfectly evokes this mood with fleeting slow-motion sequences accompanied by Christopher Doyle and Mark Li Ping-bin's delicately visceral cinematography. What ensues throughout the rest of the film (both plot-wise and technically) masterfully conveys romantic yearning.

The lead performances were breathtaking, namely Maggie Cheung as Su Li-zhen. From scenes of obvious hurt to moments of hidden despair, she ceaselessly astonishes. I'm surprised she did not receive the massive encomium she deserved from 2001 year-end awards groups, let alone the Oscars. But credit must also be given to Tony Leung as Chow Mo-wan, who managed to maintain a quiet, tired loneliness throughout the film. Leung also understood that it was only with Su Li-zhen that Chow Mo-wan felt truly alive with passion.

Another character worth mentioning are the breath-taking sets by production designer William Chang Suk-ping. The claustrophobic atmosphere offered by Suk-ping's dated, tight hallways was as much a part of the emotion and story line as each lead. Collectively, each part of the movie-making process (screenwriting, directing, designing, acting) achieved an assured concinnity; and in the end, what was already a personal, accessible study is lifted by Kar-Wai to a universal level using epic shots of Mayan temples and mysterious landscapes. As the credits role, it becomes apparent that 'In the Mood for Love' is arguably a masterpiece worthy of the all-time lists.

For me personally, the constant flashbacks of wind sifting past vinaceous curtains and artful conversations about love at its core only underscore 'Love's greatness. It is an unforgettably personal journey not to be missed.

Tertiary Love Film at its Highest Form
98 minutes of excellence. I am never a big fan for romantic films. Especially with the current scene filled with countless teen-or-chick flicks, I have become very picky on this category. I watched it with skepticism. 98 mins later, I switch off the TV in great relief, and also with understanding of why a few people do not enjoy it.

Generally, people who dislike this film have the following reasons:
1. Simple plot and no plot twist
2. Repetitive scenes
3. Few and confusing dialogues
4. No significant signs of intimacy or eroticism. Can it even be categorized into "Romance"?

One thing I have learnt from "In the Mood for Love" is also the same thing I wish romantic film directors would learn for a long time: Character Study and Development are often more important than unnecessary plot twist. There are pretty much only two characters in the movie, but by middle the audience could feel as if we know them for real. Thus we do feel the characters' happiness, pain and suffering. Yes, even if the time is set in 1962, Hong Kong.

The repetitive scenes do not represent lack of creativity. In fact it is one of the hardest tricks in my opinion. Although some actions are very similar, each scene has a subtle change in intimacy and impact for future relationship. Not one of the scenes can be taken away because they're all crucial links. As for the dialogue, it is few but every line is to the point. Each word is polished to sharpest and kept to minimum. Every word is a keyword.

Intimacy and eroticism are indications and eye-candy. Audience would understand immediately two people are in love. In my opinion this is director's point of view to choose it or not. Wong Kar Wai deliberately wanted to create a longing relationship without obvious physical contact to add up the sadness. In fact, the film has at least once "Implied Intimacy". ***SPOILER*** When Su told Chow she did not want to go back home in the cab, that "Implies"they would probably spend the night together ***SPOILER***

It could be artistic whether sex scenes are included or not. It just happens that WKW wants to present us a unique experience. I highly appreciate this effot. In the Mood for Love is a ten-level-upped romantic film and I definitely recommend it to every viewer, tertiary or not.

A Masterpiece, flawless, perfect, beautiful!
Simply put, it is one of the more ravishingly beautiful films ever made! Every now and then, a director and his collaborators are so in-tune with each other, so opperating at the height of their powers, that as a viewer watching it, you are aware of watching greatness yet an air of disbelief pervades. Such feelings you get with (to name a few flawless masterpieces) Tarkovsky's ANDREI RUBLEV, Bergman's CRIES & WHISPERS, Fellini's LA DOLCE VITA, Lee's DO THE RIGHT THING, Scorsese's TAXI DRIVER, and Hitchcock's VERTIGO. All of the aforementioned films are flawless works which use everything the cinema can do...such films are perfect; IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE is such a film. It is a masterpiece and a must own! ... Read more

Amazon.com

When asked to describe his work, Danish director Carl Theodor Dreyer said that film should present "truth filtered through an artist's mind, truth liberated from unnecessary detail." This collection of Dreyer's three major sound features demonstrates the director's rigorous commitment to that idea.

Day of Wrath (1943)--filmed during the Nazi occupation of Denmark--is set in a 17th-century village where the fear of witchcraft and the repression of human passions lead to tragedy. Ordet (1955) is considered by many to be Dreyer's masterpiece. This complex family drama is both moving and challenging, and the ending is one of cinema's greatest moments. Gertrud (1964) tells the story of a woman's search for fulfillment. Nina Pens Rode gives an extraordinary performance, heightened by Dreyer's peerless pacing and composition.

Accompanying the three films is a documentary by avant-garde filmmaker Torben Skjodt Jensen. Dreyer claimed to be surprised that anyone would want to make a film about him, but a greater understanding of the personality and the craft that went into the making of these films only enhances their impact. In spite of a career characterized by as many setbacks as successes, Dreyer's uncompromising commitment to his art (he once suspended filming because the clouds were moving in the wrong direction) resulted in work that continues to enthrall audiences and inspire filmmakers to this day.

Interviews with Dreyer's collaborators provide the backbone of MyMetier, but it is Jensen's visual approach--building layered images from photographs, manuscripts, and film clips--that explores and responds to Dreyer's movies in subtle but powerful ways. Instead of a succession of talking heads and illustrative excerpts, Jensen offers an impressionistic portrait of Dreyer in a documentary that is often as beautiful as its subject's own work. --Simon Leake ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Abstract yet personal
This great package contains films by one on the masters of modern cinema. Dreyer's work provides a marvellous antidote to what passes for cinema in today's world. Dreyer's films are in effect works of art.
Of this set, my two favorites are Ordet and Gertrud. All of Carl Dreyer's film manage to magically combine the physical and the metaphysical. It takes time to get into the pace of these films, but one into them, they are totally absorbing. The pace required is that of real time. These films restore real emotion and humanity to film, so very different from what passes for emotion and feeling in most of today's Hollywood productions.
To understand these films it is necessary to work from the inside out as it were. We are required to do the work for ourselves. We have to think and feel for ourselves as we watch these films. They are theraputic in the sense that the viewer has to slow down and pay attention. Everything counts in a Dreyer film.
These film are at one and the same time abstract and very personal. I can see how they have influenced fellow Dane Lars von rier.
For anyone is looking for action and external excitement in their films, I would suggest that they look elsewhere, but if they are want to see meditative works of art, this is the place to find them.

Necessary.
The only sad thing about this collection is that it doesn't include Dreyer's working of Jesus' life which, of course, is because he never filmed it or really completed the script. All other work represented is tops. From "Ordet", the classic play by fellow Dane Kaj Munk, to "Gertrud", this collection is a must have. The documentary shines light on his techniques, approach & brilliance. For some reason Dreyer's not as well known as another director great, Ingmar Bergman, but maybe this collection will help in that regard.

Known mostly for his wonderful interpretation of "Joan of Arc" & "Vampyr", Dreyer's later work is equally riveting (if not moreso). His understanding of the human condition shines through in each film.

If you have a penchant for Scandinavian film-making, this is a necessary buy. If you just love films, it's well worth your time to decide if it's your cup of tea.

Finally, as for Criterion's working- it's tops, as usual. Their attention to detail evident in each film they persue.

Great Box Set
It is fantastic that Criterion supervised this release. The biography disc is OK - too bad we didn't get 'Vampyr' instead - but the three Dreyer movies alone are worth far more than Criterion asks us to pay.

Worth Buying Just For One Film
The box set is unquestionably costly but in the set, there is one film that's absolutely worth buying for in its full cost. The film is ORDET - Carl Dreyer's crowning achievement. The photography is among the most beautiful you'd ever seen. I was an atheist for more than two decades and this film changed all that. It's that powerful. ORDET is a quilt of raw images and emotions that will burn into your soul eternally ... the dialogues between the folks are shockingly refreshing despite the film's age. Please do not read the notes that come with the DVD or otherwise your experience will be screwed up. I've been a happy owner of the box set for more than a year now even though I've seen only one film out of the set. ORDET is really that extraordinary.

Essential
This collection would be improved by inclusion of the early Dreyer comedy The Master of The House. I have seen Gertrud and The Day of Wrath in the cinema several times and Gertrud is on my list of all time top ten. The severity minimal means achieving maximum effects are the essence of what director/critic/screenwriter called "the transcendental style". The story of a woman's' love that was never requited by those who loved sounds simple enough but then, Dreyer would not be the master he is if he had not turned it into something beautiful that is intrinsically tied to the means of the film as medium itself. I thin that this film has only 57 shots. Yes 57! Long camera takes and static camera setups are what make this particular film and unforgettable experience. Definitely not for all tastes but once you see it you will probably be hooked. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Russian master Alexander Sokurov has tapped into the very flow of history itself for this flabbergasting film. Thanks to the miracles of digital video, Sokurov (and cinematographer Tilman Buttner) uses a single, unbroken, 90-minute shot to wind his way through the Hermitage in St. Petersburg--the repository of Russian art and the former home to royalty. Gliding through time, we glimpse Catherine II, modern-day museumgoers, and the doomed family of Nicholas II. History collapses on itself, as the opulence of the past and the horrors of the 20th century collide, and each door that opens onto yet another breathtaking gallery is another century to be heard from. The movie climaxes with a grand ball and thousands of extras, prompting thoughts of just how crazy Sokurov had to be to try a technical challenge like this--and how far a distance we've traveled, both physically and spiritually, since the movie began. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (54)

Russian Ark
Russian Ark, which consists of a single uninterrupted shot that lasts 96 minutes, truly is an amazing technical feat. Other films have dealt with similar premise (the ill-conceived Timecode, for example, features 4 uncut shots simultaneously), but it's even more impressive here because the movie isn't in real-time. We follow our narrator as he roams through the Hermitage, interacting with various people and historical events that span several centuries. It's also a visually breathtaking film. The magnificent Hermitage alone is enough to cause visual sensory overload, but gorgeous costumes and perfectly executed and choreographed scenes were very impressive as well. The final dance sequence (followed by people exiting the room) can only be fully appreciated on the big screen.

What's the Russian Word for 'Magnificent' ?
Digitally shot by a single high-definition steadicam, 'Russian Ark' is a 96-minute journey through 300 years of Russian art and history filmed in one unedited take. One might call back Mike Figgis' 'Timecode' (2000) that made it with four cameras, each shooting one take/story in real time and simultaneously displaying all takes on a quadruple-split screen. The finale comprised the climatic moment of all stories circumstantially coming together. Figgis utilized a cast of dozens. 'Russian Ark,' in contrast, features a masterfully orchestrated cast of 2,000 actors, dancers, and musicians all geared up to the full. To boot, Sokurov had only one day to get his shooting job done. We find us/him/them (all or none) in the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, among dramatic historical figures acting out startling fits in the Tsarist Empire, aggrandized by phenomenal sets and costumes, all drawn up by camerawork and choreography of surpassing excellence, and a mysterious man (out of place and time) introducing the feature with an appetizing "Where am I? I don't remember much. But there was an accident." As the camera transports that man from one situation to another, the film's power point begins to break through. And what a point it is. 'Russian Ark' is not a visit to the Hermitage. Rather, it is a tap on time's door; an unbroken train of thought that only our creative consciousness can make sense of and appreciate.

I believe the film was a challenge on all imaginable levels. Director of 'Empire,' 'Elegy of a Voyage,' 'The Dialogues with Solzhenitsyn' and other resplendent documentaries and feature films, Alexander Sokurov gives rise this time to a defining moment in cinema history.

A Cinematic Wonder
A film shot straight in 90 minutes, in one un-interrupted sequence - no cuts- not more than one take for any of the scenes!

Not just that, Alexander Sokurov - the legendary Russian director who debuted in 1978 with his "The Lonely Voice of Man" has done so many firsts in the movie that this wonder just has to be taken seriously. Sokurov has generated his works at the cross-roads of two fundamental film genres: documentary and "fiction". After having made nearly forty films over a period of two decades he is still searching for the language of cinematography which, as he says, the now hundred-year-old child - Cinema, has as yet not been able to develop.

Shot in high definition digital format and then put on 35mm, this film used the latest in digital technology and was recorded, entirely, on a hard-disk. The movie is shot at The Hermitage in St. Petersburg and was the first feature to be allowed to be shot in the museum, or at least the first movie that wasn't about the Revolution. Hundreds of actors gathered at The Hermitage in 36 different rooms on the 23rd of December 2001 to shoot this movie. Shooting on the shortest day of the year, and balancing the light in that season in St. Petersburg for a one-take sequence of 90 minutes wouldn't have been an easy task mind you. The movie features live performances from 4 symphonic orchestras one of which is The Hermitage's own famous philharmonic orchestra. Void of modern cinematic luxuries, Alexander has, in truly a work of artistic genius, managed to add a touch of complete surrealism to the movie.

Set across four centuries in an extremely surreal time-travel fashion, the movie captures the life in and around The Hermitage and re-enacts moments of history and art in one of the most epic and elaborate fashion. Not for even a single second does the movie compromise on the theatrical details for the sake of the challenge of being shot in one take. Authentic costumes and the comments on the work of art on display at The Hermitage museum are immaculately detailed and accurate. The movie almost effortlessly takes the viewer through the history, like a story-teller talking about the ages in one breath. Not failing to capture the sentiments of the ages, you would find comments on the Russian dislike of the European, as well as the political bonds and resistances that existed between Persia and Russia.

Termed most often as one of the best post-soviet Russian movie, Russian Ark is more than just that. If it weren't a Russian Movie, or was set in centuries of Italian history, the world would have perhaps come to admire it more. Fully recommended to everyone for the storylines of the movie as well as for the flawless technical details. Surely goes down in the history of cinema as one of the most artistic works ever.

A Unique, Great Film
A 90-minute movie centered on St. Petersburg's Hermitage Museum, filmed in one unbroken take by a digital steadicam, didn't send a lot of Americans racing to buy tickets when it was shown here two or three years ago. The movie, however, is far more than just a technical stunt. It's a unique tour de force with emotional impact.

Russian Ark portrays the Hermitage as a kind of cultural and historical ark floating on centuries of Russian seas. The narrative device is a shadowy eighteenth century Frenchman who wanders the halls and time periods, commenting often with good-natured European condescension on what he sees. He is accompanied by a Russian who is never seen, and who questions him about his comments. The movie ranges through time with appearances of Peter the Great, Catherine II, Puskin, Nicholas II and his family, generals, maids, flunkies and diplomats. The Frenchman, played with great style by Russian actor Sergei Dreiden, takes us to painting and sculpture galleries, kitchens, ballrooms, storerooms, basements and living quarters as we observe things that happened in the Hermitage over the centuries.

At first, I was very aware of the technical feat of no cuts. Gradually, though, I think most people just relax and accept the skill of the director and photographer, and become immersed in what they are seeing. A kind of unreal imagery takes hold. The movie ends with the last dance held in the Great Ballroom before WWI. Hundreds of actors and dancers, in full costume, swirl around this ornate setting, and swirl around the camera as well, while the camera glides through the crowds. It's a terrific scene, and is followed by the end of the dance with all the hundreds of guests making their way through the halls and staircases to leave the building, with the camera facing them and moving along in front of them.

The DVD has several extras, but in my view the best is Film in One Breath. It is the documentary of the making of the movie. Enormous planning went into Russian Ark, and the actual filming required split second coordination with the actors, the lighting and the camerman. Any mistake, and they had to start over. There were two mistakes; they were successful on the third try. Tillman Buttner, the movie's director of photography who wore the steadicam, has excellent stories to tell.

This is a highly unusual film, probably a great one.

The DVD transfer is first rate.

Comparison with Real Time (Tiempo Real)
by Beth Accomando, KPBS Film Critic

Yet even Sokurov¹s careful staging and deft touch can¹t completely distract us from the novelty of his device. There are times when scenes seem staged just for us to marvel at the difficulty of their execution rather than for strict advancement of the story. So there are moments when we are pulled out of the story simply to gape in awe at the logistics and that¹s a flaw. In some ways the low budget Mexican film Tiempo Real (which is certificated by Guinness Book of World Records as the first film to be shot entirely in one shot from one camera) makes less self-conscious use of its one-shot formula precisely because it is gritty and low budget. The lack of funds combined with shooting on contemporary, real streets ends up distracting us from the gimmicky technique because we¹re less conscious of how everything¹s being staged. So in an odd sense, it is the very elaborateness of Sokoruv¹s film and its spectacular choreography of people and events that makes it more self-conscious in its technique. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

just short of being another great '70's erotic classic.....
I don't know what all the fuss is about Jean Rollin's films! This soft core 1970's Eurosex farce has plenty of nude women writhing around with each other, in one scene after another. However, it falls short of having "sexually tense" scenes that would seriously arouse its viewers. The women here are good looking enough...The "simulated" sex scenes are somewhat hot but many of them go on for too long to be credible. The dungeon sequence could have been filmed much hotter, especially if Rollin had showed the captive nude girl actually get whipped and beaten, the director opted for whpping sound effects and (lame) screaming in the background.

The only reason this film garners three stars from me is that it still has more sexual freedon than anything produced by Hollywood or Canal + today! Again...I would highly recommend the supreme '70's sex classic "The Image" or "The Story of O" to those fellows who want to screw their dripping wet dates either during, or shortly after she watches either of those two soft core sexy films! Women will say they don't like to watch those kinds of films....but check how wet [they are] and see if they have "spoken the truth"!!!

genius...a MASTERPIECE !!!!!
I collects over 50 euro sleaze dvd
this one is definetely one of the best !
plenty of NUDITY and the women are beautiful.
joelle couer she is gorgeous !!!!
A PERFECT EYE CANDY
for a pervert like me...

Don't Even Woof At This Dog!
This is the kind of film that gives soft porn a bad name. A juvenile "plot", poor dialog, and wooden "acting" - Ed Wood movies are better produced. Yes there's several naked women and a naked man, but except for "Valerie" they're not very attractive, and completely un-erotic. Don't waste your money: this French picnic needed more bread and wine and much less cheese!

A bad, bad, stupid dog...
If they had made it into a porn movie, it would have been as bad and boring as 99% of them. However, they went for erotism and they failed miserably. One almost misses the close-ups and other porn tricks.

The plot? What plot? Nothing makes sense. It is soporific, sophomoric and utterly senseless. Only one star because we do not have less than that.

Soft-core, maybe hard-core, sex as art film
This is a great DVD to have if you just want to relax, kickback, and watch a sex art film done tastefully. And definitely a great film to watch with a girlfriend.

From the amazing 70's, Jean Rollin's Bacchanales Sexuelles shows us how pure and natural a woman's naked body was back then when compared to today's siliconed breasts and shaved crotches. In the 70's, it was all natural: "We've got bush!"

Ah, the French women. The French women in this film are just delicious. There are plenty of sex and thankfully the soundtrack is mainly loud in the sex scenes--the moaning is drowned by the music. You can still watch this in loud (mono) stereo speakers without making your neighbors suspect that you are watching a porno flick or actually doing the wild thing.

A great collection to have if you like the 70's. ... Read more

Description

In a riot of color and music, master animator Bruno Bozzetto offers his irreverent tribute to Disney’s Fantasia.Transcending parody, this erotic, satiric, and delirious animated feature represents Bozzetto’s vision of the world.In six distinct episodes, fantastic cartoon creatures march, slither, and bounce to the classical rhythms of Debussy, Dvorak, Ravel, Sibelius, Vivaldi, and Stravinsky.Perhaps most entrancing is the visualization of Ravel’s "Bolero," in which the dregs of a Coke® bottle set forth a frenzied animal evolution across a surreal landscape.Maurizio Nichetti (The Icicle Thief, Volere Volare) stars in the equally wild live-action sequences that introduce each piece.For many critics, Allegro non troppo matches or surpasses the imagination and technique of Disney’s masterpiece. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Finally,..to be released on DVD
I have the laserdisc of Allegro Non Troppo, and it's good to see that it's finally going to be released on DVD. As most readers of this already know, ANT is Bruno Bozzetto's Fantasia-styled movie. ANT has a beautiful sense of humor that no Disney animated movie has had. Some of the animation in some of the scenes is "primitive" compared to Fantasia, but the simple animation works very well with the humorous scenes. My favorite animated scenes? Slavonic Dance and the Finale. Very funny stuff (and very simply drawn, too.) This is a great movie and I hope it gets proper treatment for DVD. One thing that appears to be missing from the DVD is the English-dubbed track for the live-action scenes between the animated scenes. It will be nice to hear the original Italian dialog, but I will not be able to understand it and have to rely on the subtitles. It's sad that the English dubbing has not been included. (Why hasn't it been included?) Especially in comedies like ANT, dubbing into other languages can be used for comedic effect. (An extreme example of this is What's Up, Tiger Lily?) For this reason, I'm giving 4 stars for the DVD. Despite the lack of the English track, I'm eagerly awaiting the DVD's release...but I will still hang on to my laserdisc.

Brilliant animation, pretty good satire
It's okay to like Fantasia and Allegro non troppo too. But they're not the same, which makes the satire of Disney so funny, especially after 20 years of massive Disney expansionism.

Animating music, which is inherently abstract, is always a risk. However, if you aren't too worried about everything being pretty (like in Fantasia), this film will work for you. How can you tell? If you're still dry-eyed after watching the Sibelius Walse triste sequence, there's something wrong with you.

Highly Entertaining
I'd seen this in college (about 1979?) as required for a music course. There were no Italian translations, and I mostly found it confusing. The DVD release has subtitles, and is most enjoyable. I especially found the "Best of" additional short works funny and mildly political (love/peace/green earth hippie ideals of the 1960's and 1970's). There's enough sexual content and mild nudity that I'd would suggest not for younger than 10 year olds.

Superb!
This really is a wonder to behold. The animation is breath taking and the stories are straight from the heart. Much better than Fantasia. Also, the bonus footage on the DVD is wonderful. Buy this DVD!

Video for Music Class
Allegro Non Troppo is the best animated feature I have ever seen. All the humor and pathos of music are creatively expressed in each segment. I saw this feature in college and have never forgotten it. My favorite part is the "Sad Waltz" (Valse Triste) by Sibelius. ABSOLUTELY STUNNING! I will be using parts of the movie in my music classes. The kids need something new and fresh. ... Read more

Description

Jean Renoir's 1939 classic is widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made, and Criterion is very proud to present the film in a special two-disc edition. Cloaked in a comedy of manners, this scathing critique of corrupt French society is about a weekend hunting party at which amorous escapades abound among the aristocratic guests-which are also mirrored by the activities of the servants downstairs. The refusal of one of the guests to play by society's rules sets off a chain of events that ends in tragedy. ... Read more

Reviews (36)

The Game Rules
"The Rules of the Game" directed by Jean Renoir is now ranked #1 on many film critic lists. Renior built a comedy of manners around old stories. When this film was viewed in Paris in 1939 there was a near riot. The critics hated it for political reasons, but also because characters were walking about the Chateau at amazing speed and angles. If you don't understand the history of the beginnings of WW2, then all will be lost on your Philistine soul. Somehow in an upstairs-downstairs comedy, Renior has described the failed French society. I'll describe the plot concept using English names. Randy, the aviator loves the rich lady, Christine. She's not French; she's Viennese (the only outsider). He's a romantic fool, she's an innocent compared to the Parisian women like Clair, the sophisticated lover of Christine's husband, the Count. Renior plays Alph, a court jester character and friend of Christine from the old days. He's a failed musician. He's also Randy's best friend. The French Count is played by a Jewish actor (which was a scandal in itself considering the anti-Semitism in Europe) So they all leave Paris and go to the country estate of the Count where we meet the servants of the Chateau. Christine's maid, Crystal is playing around with Alph and the newly hired rabbit poacher Jimmy. The gamekeeper, the cuckold Paul chases the amorous Jimmy around the Chateau with a gun for the next forty minutes. All the lovers and friends switch partners amidst declarations of love, slaughter of animals, and fist fights. In the end, noone is in love with anyone and all of society is concerned with the game, which is where he or she were in the first place. Truth is not a concern and the masterpiece is complete.

The DVD of the Year.
On its surface, "The Rules of the Game" is a light farce involving the couplings - and decouplings - of an assortment of weekend guests staying at the chateau of the Comte de la Cheyniest (Marcel Dalio). Without knowing any other context, the film can be enjoyed on this level: Renoir's writing (he co-scripted) is witty and his direction is elegant and sublime. His fluid long-shots make you feel like you're gliding along in this rarified - though topsy-turvy - world; and his open approach to the actors is suffused with generosity. He never allows us to focus on one particular person, or couple, because, in this social world, "everyone has their reasons" and everyone's actions bounce and intertwine with everyone else's.

As a homage and updating of a classic French farce, "Rules" is flawless; it is, however, as a commentary on the decline of a social order that makes this more than a cinematic souffle. Shot in 1939, "between Munich and the War" as Renoir says, the film is portrait of the European aristocracy where ethical codes (conjugal fidelity above all) are not only violated, but are even dismissed as irrelevant. Human relationships collapse and reform with sudden ease (witness the gameskeeper and the poacher) and those who cling to outmoded notions of love and faithfulness set themselves up for disaster (such as the aviator). This is the domestic complement to Renoir's war drama, "La Grande Illusion", where the mournful French and German artistocratic officers, having more in common amongst themselves than with the common soldiers of their respective nationalities, lament that mechanized warfare has rendered their class irrelevant.

Both "Illusion" and "Rules" may seem irrelevant themselves in the US, which did not have a traditional feudal aristocracy. Yet both films fascinate by showing individuals attempting to survive, and thrive, in worlds where the old, comfortable standards no longer apply. If the aristocrats in "Rules" openly, and rather disinterestedly, conduct affairs with each others' spouses, why shouldn't a humble poacher poach a gameskeeper's wife too? If "everyone has their reasons", the famous quote from the film, then, who's to decide which "reasons" are justified or unjust, legitimate or scandalous?

The Criterion double-disc sets its own standards. The extras are plentiful and fascinating, including interviews from the few remaining cast and crew members, the essay booklet intelligent and penetrating, and the transfer quality of the film is superb considering the film's history (having been cut at its premiere, banned, its original negative destroyed in WWII, and finally reassembled in the late 1950's). This disc was clearly a labor of love and the effort shows throughout: this disc is worth Criterion's asking price.

One of the greatest movie ever. Hardly.
Let's see. We have an aldulterer, a cheat, a liar, a slut & a guy with anger management issues. They all exist in this ultra chic, super rich sub-culture. If such a time (the 30's) & place ever existed it is easy to see why the French lost to the Germans, one year after this movie was actually made.
It is of course a satire & a pretty good one at that. The host, of a weekend hunting party has a mistress. He is afraid his wife is going have an affair with the another guest a hero flyer a la Charles Lindberg. But she has other admirers as well. My favorite character is the slut, the maid whose new husband take exception to her behavior. The whole mess is overseen by Jean Renoir, the director, who is also a major player in the movie itself. Eventually there is a murder. I won't tell who is murdered or who the murderer is here. On the dvd there is an alternate ending. A shorter version of the last scenes came out in 1959. This imparts a totally different context from the original which was banned in 1939. It is well done & gives different meanings to the motives of all involved. The major drawback is it is in French with English subtitles. But you'd want to pay strict attention to this one in any case.

The Rules of the Game - Criterion Collection
When affluent Marquis Robert de la Chesnaye (Marcel Dalio) hosts a party at his sprawling property, emotions run high. Guests include Robert's mistress Genevieve (Mila Parely) and pilot Andre Jurieu (Roland Toutain), who fancies Robert's wife, Christine (Nora Gregor). Meanwhile, Schumacher (Gaston Modot) is trying to keep Marceau (Julien Carette) from hitting on his wife (Paulette Dubost). All the while, the servants watch with great interest.

I again can not think of a title
Corruption of the French aristocracy and their "Rules of the game" that they abide by in order to remain where they are, it revolves around a central plot of this pilot who flies to France for the woman he loved but she is marries and the husband is trying to end the affair and they are all with a bunch of members of the aristocracy, it is truly a great film. Criterion collection is growing to my liking quite a lot, the picture and sound are great for a movie made in 1939. Good movie, watch it you fiend. ... Read more

Reviews (172)

Yes, Urban Fairy-Tales Do Exist.
The first time I heard of CITY was after I saw ALIEN: Resurrection (another neo-classic stoner fantasy); I wanted to see more movies by this young French director (or wherever the Deuce he's from). The title impressed me immediately.

THE CITY OF LOST CHILDREN

How can you deny the appeal of such an interesting title? Even better, one of my favorite actors was in it: Ron Perlman, among the top five most versatile American actors. It was a year after hearing about the movie that I actually saw it; believe it or not: It was worth the wait.

Essentially, someone's stealing kids and when those someones steal the wrong kid, D'Henri, the "little brother" of circus strongman, Mr. One (Perlman), it sets into motion a series of events culminating into a beautiful street fairy-tale. It's got a group of child-thieves and a Siamese Twin ring-leader, a Mad Scientist and several clones, a disembodied brain and a midget wife, a group of blind zealots collectively known as the "Cyclops," hypnotizing fleas, and a little boy who can't stop eating. Who can resist all that?

Great color and surprisingly good special effects. It should come out on DVD, if it isn't already. (Hey, I'm talking to you, people who make DVDs. Whoever you are.)

The Greatest Film of all time!
The City of Lost Children is absuloutely the greatest film ever made. From Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro comes a twisted fairy tale with a load of villains and heros. It bases in a strange, twisted, floating city. Where a carnival strongman takes a poor, homeless boy into his home. But the evil Cyclops that terrorize the city kidnap. That's when the adventure begins. He then goes searching for him and teams up with a small girl named Miette. Together, the strong man (One) and Miette. Go searching for the lost boy. They soon enter a strange underworld. Learning that a madman played perfectly by Daniel Emilfork, a Princess, and six bumbling, clumbsy clones are kidnapping childre because the madman(Krank) was created with the others by a perfessor and Krank can't dream. So now they kidnap children and steal their dreams. But all the children fear him and have nightmares. Krank soon buys One's child from the Cyclops and uses him in his master plan. Now Miette and One bind a relationship while two evil twins hunt them down, while meeting a strange scuba diver, a psychotic circusman, and the Cyclops layer. All of the adventure is jammed pack into one movie. It's my favorite, I can't take my eyes off of it. See this film! The Directors and great and also directed a similar film, Delicatessan.

jacque le blew- this blew!!!!!!!!
i take back my title , maybe this movie just wasn't for everyone. the dubbing was awful, and story just dragged on for too long. but all isn't lost........ the movie is visually stunning!! thats it take it or leave it!

The wierdest movie I've ever seen!
This was one of the most bizarre and well done movies I've ever seen. It took me about three times watching it to understand the plot completely, but it was well worth it. The children in the movie are fabulos, and the visuals are really amazing. If you have not already seen this movie, I would highly recommend it.

One of the best
So few movies these days really capture my mind. This is one of those movies from start to finish hands down one of the best. City of Lost Children is not for everyone but it's smart creative storytelling is all there. Dark humor and twisted effects set the tone for this film. if your a fan of a sweet films and dark humor than give this movie a try ... Read more

Reviews (48)

like gin and tonic in a hot day
This movie could well be the European version of the American sitcom. Being European means that it's short(er,) sex(-ual perversity some would say) comes as a matter of factly, and with the major theme strongly anchored in the current state of European affairs. New and old national clichés are being illustrated by the characters in an novel setting. The characters, embodying students from different European nations, share (or rather overfill) an apartment in Barcelona. We see the Italian gaffe-ur, the righteous Brit, the history sensitive German, the French rationalist, etc. slowly inventing a common language, (which at times could be English, Spanish, French,) trading-off space and time, continuously testing the(ir) confines, all these and more in order to reach short-lasting yet fulfilling equilibria. There is a funny illustration even for the "extramarital" affair between Britain and the USA...

The actors' play is refreshing and casting is appropriate. The whole movie has plenty of color and maintains a sustained rhythm throughout. There will be more ways than one in which one can view/describe this movie, however one can at least enjoy it for its freshness that feels like a gin-and-tonic in a hot summer day. A well deserved 4 star...

Fun, frivolous, Euro-Friends froth
This film is a lot of fun. Basically "Friends" in a Euro setting. It's a bit more "coming of age" story than your average episode of Friends (read: slightly deeper), and the visuals are more attractive than Friends' NY apartment. So, I'd recommend it as a good date movie. There are however major chunks of political Euro-correctness that (happily) will be missed by most Yank viewers (The Catalan language discussion, identity politics preaching, Erasmus as euro-intellectual, etc.), and the film's happy ending has little to do with the hijinks at the Spanish apartment in Barcelona. The suggestion is that somehow the largely (superficial and shallow) sexual exploits in Barcelona helped our protagonist discover his inner-artist (writer) and avoid the marriage plus EC-bureaucrat path he was originally on. The characters are interesting (at least those that are more developed), but most are little more that cardboard cut-outs filling a role rather than manifesting a personality. And none are any deeperer than Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Monica, Phoebe, or Joey (In fact, the one American --- a.k.a. "stupid American" -- in the flick may actually be Joey. This too seems to be part of the film's Euro-polictical anti-American correctness.) It's a fun movie, but it ain't as deep or psychologically insightful as it wants to be --- or would like the viewer to think it is. Still, it beats most of the fare available at your local Blockbusters. So give it a go, y'all!

The BEST film after Amélie...
This film is absolutely beautiful, almost perfect...perfect, indeed! The best film I have ever seen after, of course, Amélie...
What can I say? It's an EUROPEAN film, and that says it all...enjoy this beautiful piece of art...and let you go...Dream...

Good movie - but some scenes were obviously cut from the DVD
I remember seeing the poster for this movie at a movie theater
where it was playing last year - movie sounded interesting but
didn't see it at the time. Forgot about it until a couple of weeks ago, when I saw Around the World in 80 Days - the lead female character was played by Cecile de France. Intrigued by this actress, I did a database search on her and found out she was in L'Auberge Espagnole, along with Audrey Tautou (who I
remembered from Dirty Pretty Things). So I ordered this DVD.

Enjoyed this movie, especially de France's character (the lesbian
student). It sort of reminds me of my stays at youth hostels when I travel, where you meet and hang out with others who are mainly from Europe (and Down Under). You also run into exchange
students at these places as well (usually taking a break from
their studies and travelling around their host country).

However, it was obvious that the scene where the English sister and brother were arguing in her bedroom was severly cut, evident in the sloppy editing (especially right after she kicks him out of her room, you see a cut and then you see them hugging and making up). The edits were also mentioned by a reviewer from
April 6th - there could be others but I didn't see the movie at a theater, so I'm not sure.

Like chocolate cake!
In the movie, L'auberge espagnol (The Spanish Apartment) is translated as "European pudding" - an apt description of the movie it titles. The plot? Xavier, 24, out of school and unsure of his prospects spends a year in Barcelona. Why? He's studying economics and learning Spanish so he can get a job in stocks back in his native Paris. After three weeks of living on the couch of an acquaintance he met at the airport, our man finds a place with a group of European students in the same exchange program, and the eurpoean mixing commences. The players? Spanish, Belgian, English, Swedish, Italian, French, and German. All are equally chill in a generic, college aged, exchange student way. The story follows everyone as they work, study, play, fall in and out of love, and generally amuse us with their mistakes and foibles. Though fitting seven strangers in one small apartment seems like a Real World setup (with arguments and sex to follow) the players all seem extremely mellow. If there are fights, they're about the obnoxious houseguests...but even this can be either appreciated or ignored. Perhaps it's all the pot smoking they're doing, but the roommates really did get along, and while they were at it they made me believe that anyone could live and play in Spain, even neurotic old me.

L'auberge espagnol is a coming-of-age fable set in modern day Barcelona, where the players are hip and the Bohemian rules. The movie is like a piece of cake (or pudding?): fluffy, sweet, and makes you feel good without weighing you down. It's on the edge of being a chick-flick but doesn't have the happy ending you might expect. It's a good film...and even better if you're going on an exchange program and want a morale boost. The whimsical filming and editing smooth the icing quite nicely, and the beautiful locations don't hurt, either. ... Read more

Description

The lives of four characters flow in all directions, past,present and future, dragging all of them towards an unsuspected destiny. Golden Globe WINNER: Best Foreign Language Film. Academy Award Nominee: Achievement in Directing.Academy Award WINNER: Original Screenplay. Directed by Pedro Almodovar (All About My Mother, Flower of My Secret,High Heels). ... Read more

Reviews (106)

Psychopaths Need Love Too
Once again, Pedro Almodovar has delivered yet another complex movie mended together by his visual style and great actors.
The story is triggered off by Lydia (Rosario Flores, musician) , who as a female bullfighter, gets mauled in the coliseum during a fight, which leaves her in a coma. At her side, her lover Mauricio, stays uncomfortably with her at all times. Here we meet Benigno, a male nurse appointed to take care of Alicia, in a coma as well. Throughout the story, we sense that Mauricio seems to be attracted to the emotionally starved, which leads him to form a bond with Benigno, who apparently lives for Alicia.

Once again, I give my hat off to Almodovar for creating a movie made by the characters, rather than situations. From the beginning, Pedro gives us outcomes first, then the causes, a style that works so well that by the end, you feel the characters truly exist. By doing this, our minds begin to actually feel FOR the character, even if by theory, the character deserves no mercy. THAT is the incredible and unique style of Pedro Almodovár, which I love.

This film made me want to see more of Benigno, which, without spoiling anything, I'll have to say that I SHOULDN'T want to see more of him, since he is the "antagonist" in this picture. Is this sounding odd? Contradictory? YES! one must see this piece of work to appreciate, 2 years in the making and well worth the wait.

A compelling and tragic masterpiece
"Hable con Ella", as they say in Spain, follows the tragic paths of four people: Marco and Benigno, Lydia and Alicia. Marco falls in love with Lydia, a female bullfighter, who is gored by a bull. Benigno becomes obsessed with a dancer, Alicia, whom he can see from his apartment window practising in a studio. A car knocks Alicia down and Benigno becomes her nurse. Both women slip into a coma and it is in the hospital that the two men meet. Without giving too much of the plot away, they both lose the woman in their lives, but they find friendship with one another. This is the bare bones of the story. As with most of Almodovar's films, there are subtle depths that require repeated viewing to appreciate them fully. Almodavar deftly weaves the separate strands of the complex relationship of the four leading characters into a tightly focused and compelling piece of story-telling. Sad and uplifting, ironic and sympathetic, touching and unsentimental, this is a wonderful film. The acting is first-rate; Alberto Iglesias' score is enchanting, and Javier Aguirresarobe's cinematography is easy on the eye.

Pedro Almodovar's most captivating film yet
Any fan of Pedro Almodovar recognizes the sheer complexity of his work. He brings filmmaking to a level rarely experienced in U.S. American cinemas, mixing the use of the photographic frame with cultural truisms and scathing commentary on sex, gender and love. Among all of his truly phenomenal works, this film is his best to date. The love affairs that Almodovar presents in this film make us, the audience, at once enthralled and uncomfortable. We are, after all, witnesses to a rape that we believe came from a place of love, of a faithful male nurse feeling tiny in comparison to the power of his beautiful comatose patient's inviting organs, calling him in. Pedro Almodovar does what so few directors dare to do: he blurs the lines between love and violence, and asks us if we can still support this tragic, comical and kind man, and whether our more refined protagonist is guilty by association. This film is a gem, and among the best films to be released in the past five years.

"Nothing is simple."
Pedro Almodovar's "Talk to Her" is a disappointing follow-up to the director's much-superior "All About My Mother." While this outing aims for the same emotional bullseye that the previous film hit, it misses its mark by incalculable lengths. The end result is a mess of a film that is just all over the place.

Writer Marco Zuluaga (Darío Grandinetti) meets male nurse Benigno Martín (Javier Cámara) after Lydia González (Rosario Flores), a famous female matador, is gored. Staying at Lydia's bedside, he notices that one of the other patients on the same floor is a ballerina named Alicia (Leonor Watling) who has been in a coma since she was involved in a traffic accident. As Marco spends more and more time at Lydia's bedside, he starts to develop a deep friendship with Benigno who displays a similar devotion toward Alicia. Both men speak of their innermost feelings to their comatose companions which helps them to bring their lives into better focus. However, the friendship between the two men is severely tested when Benigno's relationship with Alicia takes a dark turn.

"Talk to Her" offers a unique take on the nature of companionship as its two male leads find some meaning in their lives by spending time with companions who may never be aware of their presence. It also explores the more feminine aspects of the male persona as both men assume the caretaker roles typically assigned to women and find satisfaction in it. However, when "Talk to Her" begins to examine the obsessive turn of one of the relationships, it becomes muddled. Instead of just being content with chronicling the nature and dynamics of male-female relationships, the film introduces a moral dilemma into the proceedings that adds a sinister undercurrent to the story. In essence, a strong character study film transforms into a morality tale that asks the viewer whether a wrong can be truly considered a wrong when it produces a positive outcome. This strange turn is not for the better. In the end, watching "Talk to Her" just feels like watching two disparate stories clumsily edited together.

Amazing!
When I heard the description of this story, I thought it sounded boring, and even a bit silly. But I saw it on friends' recommendations, and I was blown away! I don't buy many movies, but after renting this one, I was more than happy to make this purchase.

It is difficult to describe the appeal of this film. The acting is great, and the story is very well told, but I think the thing that sets this film apart is the characters. Almodovar somehow brilliantly manages to make you feel admiration, pity, and even anger at these people (often simultaneously).

This is absolutely one of the best films I've seen in a long time. Rent it, buy it, borrow it, but whatever you do, WATCH IT! ... Read more

Reviews (62)

Best love story I've ever seen,
In the spirit of "KIDS" this swedish film has brought the (sometimes disturbing) reality of High School to the big screen. Set in a small town, the story follows two best (female) friends into the frustratration that is teenage love. They bounce from party to party getting drunk and looking for boys, the monotony of the same thing every night drives one of the girls to look for love outside her group of friends.
Its hard for me to put in words (I'm no writer) how good this movie is, it takes "taboo" and makes it alright. This movie has adult themes including: adult language, adult situations, and brief nudity (a shot of a playboy centerfold that last no more than 10-20 sec). I hope that doesn't prevent open minded individuals from seeing this movie, trust me its worth the time!
If you don't want to buy, atleast go rent it, or watch it on HBO (that is where I saw it the first time). Its worth it: find it, watch it, I don't think you will regret it.

Foreign Import - Worth The Watch. Good Movie !
If you were ever a teenager, then this movie is for you....

Okay, so I'm being a bit broad based here, but this is a great film - and it touches so perfectly on what it's like to be a teenager, the feelings - confusions and emotions - that it's worth it's weight in gold.

The story follows a small group of Swedish youth, including an akward young girl "outsider" named Agnes who has fallen in love with her schools "it" girl: the very popular, especially with the boys, Elin.

The Elin/Agnes relationship is painful and beautiful at the same time. It's an excellent recollection of what it is to be a teenager in love, regardless of the sexuality. These are honest and true emotions, the kids portrayed could be any in any city, regardless of the country.

The film is full of angst and humor and a precious kiss.

The subtitles are done well and are easy to read.

If I had to pick a complimentary American film - get yourself a copy of "All Over Me" starring the wonderful Alison Folland.

Take a chance on this film - You won't regret it.

Best Regards, turtlex

See This Movie Or Die Unfullfilled
When i first got this flick in the mail, i figured it'd just be cool to see once or twice, no biggie. Once again, i was wrong. This is prolly the best movie i have seen all year. the cast was amazing, direction was much better then any american film i have seen commercialy released sind Hitchcock and the plot was very involving. Besides, thoese girls were SOOOO damned cute.

swedish movies sometimes suck, but not this one!!!
Well hello there!

Let me see. I feel like I can truthfully say that some movies from Sweden suck big time, but this "love story" is really good.

A typical young girl named Agnes, falls in love with Elin.
Agnes has discovered something about herself and she realizes that she is in love with Elin, the girl that every boy wants and with the reputation as the "schools slut" For some reason everyone thinks she has been with everyone.

Agnes is the geeky one with not many friends, and of course she has to carry her feelings for Elin all by herself. In the beginning Eling doesn't think much about Agnes. Just that she is a freak. But as Elin start getting to know Ahnes she realize that they have more in common than she first thought!

This is one of the best swedish movies I have ever seen. It is not based on the fact that we have to see erotic scenes between Agnes and Elin. Instead we can see two people falling in love, and not giving a da** what other people think of them!!

I suggest that you see it!! It's really good!!

I am from Sweden, and the only thing I don't like would be the translation from Fu**ing Åmål to Show me Love. but but, sometimes we translate american movies i