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1900 is one of Bernardo Bertolucci's adventures in epic filmmaking that never found the reception he had hoped for. Originally more than six hours long, it was chopped down to four hours for its U.S. release and as a result looked, well, choppy. Eventually, he restored it to five hours--but one wonders at all the effort on behalf of this alternately muddled and stunning story. The film, with a decidedly socialist agenda, examines two lives that begin the same year in rural Italy: the weak-willed son of the aristocracy (Robert De Niro) and the hardy, courageous son of peasants (Gerard Depardieu). They grow up as best friends on the same estate, until class differences pull them apart and then the era's fascist politics divide them for good. Despite strong performances by both leads, as well as Sterling Hayden, Donald Sutherland, Dominique Sanda, and Burt Lancaster, this one is strictly for Bertolucci's most avid fans. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Tiresome to sit through
An interesting idea for a film but not well executed. Much of the acting was so broad it was annoying or not believable (part of that was due to the dubbing). Too often the actors are overly emotional. There are too many scenes of characters being very exciting or angry or yelling or crying. Also, some of the leisurely scenes that don't really move the plot along were of little interest.

The Cult-Movie for the Working Class
Simply the Movie of my Life .I guess the DVD extras will be smashing!

Career nadir
This film drove Bertolucci to a nervous breakdown and he had to take a year off after making it, becoming an incessant pill-popper into the bargain. One can see how much pressure was put on him. '1900' had the largest film budget he had to work with up to that time in his career. Add to that fact that this was an epic picture about a period in his own country's history and the expectation on him must have been enormous. Unfortunately Bertolucci at this point in his career was totally out of his depth in dealing with such a conceptual behemouth. It would take him over 10 years before he could again tackle the political history of a country on such an epic scale. Ironically that epic would be set in China.

Controversy surrounded the film on its release in Italy as much of the film portrays a flawed knowledge of Italian history. The trial of the DeNiro character at the end was invented by Bertolucci as a utopian vision of how Italian history should have developed. Even the Italian Communist Party was upset at this depiction as they claim they never practiced vigilante style executions after the war.

As a young director, Bertolucci saw himself as stubbornly arrogant, not giving a second thought to what his audience may think. '1900' was the first movie he made where he kept in mind the spectatorship he was trying to reach. Paradoxicaly, '1900' would end up his least engaging film because he tried to envelop too many different visions.

About the different lenght versions of Novecento
Let me clarify the question of the different versions of this masterpiece.
The first cut (never released) was 6:15. The European released version was 5:25. In the meanwhile, Alberto Grimaldi (the film's producer) was negociating with Paramount a 3:15 version, betraying Bertolucci, who didn't know a word about.
After the European succes, Fox offered Bertolucci to work on a 4:15 version for the U.S. market. He accepted, and made a second 4:40 version. But Grimaldi's opposition take the case to a court. A judge viewed all three 5:25, 4:40 and 3:15 versions. He concluded that Grimaldi's short version was detrimental and incoherent. So he invited Bertolucci to work in a 4:15 version.
Bernardo did a third cut to 4:10, that had its premiere in the New York Film Festival. There, critics were very negative, since they already knew the european 5:25 version, and compared so. But Bertolucci once declared that this was simply another film; no a single sequence was missing, it just had another pace. For a given moment, he even prefered this version. But years later, he recognizes the short version lacks the "inexorable passing of time" of the full one.
Let me recall this is the only film in history that has put toghether -for the production- all three major studios then, Fox, United Artists and Paramount.
All this information was taken from the book Bertolucci por Bertolucci, the spanish version of Scene madri di Bernardo Bertolucci, from Enzo Ungari, based on the interviews by Donald Ranvaud about The Last Emperor.
I definitely agree with the people asking for a remastering and release on DVD of the 5:25 original version.

A truly masterpiece
I watched this epic on TV and was astonished. This is a real masterpiece which deserves to be transfered and digitally mastered (picture and sound) to DVD. 1900 is a powerful drama but also a great work of art. Ennio Morricone's beautiful music reflects the drama and the art perfectly. Can't wait for the full version DVD. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

like molasses, a little slow but very sweet
Based on Russell Janey's novel, the Ben Hecht/Quentin Reynolds script for this film is sometimes sappy and often uneven, but it's also a nice sentimental story, told in flashback, by William Dunnigan (played in a somber manner by Fred McMurray), a press agent who was never a very happy guy, and is burying the woman he loved (but was never able to tell her so).
The real reason to watch this film is to see Alida Valli play Joan of Arc, in a "film within a film" segment. She is luminous and incredibly beautiful, and would have made a terrific Joan. Coincidentally, the lavish "Joan of Arc" production starring Ingrid Bergman was released the same year as this film.

Another reason to view "The Miracle of the Bells" is to see Frank Sinatra, skinny as a rail, in the unlikely part of a soft spoken priest; this was five years before his success in "From Here to Eternity", and he is surprisingly good, but far from great. He sings "Ever Homeward", a cappella, as he sits among the grave stones; there's a lot of gloomy aspects to the film, one of them being that the setting is a poor coal mining town...though it all has a nice pay-off.
Lee J. Cobb is Marcus Harris, the film producer making "Joan of Arc", and he has the humorous moment in the film with his "I won't stand for any press agent miracles !" rant, which was funny enough to make me laugh out loud, a rarity for me.
Some might say it's improbable that headlines of "Nation Mourns For Movie Star" could ever happen, especially when the "movie star" is unknown, but seeing how today's media obsesses about inconsequential stories, and runs with them for days (nay, weeks !) on end, on a slow news cycle, anything could happen.
Total running time is 120 minutes.

Memorable Movie
Orginally, I saw this movie about ten years ago and it really left an impression on me. It brilliantly grabs the viewer's heart...You would have to be dead not to be touched by this film. I loved it and I'm getting ready to purchase a copy for my 15-year-old daughter to watch. I've shared with her many other classics I've valued in my lifetime, i.e. Jane Eyre (Orson Wells), Wuthering Heights, and Alice Adams. I hope she will treasure the classics as much as I do.

A Feel-Bad Christmas Movie
The first time I saw "The Miracle of the Bells" was a New Year's Eve party in 1980, and man, it was a bring down. Here is a somewhat nasty Fred MacMurray mourning the loss of Valli (from "The Third Man"), who had only just completed filming her Joan of Arc movie, the movie that would have catapulted this obscure nobody into a major star, it seems, but fate would have it otherwise, since she up and died. Frank Sinatra plays against type big time as a gentle young priest. I really disliked this movie, and I bet you would too.

Setzer's Amazing Vocals and Stronger Edge of Music, Yet...
On this '86 effort the Cats try for a little harder rock-a-billy edge.The only problem is that there is nothing really memorable that stands out (except for one country twang-like tune on which Brian Setzer's vocals soar). By '86 the public's interest with Stray Cat strut had started to become diluted. However, because of the type of music or genre the Stray Cats have mastered it is a true collector's keeper. While I do not own the c.d., my vinyl copy is flawless and the track listing is exactly the same (no extras or bonus tracks on the import c.d.).

kinda silly, kinda nice
One theme of this movie is the importance of becoming a movie star. Contrary to one review below, Sinatra does sing in this movie--and tries to act, too (he's pretty wooden, in my own humble opinion). The contention in the movie that the entire American nation would hysterically mourn the loss of an actress they'd never met, seen, or heard of, is, in a word, hysterical. But, all that said, this is a kinda fun movie to watch. VALLI is MAGNIFICENT! She should have played Joan of Arc--watch the movie and you'll see why. I've heard rumors that the film will be re-made with Tom Hanks as the actor and Meg Ryan as the agent! ... Read more

Description

Enjoy the fun of this sexy comedy winner! At a luxurious lakeside resort, an attractive red-headed guest (Vanessa Redgrave -- THE PLEDGE; GIRL, INTERRUPTED) has her eye on a handsome, well-to-do bachelor. But when he's more interested in a beautiful young flirt (Uma Thurman -- KILL BILL, VATEL), the mischievous redhead goes to outrageous lengths -- including a fling with a passionate younger man -- to reel in her wealthy catch! Filled with laughs and riotous comic confusion -- everyone's sure to love this delightfully sexy comedy! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

British Romantic Comedy in Italy
Set in gorgeous surrounding at Lake Come pre-WWII, it is tale about a British lady and major, with the triangle formed by an American girl who is a nanny to some Italians. Mix in a young Italian who falls in love with the older British lady and someone named "candlestick" and walla, a interesting film.

At times the plot droans and moans, but overall it is worth the watch. Redgraves is her exceptional fine actress, here has to carry much, with her grace and dignity and timing.

This is of another time and generation, so takes some patience and hanging in there.

Lake Como
A wonderul romantic comedy set in summer prior to WWII. Starring Vanessa Redgrave & Uma Thurman. The scenery and cinematography are simply beautiful, an Older Girlie Flick.

Nice Scenery
The acting and screen-play are poor (i could be wrong), but the scenery, and cinematography that captures it, are beautiful.

I would suggest Enchanted April.

Perfect Entertainment
Vanessa Redgrave is brilliant and absolutely gorgeous in this
fine film about spending a month in Italy. Uma Thurman comes
into the picture as a nanny for a couple of kids and she and
Vanessa vie for the attention of Edward Fox. I am basing this
review on the laserdisc which enchanced the movie considerably
and I imagine the dvd will be even better. One of those movies
that gets more enjoyable every time you watch it. And of course
I want to go back to Italy every time I see it. A perfect
companion piece to ENCHANTED APRIL (when will that be on DVD?)

VANESSA REDGRAVE TRUMPS UMA THURMAN...
This is a charming film about an older, free spirited English woman, an expatriate who in 1937 Italy is interested in an older, stuffy Englishman who is on vacation at the same lakeside resort. A young American nanny, who is at the resort with the family for whom she works, catches the same Englishman's eye. Their love triangle provides many interesting moments for the viewer.

Vanessa Redgrave, who only gets better with age, is charming as the older woman, Miss Bentley, who finds herself competing for the attentions of Major Wilshaw, curmudgeonly played by Edward Fox. Miss Beaumont, played with a certain repellent insousciance by Uma Thurman, capriciously tosses in her hat into the romance stakes. Miss Bentley finds herself playing second fiddle to Miss Beaumont. A young, attractive Italian, however, sees the charms that Major Wilshaw initially fails to appreciate, and Miss Bentley uses his interest in her to great advantage. When Major Wilshaw finally gets his wakeup call, all is well that ends well.

Miss Bentley's wardrobe and style is simplicity itself. Clearly, she is not a woman to follow fashion trends. Yet, she is clearly a woman who will follow where her heart will lead. The young and nubile Miss Beaumont is much more of a fashion maven, yet she lacks the depths of beauty that Miss Bentley naturally has, a beauty that grows from within rather than from without. This is a lovely movie that will make the viewer dream of a time long past. ... Read more

Description

Beautiful, strong-willed Kira (Alida Valli) is torn between two men (Rossano Brazzi and Fosco Giachetti) while shecourageously defies the authoritarian rule of post-revolutionary Russia. Her passionate struggle for the right to her own life burns at the core of WE THE LIVING.

A Scalera Films Production/Directed by Goffredo Allessandrini/From the novel by Ayn Rand/Released by Duncan Scott Productions, Inc. 174 Minutes/Black & White/In Italian with English subtitles. Copyright 1994 - Duncan Scott Productions, Inc. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

The best foreign film ever made
This movie was originally released in Italy in two parts. "Noi Vivi" ("We're Alive") and "Adio Kira" ("Farewell Kira"). Set in post-revolutionary Russia, this film was originally encouraged for production by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini because he thought it was of an anti-communist nature. He later banned it because of the film's anti-totalitarian/pro-individual rights message. I would like to think that this movie helped plant the seeds that lead to Mussolini's downfall. Interestingly enough, film makers in Mexico released a good movie during the 1990s named "Herod's Law" which was reported to have contributed to the demise of Mexico's P.R.I. government in which the film exposed the corrupt practices of the P.R.I. to cinema audiences in that country. "Herod's Law" was subsidized by the Mexican government who later sold their interest in the film. I believe Ayn Rand saw "We The Living" too before she died and she loved it. My family on my dad's side lived in Italy when Mussolini was dictator and I am involved in the libertarian movement so I appreciated this movie on two angles. While I wish the movie wasn't so long and expensive to purchase, I think, all-in-all, it is the best foreign film ever made! Everything else about this film is wonderful and belongs in any serious movie goer's collection. I hope at some point a DVD version of this movie can be done too. If more of films like this interest you, in addition to "Herod's Law" I also recommend "Bitter Sugar" done by director Leon Ichaso which takes place in Cuba and "The Official Story" which takes place in Argentina and won "Best Foreign Film" at the Academy Awards during 1984. To the cast and crew of this film: "Bravo dove mai lei sono!"

Disappointment is the name of the game
This film, obviously based upon Ayn Rand's book of the same name, is an extreme disappointment.
It might be worth [something], but nowhere near [what]I paid for it.
It leaves out almost everything that made the book a vivid portrait of extreme hardship and poverty.

Better Than Dr. Zhivago
"We The Living" combines the best of the young Romantic Ayn Rand, with movie making that could only be done by Italians. Be prepared to fall in love with Kira (Alida Valli), or with Leo (Rossano Brazzi). Being filmed in black and white with English subtitles only adds to the movie's allure.

With its love triangle, unusual plot twist and unrepentant romanticism, the political message is subtle compared to later Rand works such as "Atlas Shrugged." Like the poet Dr. Zhivago whose spirit was unconquered by the Soviet state, Kira is true to her belief in the value of her own individualism, and she never surrenders to collectivism.

Unlike "Dr. Zhivago", "We The Living" does not attempt to sugar coat the real nature of the Soviet State, and does not leave the audience with the false impression that Soviet life improved with the passage of time. "Dr. Zhivago" was made by a Hollywood sympathetic to the Soviets, while "We The Living" was not. Mussolini banned the 1942 movie which reveals the crushing effect of any totaliarian state on all but the strongest individuals.

If you thought "Dr. Zhivago" was romantic, epic and awe inspiring, you MUST treat yourself to "We The Living" which has a similar theme, but which surpasses it in every way.

Alida Valli at her most alluring
This black and white version of Ayn Rand's 1936 novel is even more faithful to her work than Rand's own screenplay to Warner's 1949 'The Fountainhead.' This film can get talky at times, the snow in the Rome studios is obviously fake and the plot is sort of soap-operatic. That said, this movie is a rare treat to me, who fell in love with Valli when I saw her in 'The Third Man.' She's even more beautiful here, and has a complex lead role to boot. Her acting reminds me a lot of Ingrid Bergman's, and it is no wonder Selznick brought her to America after the war. Fosco Giachetti plays Andrei Taganov, and his steely resolve holds the tension throughout. The soundtrack, by Renzo Rossellini, is beautiful 1940s bombastic movie music, and lifts from Verdi and Puccini the way that Max Steiner and Alfred Newman borrowed generously from Wagner and Richard Strauss. Remember Rossano Brazzi from 'South Pacific'? He plays Leo Kovalensky, but is much younger and his baby-face makes it hard to take him seriously at times, but I believe it's because I can't shake my memories of him being much older in 'South Pacific.'

On the Brink of Neo-Realism & Onward to Douglas Sirkisms
This movie is an underrated charmer & a hell of a lot more interesting than the mediocre novel it was based on (Rand was much better at writing razor-sharp, non-fiction essays). No one can do melodrama as well as the Italians of the pre-neo-realist period, with their operatic traditions and passionate sounding language colliding with the harsh realities of the war period and Mussollini fascism.

Here Italians get to play some unrealistic Russians, but they do it with so much conviction and passion, you don't care one bit! The message of Rand's anti-tyranny novel comes across beautifully through the cumulative force of the situations, the dramatic dialogue, and the elegant dramatic gestures used by Alida Valli, Rossano Brazzi, Fosco Grachietti and the rest of the superb cast, in showing you realistic internalizations of the many conflicts raging in people as a result of those historically based situations. The Italian actors of this period maintain a charming balance between utter naturalism and passionate going 'over-the-topisms'. The camera movements, style, and mythic distance of the film are also very impressive, not afraid to use the dreamy aspects of the cinematic illusion to full effect. As a further bonus, Renzo Rossellini's super-busy but always understated music adds that touch of surrealism & romantic existentialism that he would become famous for later in Roberto Rossellini's masterworks.

One of the reasons it probably works as well as it does is because it was made right on the brink of the neo-realist revolution without the knowledge of Rand herself, who might have unwittingly stifled its more poetic and crazy aspects in favor of more 'philosophy' had she been involved. She loved it later, some forty years later, when she discovered a print (Mussolini's government had confiscated all prints and the negative), which shows her good judgment after the fact, and that, some remanants of a true artist and a philosopher were still left in her, even when the Objectivist movement itself had turned into a cult. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Best intrigue movie ever made.
Welles did not make it: Carol Reed did. Screen play by Graham Greene (before he turned it into a novel in which Holly Martin is English). Show almost stolen by Trevor Howard, even Bernard Lee ("M" in first Bond films) is great. Valli is everyone's kind of girl. Joseph Cotten we have to identify with. Best line: "Unwise..Holly." This is the best intrigue movie ever made. Placed and filmed on location in post-war Vienna, rubble and all. Actors from the German (Viennese) stage are used for main small parts. According to a recent murder mystery set in Vienna when the film was made, the cafe scene where Holly displays a copy of his Western to identify himself to a "friend" of Harry Lime's is misplaced. Direction, mis en scene, acting, music, setting, inter alia, are beyond compare.

A masterpiece in every respect
I've probably viewed this movie more than any ever and yet I still never tire of it. Why do I love it so? Where do I begin? The brilliant cast, Carol Reed's imaginative direction, Robert Krasker's extraordinary photography, Anton Karas's zither score, Welles' 'cuckoo clock speech', the classic final shot - no aspect of this film could have been improved upon. People throw around five stars like there's no tomorrow on this site but, believe me, this is the sort of the movie that the fifth star was created for.

Not very much to say.
I'll Make this short and sweet to the point; This movie does very poorly and it's no wonder why people {excluding critics} think that this is boring right up there with Citizen Kane. I'm sorry for other people that feel differnt, but that's just my opinon and I tell it like it is.

Great Movie
This is just a great movie. Carol Reed has the director's credit, but this sure seems like something Orson Welles had his hand in. I've probably seen this one a dozen times already, and could easily see it another dozen.

Suspense and intrigue with no easy answers
Adapted from Graham Greene's book which was written with a film in mind, Carol Reed did a masterful job of directing this 1949 film which won Academy Awards for film editing, black and white photography, and directing. It's a bit of a masterpiece and holds the viewer in a suspended state of suspense, heightening the tensions as it moves swiftly along.

Starring Joseph Cotton as Holly Martin, an American who comes to Vienna at the request of an old college chum, Harry Lime, played by Orson Wells, the scene is set for intrigue from the very beginning. Martins is immediately told that Harry Lime has been killed in an accident and that his funeral is in progress. The plot thickens as he encounters a British policeman and learns that Harry might not have been such a nice guy after all. Martin suspects murder and goes about investigating on his own, finding himself attracted to Lime's girlfriend, played by Alida Valli.

Orson Wells doesn't appear until more than half the film is over, and only appears in three major scenes. But these scenes will be remembered forever especially the one where he and Joseph Cotton confront each other on a moving Ferris Wheel.

Wells and Cotton are the stars of this film but the there's another star as well. And that's the City of Vienna in all its wartime devastation. There is real rubble everywhere and the oblique angled shots, distorted wide angles and stark black and white photography create a surreal and bleak landscape. And then there is the haunting original zither music by Anton Karas, which became a top hit in 1950.

I recently read the book by Graham Greene and therefore knew the plot. In a way this spoiled the suspense for me. Freed from that however, I was able to concentrate on the details of the directional techniques and the cinematography. There's no doubt about it. This film is a winner. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This minor 1948 film by Alfred Hitchcock beats a familiar Hitchcockian drum: an attorney (Gregory Peck), in love with the client (Alida Valli) he is defending on a murder charge, implicates himself in her guilt by trying to put the blame on another man. The no-one-is-innocent theme may be consistent with Hitchcock's best films and worldview, but this is one of the movies that got away from his crucial passion for the plastic side of creative directing. Stuck in a courtroom for much of the story, the film is fit to burst with possibility but is pinned down like a freshly caught butterfly in someone's airless collection. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (13)

delusive obsession
This marvelous, lesser-known Alfred Hitchcock work deserves wider recognition. Gregory Peck stars as an attorney defending a beautiful woman (Ann Todd) who is accused of poisoning her older, blind husband. Although Mrs. Paradine seems cooly unapproachable, he is increasingly drawn to her, magnetically attracted. He soon begins to believe that anyone as lovely as she must also possess a spotless soul, and in no way could have committed this crime.

Alida Valli plays his devoted, intuitive wife who early on senses his obsession with Mrs. Paradine. She lays it on the table---she knows he is strongly attracted to the mysterious woman, but she leaves it up to him to decide what he will do.

As events unfold, the attorney's reason fights with his passion to produce a climactic finish. This film will spellbind you and is worth seeing more than once. Highly recommended!

After all these years . . .
I finally got to see this film. As a long-time Hitchcock fan, I didn't go out of my way to see it in any format. I'm so glad my first exposure to this great film was on the terrific B&W transfer to DVD! The picture is stunning, and from the very beginning, Hitch's camera moves and tells the story with angles and framing only he can create. The acting is superb, and look at the cast: Ethyl Barrymore, making the most of her small role, Charles Laughton, especially in his scene of lechery with Ann Todd, the beautiful Valli, and the almost-as-beautiful young Louis Jourdan, Gregory Peck, Charles Coburn, Leo G. Carroll (in an understated role, as usual)and, of course, Hitch himself who doesn't make his cameo appearance until more than 38 minutes into the movie. I'm so glad I purchased this DVD -- it will get a lot of use. Even with the sound turned off and not hearing the clever and snappy dialogue and Waxman score, I can enjoy the tremendous camera work and lighting. If you, like me, have been avoiding this belittled Hitchcock gem, give it a try -- you'll be surprised. Heck with the so-called critics!

"That woman is bad, bad to the bone..."
Thus spake Andre La Tour, the valet and the catalyst for the murder of Col. Paradine. Valli is Mrs. Paradine, and she wants Andre La Tour, so badly she murders her husband and benefactor to remove any and all obstacles standing between her and La Tour. Louis Jourdan is La Tour, and handsome in a sharp, chiseled way; Valli is really something to see, very beautiful and arresting, and the accent further enhances her mysterious image. Gregory Peck, her attorney, falls for her, hard and fast, and is almost sympathetic in his desire to possess her. Ann Todd, a curious mixture of ice and warmth, is steadfast in her loyalty to her husband, and Joan Tetzel is good as her friend and the daughter of Charles Coburn, (I enjoy the banter between Coburn and Tetzel, he is always a joy to watch)who is a colleague of Gregory Peck's. The score by Franz Waxman is one of the stars of the movie, and haunting, as his music always is. The movie is unusual and quieter than the typical Hitchcockian fare, but should not be judged more harshly for that, but taken on it's own merits, which it has in abundance. Charles Laughton ("curious how the convolutions of a walnut resemble those of the human brain...") is wonderful as the censorious and righteous Judge of the proceedings, and rather an unpleastant bully to his wife, Ethel Barrymore, who seems rather wasted in this weak role as the much maligned wife. She is one of my favorite actresses, but I much prefer her in "The Spiral Staircase", a much richer role and one more worthy of her immense talent. I own this on VHS and DVD, and of course, the DVD is far superior in quality.

Stellar cast in good Hitchcock picture
Pleasant and interesting courtroom drama set in England, about a beautiful young widow, accused of murdering her much-older, rich and blind husband, defended on trial by a successful barrister who, in the process, gets caught under her spell, eventually falling in love with her.

Italian actress (Alida) Valli is alluring, ravishing, sophisticated and mysterious, as the lady in question. Gregory Peck is good as the barrister, so absolutely infatuated with Valli, that risks his own career for her sake. English actress Ann Todd is also good as his troubled wife. Others in this stellar cast: Charles Coburn, Joan Tetzel, Louis Jourdan, Ethel Barrymore and, last but not least, Charles Laughton, who gives an excellent performance as an aristrocratic, rather cruel and ironic Judge.

Excellent performances all around!
... Hitchcock himself said, in his Francois Truffaut interview, that he was handed this script by the studio and forced to work with it. Work with it he did, "The Paradine Case features excellent performances by nearly all involved. The leads aside, Peck and Valli are both good, there is Charles Laughton, Ann Todd, Louis Jourdan and Ethel Barrymore, who received an Academy Award nomination. The magic of Alfred Hitchcock was also in his ability to work with even the weakest script and make a compelling film, if not a great film. In the same interview he says much the same for the script of "I Confess" with Montgomery Clift. Even the story for "Vertigo". one of his best works and my all time favorite, he admits had some real problems that he felt were never completely solved. Hitchcock was an artist and made great films, inspite of sometimes getting handed a less than desirable script or having to cast a studio player under contract. This was more often the case in his earlier studio days when he had less artistic control. I enjoy "The Paradine Case", as the actors, under the master's direction, truly practice their craft. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

It's good enough, Astrid
So okay, we've all heard of the "forgotten cinematic treasures" that turn out to be a load of cockywocky, but this is the real thing.

The choice of title was unfortunate, but they didn't know that in 1950. "White Tower" is a Hollywood version of the "mountain film", a strange interwar German genre that served as a nursery for people like Leni Riefenstahl. In mountain films, a doomed climbing team composed of varied and conflicting types takes on an "unconquerable" peak, dying one by one on the way up until the only survivor reaches the top to undergo an ineffable mystical experience before freezing to death. (No wonder they lost the war.)

"White Tower" replaces the metaphysics with melodrama, and that's all to the good. The setting is the immediate postwar era, where a burnt-out GI is goaded by an ex-Nazi to join a badly-assorted climbing team. It's all uphill from there.

Glenn Ford (he looks about fourteen) plays the veteran with his usual solidity. Alida Valli, needless to say, is worth seeing in anything. Claude Rains gives a nice turn as a tormented author, with a truly wild-eyed breakdown-on-the-glacier scene ("Is it good enough, Astrid?") But the casting gets interesting with the unique appearance of Oskar Homulka, beloved for decades of portrayals of either Gestapo or KGB thugs (he's lucky the Cold War lasted so long -- he couldn't have passed as an Arab) as a good guy, a rugged, stalwart guide. Balancing this oddity, the ex-SS villain is played by none other than Lloyd Bridges. And he's good, easily overcoming all memories of "Sea Hunt" and "Airplane!".

I have no idea who Tetzlaff was or if he ever made another flick, but he did a solid job with this one. "White Tower" is a perfect example of the kind of film that used to be dismissed as "product" which in retrospect stand head and shoulders above nine-tenths of what's made today. They were good back then, and it's pictures like this one that reveal exactly how good. While it'll never knock "Kane" off the ten-best lists, "White Tower" is worth your time. Track it down before Spielberg or somebody decides to throw together a remake. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Thrilling and deeply thought
In this film by Graham Greene we are in Vienna after the war where some shady and immoral business is going on, for the profit of some entreprising ringleaders. An American writer of western novels arrives here to visit of friend of his. He finds him dead and buried. But he asks many questions, too many actually, and finds out that the police report of the accident that killed his friend does not know about a third man on the accident scene. The film is a masterpiece of suspense and plot with a touch of romance. Yet this film is also very political playing on the rivalry between the western allies and the soviets who jointly occupy the city. The immoral businessmen use this rivalry to navigate freely in the city. Yet the International police and the austrian police will find out the truth and will bait and catch the main ringleader. The question asked in the film is a comparison between the Borggias who produced the Renaissance with intrigue, plot and blood, on one hand, and brotherly democratic Switzerland that produced only the cuckoo-clock, on the other hand. Which one is better ? The question is not answered in the film because we are big enough to make up our minds alone. Let say that the ending is moral.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU ... Read more

Amazon.com

The fractured Europe post-World War II is perfectly captured in Carol Reed's masterpiece thriller, set in a Vienna stillshell-shocked from battle. Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten) is an alcoholic pulp writer come to visit his old friend Harry Lime (Orson Welles). But when Cotton first arrives in Vienna, Lime's funeral is under way. From Lime's girlfriend and an occupying British officer, Martins learns of allegations of Lime's involvement in racketeering, which Martins vows to clear from his friend's reputation. As he is drawn deeper into postwar intrigue, Martins finds layer under layer of deception, which he desperately tries to sort out. Welles's long-delayed entrance in the film has become one of the hallmarks of modern cinematography, and it is just one of dozens of cockeyed camera angles that seem to mirror the off-kilter postwar society. Cotten and Welles give career-making performances, and the Anton Karas zither theme will haunt you. --Anne Hurley ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Best intrigue movie ever made.
Welles did not make it: Carol Reed did. Screen play by Graham Greene (before he turned it into a novel in which Holly Martin is English). Show almost stolen by Trevor Howard, even Bernard Lee ("M" in first Bond films) is great. Valli is everyone's kind of girl. Joseph Cotten we have to identify with. Best line: "Unwise..Holly." This is the best intrigue movie ever made. Placed and filmed on location in post-war Vienna, rubble and all. Actors from the German (Viennese) stage are used for main small parts. According to a recent murder mystery set in Vienna when the film was made, the cafe scene where Holly displays a copy of his Western to identify himself to a "friend" of Harry Lime's is misplaced. Direction, mis en scene, acting, music, setting, inter alia, are beyond compare.

A masterpiece in every respect
I've probably viewed this movie more than any ever and yet I still never tire of it. Why do I love it so? Where do I begin? The brilliant cast, Carol Reed's imaginative direction, Robert Krasker's extraordinary photography, Anton Karas's zither score, Welles' 'cuckoo clock speech', the classic final shot - no aspect of this film could have been improved upon. People throw around five stars like there's no tomorrow on this site but, believe me, this is the sort of the movie that the fifth star was created for.

Not very much to say.
I'll Make this short and sweet to the point; This movie does very poorly and it's no wonder why people {excluding critics} think that this is boring right up there with Citizen Kane. I'm sorry for other people that feel differnt, but that's just my opinon and I tell it like it is.

Great Movie
This is just a great movie. Carol Reed has the director's credit, but this sure seems like something Orson Welles had his hand in. I've probably seen this one a dozen times already, and could easily see it another dozen.

Suspense and intrigue with no easy answers
Adapted from Graham Greene's book which was written with a film in mind, Carol Reed did a masterful job of directing this 1949 film which won Academy Awards for film editing, black and white photography, and directing. It's a bit of a masterpiece and holds the viewer in a suspended state of suspense, heightening the tensions as it moves swiftly along.

Starring Joseph Cotton as Holly Martin, an American who comes to Vienna at the request of an old college chum, Harry Lime, played by Orson Wells, the scene is set for intrigue from the very beginning. Martins is immediately told that Harry Lime has been killed in an accident and that his funeral is in progress. The plot thickens as he encounters a British policeman and learns that Harry might not have been such a nice guy after all. Martin suspects murder and goes about investigating on his own, finding himself attracted to Lime's girlfriend, played by Alida Valli.

Orson Wells doesn't appear until more than half the film is over, and only appears in three major scenes. But these scenes will be remembered forever especially the one where he and Joseph Cotton confront each other on a moving Ferris Wheel.

Wells and Cotton are the stars of this film but the there's another star as well. And that's the City of Vienna in all its wartime devastation. There is real rubble everywhere and the oblique angled shots, distorted wide angles and stark black and white photography create a surreal and bleak landscape. And then there is the haunting original zither music by Anton Karas, which became a top hit in 1950.

I recently read the book by Graham Greene and therefore knew the plot. In a way this spoiled the suspense for me. Freed from that however, I was able to concentrate on the details of the directional techniques and the cinematography. There's no doubt about it. This film is a winner. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

like molasses, a little slow but very sweet
Based on Russell Janey's novel, the Ben Hecht/Quentin Reynolds script for this film is sometimes sappy and often uneven, but it's also a nice sentimental story, told in flashback, by William Dunnigan (played in a somber manner by Fred McMurray), a press agent who was never a very happy guy, and is burying the woman he loved (but was never able to tell her so).
The real reason to watch this film is to see Alida Valli play Joan of Arc, in a "film within a film" segment. She is luminous and incredibly beautiful, and would have made a terrific Joan. Coincidentally, the lavish "Joan of Arc" production starring Ingrid Bergman was released the same year as this film.

Another reason to view "The Miracle of the Bells" is to see Frank Sinatra, skinny as a rail, in the unlikely part of a soft spoken priest; this was five years before his success in "From Here to Eternity", and he is surprisingly good, but far from great. He sings "Ever Homeward", a cappella, as he sits among the grave stones; there's a lot of gloomy aspects to the film, one of them being that the setting is a poor coal mining town...though it all has a nice pay-off.
Lee J. Cobb is Marcus Harris, the film producer making "Joan of Arc", and he has the humorous moment in the film with his "I won't stand for any press agent miracles !" rant, which was funny enough to make me laugh out loud, a rarity for me.
Some might say it's improbable that headlines of "Nation Mourns For Movie Star" could ever happen, especially when the "movie star" is unknown, but seeing how today's media obsesses about inconsequential stories, and runs with them for days (nay, weeks !) on end, on a slow news cycle, anything could happen.
Total running time is 120 minutes.

Memorable Movie
Orginally, I saw this movie about ten years ago and it really left an impression on me. It brilliantly grabs the viewer's heart...You would have to be dead not to be touched by this film. I loved it and I'm getting ready to purchase a copy for my 15-year-old daughter to watch. I've shared with her many other classics I've valued in my lifetime, i.e. Jane Eyre (Orson Wells), Wuthering Heights, and Alice Adams. I hope she will treasure the classics as much as I do.

A Feel-Bad Christmas Movie
The first time I saw "The Miracle of the Bells" was a New Year's Eve party in 1980, and man, it was a bring down. Here is a somewhat nasty Fred MacMurray mourning the loss of Valli (from "The Third Man"), who had only just completed filming her Joan of Arc movie, the movie that would have catapulted this obscure nobody into a major star, it seems, but fate would have it otherwise, since she up and died. Frank Sinatra plays against type big time as a gentle young priest. I really disliked this movie, and I bet you would too.

Setzer's Amazing Vocals and Stronger Edge of Music, Yet...
On this '86 effort the Cats try for a little harder rock-a-billy edge.The only problem is that there is nothing really memorable that stands out (except for one country twang-like tune on which Brian Setzer's vocals soar). By '86 the public's interest with Stray Cat strut had started to become diluted. However, because of the type of music or genre the Stray Cats have mastered it is a true collector's keeper. While I do not own the c.d., my vinyl copy is flawless and the track listing is exactly the same (no extras or bonus tracks on the import c.d.).

kinda silly, kinda nice
One theme of this movie is the importance of becoming a movie star. Contrary to one review below, Sinatra does sing in this movie--and tries to act, too (he's pretty wooden, in my own humble opinion). The contention in the movie that the entire American nation would hysterically mourn the loss of an actress they'd never met, seen, or heard of, is, in a word, hysterical. But, all that said, this is a kinda fun movie to watch. VALLI is MAGNIFICENT! She should have played Joan of Arc--watch the movie and you'll see why. I've heard rumors that the film will be re-made with Tom Hanks as the actor and Meg Ryan as the agent! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Above-average flick, surprising cast choices
Cassandra Crossing is noteworthy because it was one of legendary acting coach Lee Strasberg's last few movies -- and one of Martin Sheen's first.

Sophia Loren, Richard Harris, Burt Lancaster and Strasberg offer good performances; of course, they could act out a flick such as this in their sleep.

The advertising tagline for Cassandra Crossing was, "At noon on October 25th, the Transcontinental Express left Geneva Station with almost one thousand people aboard. Their destination: Basel, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and Stockholm. No one arrived."

As a result, Cassandra Crossing was dismissed by its critics as an all-star disaster movie set in the improbable location of a train. In fact, this is an action movie with international intrigue -- a movie noteworthy for its decidedly older, non-action-hero cast members doing an action movie quite well.

Cassandra Crossing enjoyed some box office success in Britain, Italy, and Germany. It was granted little publicity in America, however -- perhaps because the plot line was both intelligent and a bit implausible to Americans: A U.S. biological warfare agent breaks loose and is carried aboard a European train. The government seeks to cover up the incident by sending the train and its infected passengers to near-certain destruction at the Cassandra Crossing.

The script behind this movie is weak at times. There are stock characters, average dialogue, and questionable casting -- Ava Gardner essentially plays herself, and O.J. Simpson plays a cop. Thankfully, their roles are small. Some of the special effects on board the train are quite good; elsewhere, they are low-budget. Lancaster's role in particular is undermined by cheap sets.

Despite the script, formulaic plot line, and very unconventional assortment of characters, the movie is suspenseful almost from the start. If only Amtrak were this exciting.

Fantastic adventure and characters,,specially Sophia and Har
Cassandra crossing is very exhiting, characters are alive and real-specially relationship between Loren and harriss is wonderfull. Sophia Loren is also in this film very good, acting brilliantly. Ava Gardner in ironical style is also very nice.

Excellent Film
I'm surprised that there are aren't many positive reviews for this movie. I think that the acting and direction is excellent, and i must admit that i am puzzled about the lukewarm response that this film received from many critics. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Outside of devoted cult audiences, many Americans have yet to discover the extremely stylish, relentlessly terrifying Italian horror genre, or the films of its talented virtuoso, Dario Argento. Suspiria, part one of a still-uncompleted trilogy (the luminously empty Inferno was the second), is considered his masterpiece by Argento devotees but also doubles as a perfect starting point for those unfamiliar with the director or his genre. The convoluted plot follows an American dancer (Jessica Harper) from her arrival at a European ballet school to her discovery that it's actually a witches coven; but, really, don't worry about that too much. Argento makes narrative subservient to technique, preferring instead to assault the senses and nervous system with mood, atmosphere, illusory gore, garish set production, a menacing camera, and perhaps the creepiest score ever created for a movie. It's essentially a series of effectively unsettling set pieces--a raging storm that Harper should have taken for an omen, and a blind man attacked by his own dog are just two examples--strung together on a skeleton structure. But once you've seen it, you'll never forget it. --Dave McCoy ... Read more

Reviews (261)

Stylish, beautiful, and mesmerising
I first saw Suspiria a few years ago as a VHS rental but I couldn't remember too much about it. But suddenly, the world of Italian horror has been broken wide open so I picked up this three disk limited edition. Watching Suspiria is sort of like dreaming awake. Colored lighting is used to great effect and the sound track just sort of lulls one into submission. The plot makes about as much sense as a dream, that is to say, the movie all makes sense while watching but looses cohesion quickly once one returns to the "real" world. I think that is why I only remember watching the VHS rental but not too much of the movie.

The three disc set includes a newly made documentary and a Goblin soundtrack from the movie. The documentary suffers from subtitles that are sometimes washed out against a light background. Otherwise, it is informative. The Goblin CD is a lot fun to listen to and I find myself humming the main theme all the time. Unfortunately, I do not find a listing for the names of the songs. The main disk also includes trailers and radio spots and a Goblin music video of Demonia, which appears to be the main theme song.

Terrific DVD for a terrific movie
What many claim is the definitive Dario Argento movie(some say "Deep Red" but I say this), has been put into a wonderful DVD. I waited for weeks for the limited edition. It was well worth the wait. The limited edition throws in everything, but the kitchen sink. While the laserdisc was in letterbox, the colors were washed out. Pity too, since that was they used a technique which enhanced the colors into a deeper, richer texture (in letterbox to show the entire picture). Thankfully, the DVD lets us see this wonderful enhancement beautifully. On the second disc, we see interviews with the filmakers and stars of the film. We also get a bit of a hint why we still haven't seen the conclusion of "Three Mothers" Trilogy. It also has an interesting interview of the composer of the bizarre music to the movie. The third disc is a CD soundtrack to the movie, which contains a terrific updated version of the theme song (a music video of the song is in the first disc). All in all, an excellent DVD set. Bravo to Anchor Bay!

"SUSPIRIA"-Dario Argento's stylishly artistic masterpiece!
Okay, to all those fans of the Italian horror genre (or 'giallo' films as some would call them) I'd like to say that I am a longtime fan of horror movies and am also new to the Italian horror genre. I'd have to say as strange as it is, "Suspiria" (1977) was actually the first one to get me into the Italian horror films. Considering that I personally do NOT like any of Lucio Fulci's work (e.g. "Zombie") Dario Argento is quite better and the atmosphere of his movies are a lot better to draw you into.

Jessica Harper (a very talented actress indeed!) plays the heroine, Suzy Banyon, a young female American ballet dancer who attends a German dance school run by the mysterious Madame Blanc and Miss Tannr (given eerily performances by Joan Bennett & Alida Valli) From there, all hell breaks loose as horrific "accidental" deaths occur as many individuals are picked off one by one by an unseen supernatural entity. There are numerous secret passageways in the school (my favorite being the rose painting on the wall), a cruel and sharply grotesque hanging scene, a flesh eating dog, & many other shocking surprises which await as Suzy must discover the school's true revelation before it's too late!

This 3 disk set is in its WIDESCREEN Presentation(2.35:1) & is enhanced for 16x9 T.V. sets. It also includes the theatrical trailer (including T.V. spots), radio spots, a Daemonia music video, poster and still galleries, and talent bios. The third disk is the soundtrack of the film performed by the Italian rock group, Goblin and is definately one of the creepiest scores I've ever heard in a film. (Though maybe not as scary as Godfrey Salmon's orchestrated and conducted score for the sequel, "Inferno")

It's also one of those rare items which requires you to think, but keep in mind that sometimes it may take more than just one viewing to understand it all. The Dance Academy is also the most beautifully, artistic movie sets to ever be used for a horror flick (but in a grotesque and fun way) Without doubt, this is one of Dario Argento's BEST work! (I haven't seen his first masterpiece, "Deep Red" yet) In fact, as he explained in an interview for "Inferno" this, along with that film was one of the hardest films to make in his career and required A LOT of his own imagination and style. I recommend this to those who don't prefer Lucio Fulci's work and I also recommend the sequel, "Inferno". (it carries some of the same resemblance to the first film but the storyline starts to come together more in that one) Truly, this is a non-stop nightmare into the terrifying unknown! I will most definately be checking out the rest of Mr. Argento's work.

Kcin's review of Suspiria
I suck at introductions so I'm not even gonna try. This movie is very good. I like it. If you are interested in Horror cinema or just visually intriguing films in general you need to check this out. All right then, on with the specifics.

The plot is easily summarized. Suzy Bannion is an American ballet student in Germany. There a bad goings-ons at the academy and she must investigate and defeat the evil to survive blah blah blah. None of that really matters. Even the staunchest defenders of this film often admit that the plot/script/dialogue are not particularly inspired, and frequently kinda lame. I tend to agree with this belief, but as I said before, it doesn't really matter. However, contrary to what many people say, I didn't find this film to be the least bit confusing. I'll admit that not necessarily everything that occurs makes a whole lot of sense, and that some things are shown which are not terribly vital to the plot, but it's hardly difficult to follow. The acting isn't so great either, with the protagonists coming off a bit flat much of the time, and the antagonists overdoing it, particularly the whacky Miss Tanner, whose got a weird female concentration camp commandant thing going on.(or maybe I'm thinking of Madame Blanc, I get the names confused. If you see it you'll know who I'm talking about.) Still, it's a masterpiece visually.

When people talk about this movie they almost invariably describe it as being nightmareish. I don't really care for this description, because it exaggerates the surreality of the film. Visually, it isn't hyper-abnormal, it's really just surreal enough to seem just beyond the bounds of reality, so that nothing in the film seems quite real. This is particularly effective in the Academy itself, which mixes stately, classical looking architecture with extremely garish and tacky, extremely 70s-ish decoration. The night/horror scenes are all the more effective, with natural coloring being essentially abandoned, with everything then being bathed in eerie colored lighting. The two most prominent colors are blue and red, with a smattering of green now and then. On the whole it is startlingly eerie, and can add immense power and atmosphere to scenes where essentially nothing happens. A good example of this comes when they are forced to sleep out in the ballroom due maggot infestation.(which is itself an example of a creepy thing that happens that has nothing to do with anything) Nothing really happens here, but it's bathed in an intense, absolutely hellish red light which gives it immense power. To accompany these visuals is the much-hyped score by Goblin. It is extremely effective, though occasionally weakened by the odd cheesy synth line. It's mostly eerie keyboard lines playing menacing, repetitious melodies, thunderous percussion and random, rumbling bass overlaid with demonic voices whispering and howling. It also gets points for sounding like actual music, rather than the auditory exclamation points that most horror films provide you with. Despite all this, this movie isn't all that scary, but it's pretty eerie and atmospheric, and is just damn cool.

The film suffers slightly from starting off too well, so it's unable to maintain it's level of excellence, and suffers from a rather anti-climatic ending. Still, the opening scenes of the film are absolutely great. Suzy's arrival in Germany during a fierce storm sets the tone for the film, and establishes most of the visual motifs. It is perhaps the most surreal portion of the movie, with the heavy rain obscuring most everything, and particularly random seeming uses of lighting.(The weird forest they pass through is especially cool) The first murder scene, which is early in the film, is easily the best of the horror set-pieces. Although it isn't really all that gory it's a truly brutal scene and ends with some genuinely horrific imagery.(I'll admit that the effects are dated, but they still work very well in this scene, imo) The other horror scenes are reminiscent of the first, indoors, with the use of phony looking set decoration and colored lighting, with one exception. It takes place out in the open, and the normal colors are abandoned, instead opting for utter blackness and plain white and grey coloring on the surrounding, neo-classical architecture. It's also got some great, Leone-esque staging and camera work, as it drags the scene out as long as dramatically possible, alternating between extreme long-shots and extreme close-ups. It's a great scene (other than some dated gore) which is made all the more effective by how it contrasts with the rest of the film.(I should mention that despite the supernatural trappings of the film, the killings are generally done manually, with slasher-esque staging and methods. This film has witches, but they ain't much like what you usually see.) As I said before, the ending isn't so great. It's a bit abrupt, and doesn't show us anything we haven't seen before, but just re-iterates old motifs in an inferior manner, and suffers from some bad acting on the part of the main antagonist.(Well, now that I think about it, it does have one great scare, which is unexpected and unlike what we've seen before, but overall it's just not nearly as good) Also, there's a scene with a bat which is unintentionally funny. That bat's just so damn adorable.

Well that's about it. Some flaws, but it's a horror masterpiece anyway.

The Look of Horror
I could of probably lived without 10 over-the-top seconds of "Suspiria." Those 10 seconds are graphic to the point of porn. No doubt Argento fans would say that such scenes are what make Argento Argento. Whatever. That said, this is a really good movie with a terrific look. Argento's use of colors and architecture to establish mood (dread) is simply astounding. I have to believe Kubrick borrowed from Argento, heavily, in his making of "The Shining." I almost didn't finish watching "Suspiria" due to a graphic murder in the beginning. What kept me hanging in there was the stylish way Argento was framing his scenes. Hairy and taloned arms appearing out of the dark, a haunting run through the woods, wild and/or garish art deco interiors that have you thinking Jack the Ripper picked out the colors and patterns, and a building that looks like it was designed in Hell.

The plot? It's ok. Not as weak as some have suggested, but it does have holes - holes you don't spend much time pondering, since it's your eyes and ears Argento is after. Acting? Almost seems beside the point. You have your various grotesque characters, some with very big teeth, doing evil things. Jessica Harper is, however, very good as the waif-like ballet student. Her physical slightness, her big eyes, all contribute to the impression that she is surrounded by monstrous horror. How will she escape? Watch and see. The soundtrack, especially if you have surround sound, is effective and eerie. Lots of evil whisperings and other ominous sounds jump from unexpected directions. So the makers of the dvd are also to be applauded. It's as crisp a picture as you can imagine. (Guess Argento wanted those "reds" to really show.) ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Wacky adventure through the Land of Bava
Italian director Mario Bava (1914-1980) is one of the giants of the horror film genre. His films, no matter what the plot, always promised great style mixed with scenes of murder and mayhem. Bava's big break into the industry came with his 1960 black and white classic "Black Sunday" starring fan favorite Barbara Steele. This was only the beginning, as Bava churned out a series of gruesome shockers over the next seventeen years. Perhaps Mario's biggest contribution to the horror field was his 1972 picture "Twitch of the Death Nerve," also known as "Bay of Blood." It doesn't take too long to realize "Friday the 13th" shamelessly cribbed from Bava's bloodbath. The director's inventiveness goes far beyond hacking up a few unfortunate souls, however, as "Lisa and the Devil," a movie which first appeared on our shores in a radically altered form called "The House of Exorcism," shows. This movie is a wildly inventive jaunt into the inner recesses of the mind of a tortured woman. The Bava legacy continued with son Lamberto, one of the guiding lights behind "Demons," an instant cult favorite with gorehounds worldwide.

Tourist Lisa (Elke Sommer) finds herself in an increasing series of ultra horrific and bizarre circumstances after viewing a huge mural on the side of a building in an Italian town. After looking at the picture, she wonders off into the heart of the old city where she soon encounters a man (Telly Savalas) wearing a beret who exactly resembles the figure in the painting. Horrified at the similarities between this man and the painting, Lisa flees and wanders aimlessly until a husband and wife pick her up in their ancient automobile. The car breaks down near a dark, creepy looking estate where none other than the man Lisa saw earlier works as the butler/head servant. The family living at the home agrees to allow the stranded travelers access to the house in order to phone for assistance. It quickly becomes apparent that things are not what they seem inside the walls of this sprawling estate. Over a socially awkward dinner served on a table the size of a football field, weird activities take place. The family doesn't seem to get along all that well and there is some peculiar importance attached to a chocolate cake with sprinkles (!). Lisa eventually discovers that a family member delivers the cake to a locked bedroom upstairs, supposedly to a member of the family who permanently lives in this room.

Meanwhile, the man and wife who helped Lisa clash over the wife's infidelity, a behavior that will soon have ghastly consequences in this house of horrors. As for Savalas, he acts the part of butler but also seems a more important figure than his position merits. He spends most of his time wandering around the house startling Lisa, or fiddling around with his human figures made out of wax. Even worse, our hapless heroine witnesses Savalas stuffing a corpse in a coffin in one of the rooms on the estate. This corpse just happens to be a mysterious man Lisa encountered in the town shortly after seeing the painting. He continues to reappear to her in the house and on the grounds of the estate, often seeming to change in age between each encounter. The horrors of the family eventually rise to the surface with the result that Lisa emerges from her dream state and decides to fly back home. But wait! Bava played with your mind for over an hour and he isn't about to let you go this easily. Is Lisa truly free of her nightmare or is she about to enter an even deeper dimension of terror?

On the surface, the film makes little sense. But what appears to be a random mish mash of bizarre scenes actually does assume somewhat of a structure if you pay attention to the first five minutes of the movie. It is my opinion that the bizarre painting Lisa sees on a trip to Italy provides the viewer with a possible key to deciphering this weird movie. I propose that Sommer's character undergoes a sort of hypnotic interaction with this painting that somehow transports her back in time, a process which then helps explain the following sequences. The movie is a dream or break with reality in the mind of Sommer's character, nothing more or nothing less, and therefore must assume a fractured, nonsensical tone. Isn't it slightly odd that Lisa doesn't have a boyfriend or husband, or if she does he is not with her on this trip? That might explain the mysterious male that seems to have some bizarre link with her character. Perhaps everything we see is part of Lisa's unconscious taking on corporeal form. Whatever is going on, I think it is important we remember that we are seeing events from the perspective of this confused woman and are thus dependent on her cracked perceptions. How can we know what is going on when Lisa herself has little idea of the weirdness swirling about her? I truly enjoyed the film and appreciated Bava's attempts to do something different.

I also liked the performances. Savalas intrigues as the butler/devil, an ominous figure always looming in the background happily tormenting Lisa. Sommer is also a lot of fun to watch as she bumbles from one grim situation to another, even going so far as to shed her clothes in one scene (bless her soul!). The other performers are lesser talents, something we should expect and accept with Italian horror. The DVD recognizes the utter wackiness of this film with a plethora of extras well worth watching. I usually turn up my nose at movies that seek to confuse the audience, but I really enjoyed this one. I can't wait to see the hacked up "House of Exorcism" so I can compare the two. Enjoy.

yet another testimony to the genius of Mario Bava
Mario Bava was one of the great filmmakers of his time. Revered and often imitated by illustrious contemporaries like Fellini and Visconti, his work has had long echoing reverberations through the films of David Lynch, Quentin Tarentino, and the entire body of hopelessly unimaginative slasher films that tried, and failed, to copy Bava's films. Yet he was largely dismissed and/or despised in his time. Lisa and the Devil is possibly his most brilliant, and easily his most personal film. It's also a sad example of the way this innovator was treated in his time. More a cinematic poem than traditional "movie", this is a surreal, stream of consciousness fantasy about a girl (Elke Sommer, who was never better) who may or may not be dead and a butler (Telly Savalas, sucking a lollipop) who may or may not be the devil. Lisa and the Devil is beautifully photographed in vibrant colour, violent, disturbing, and completely brilliant. Inventive sequences abound, encompassing concepts as broad as identity, memory vs. hallucination, necrophilia, past vs. present, reincarnation, etc...There's literally no limit to this film's depth and beauty. Unfortunately, its complete disregard for conventional narrative flow consigned it to a truly horrible fate, being butchered beyond recognition, having extra scenes added to make it seem like an Exorcist rip-off, it was finally released as House of Exorcism. If you see this version anywhere, you should not only avoid buying it, you should also destroy it. It's an atrocity and an insult to the memory of Mario Bava and this, possibly his greatest work.

I EXORCISE YOU FROM THIS HOUSE FOREVER!
This DVD double feature of LISA AND THE DEVIL and the remix HOUSE OF EXORCISM is the only way to see Mario Bava's masterpiece! Anyway, LISA AND THE DEVIL is a dazzling horror movie made the only way that Mario Bava could possibly direct it. It's like PSYCHO by way of the Brothers Grimm: Lisa Reiner (Elke Sommer), a tourist lost in Toledo, Spain, encounters a blind Contessa and her unbalanced son and their lollipop-sucking butler (Telly "Kojak" Savalas), along with a whole mess of bizarre occurances. This movie defies all logical explaination; you must see it to believe it. Telly Savalas is the highlight of the movie; he steals every scene he appears in (This is where he discovered what would become Kojak's trademark!).
As for HOUSE OF EXORCISM, it is one of the better Italian imitations of THE EXORCIST, with a great performance by Robert Alda as the priest who must deal with a possessed Lisa. Unfortunately, the re-editing takes away much of the mysticism of LISA and often comes off as ridiculously humorous. However, this movie comes with a commentary by Sommer and producer Alfredo Leone which is a must for Bavaphiles and film buffs alike.
Of all the Mario Bava movies that have come out on DVD that I own, I have to say that LISA AND THE DEVIL/HOUSE OF EXORCISM is the most essential. I also recommend the following: Dario Argento's SUSPIRIA, Lucio Fulci's THE BEYOND, Don Coscarelli's PHANTASM, and of course, Sam Raimi's THE EVIL DEAD. In fact, watch all of these together for some real spooky horror-movie fun!

Great 70's Horror
This film is really impressive in that it sets up a mood which flows through the entire movie. While "Lisa and the Devil" moves along at the speed of a PBS documentary "House of Exorcism" has great pacing and I found myself always wondering what was going to happen next. It is also sexier than "Lisa" since a couple scenes (Including one by Elke Sommer) are lacking in "Lisa". The romantic music of Rodriguez is put to good use here in establishing an atmosphere along with a great use of color. Highly recommended example of 70's euro-horror and Elke Sommer fans.

Questionable Classic.
Gaudiness, soft focus photography, an overemphasis on zoom shots (especially as far as shocked faces are concerned), awful (stilted) dialogue and a lot of old mansion baroque (seventies style). Reading that you might have mistaken this strange film for a hybrid of "Love Boat", "Murder she Wrote" (minus an iota of coherence) and, perhaps, a snuff film (well, the sensibility thereof at least). The film does have some merits as an unintentional comedy, and the opening minutes are eerie (before that damned zoom function starts taking a front seat). The constant and consistent zooming in and out and in and out, peripeteia, is more than a little annoying after a while, it spoils the film somewhat. Overall, a decent venture, worth a look if you're into seventies kitsch or want to see what all the fuss was about. The DVD quality is awful (soft image, a lot of colour bleed, with no acceptible black levels, evidence of minor print damage and mono-sound): if only those folks at Anchor Bay had got a hold of it first, natch. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It is 1855, and the Austrian military has occupied Italy. Countess Livia Serpieri (Alida Valli) falls deeply in love with Franz Mahler (Farley Granger), an Austrian lieutenant. She betrays her country by stealing funds collected to aid the resistance and giving them to Franz so that he can bribe his way out of service. When she rendezvous with the lieutenant, she finds a drunken, ungrateful rogue who has used her only for her money, in what is perhaps among the most psychologically disturbing scenes ever filmed. Her revenge is swift and decisive, and though severe, quite believable. This 1954 film from Luchino Visconti (The Damned, Death in Venice) is a complex depiction of human passions and the destruction they can wreak, set against the larger destruction of war. A simple story told against the backdrop of countries at war, it belongs to the same genre as Reds and Doctor Zhivago, and is definitely worth viewing. --James McGrath ... Read more

Reviews (7)

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

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

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

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

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

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