tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post3907857441147609911..comments2024-03-27T21:42:56.131-05:00Comments on 1001plus: The End of an EraSJHoneywellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-88716775908118148562017-04-21T21:05:49.359-05:002017-04-21T21:05:49.359-05:00I think this is the high point of Visconti's c...I think this is the high point of Visconti's career. As you say, it always looks like it's about to go off the rails, but it never does. Visconti manages to keep the whole thing on track, which is impressive for a movie this complex and this long. <br /><br />It's not one I'd choose that often, but it's one I'm very glad I had a chance to see. SJHoneywellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-7482791427378631512017-04-21T10:05:51.728-05:002017-04-21T10:05:51.728-05:00I know Visconti from some of his later films - Dea...I know Visconti from some of his later films - Death in Venice and The Damned. And I saw Senso a long time ago but the only thing I remember is how out-of-place and uncomfortable Farley Granger looked.<br /><br />When I noticed The Leopard on The List, I was a bit surprised. I've heard of it, but I never heard anybody making a big deal about it. (Rocco and His Brothers is the one I remember being much praised when Visconti is mentioned. I've never seen it, and it seems like a big blind spot to me.)<br /><br />I've seen Death in Venice two or three times and I've seen The Damned twice. I love both movies. But Visconti seems to me to be in a little over his head in both movies. Just a little. Both films are very watchable with moments of greatness (though The Damned is a great film more in the way that a really good exploitation film may be near greatness) but they are held together by the thinnest of threads and the whole thing seems about to fall apart with the slightest misstep.<br /><br />And I like that. Visconti seemed to be challenging himself in both films. <br /><br />The Leopard is available On Demand from the cable company and I watched it a few days ago. It was the 185-minute version. What a wonderful film! Burt Lancaster is so in control, just like his character. And I had no idea Claudia Cardinale was such a good actress, especially so early in her career! I also like the actress that played the daughter that was originally supposed to marry Tancredi. Concetta, I think, was her name in the movie.<br /><br />But I still had that feeling that the whole thing was just about to go off the rails. But it didn't happen. And Visconti seemed to be in complete control as the movie goes on. That last hour, the ballroom scene, is amazing and just about perfect. I especially liked that sequence where Burt Lancaster goes into the study for a breather and looks at the painting of the deathbed and then Angelica (Cardinale) and Tancredi (Alain Delon, who's also very good) follow him into the room and she asks him to dance a mazurka. It's all very touching and so well-acted. It's one of the most amazing things I've ever seen in Italian cinema. A friend called during the kiss so I was interrupted for 20 minutes, but when I went back to it, I rewound and watched the whole scene from where the Prince is looking at the painting.<br /><br />So, yeah, I see why it's on the List.<br /><br />Now I want to see Visconti's other movies from the List - Ossessione, Rocco and His Brothers - and I want to give Senso another try. Tonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17921029597363212734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-31299725129735219662012-08-04T12:04:04.720-05:002012-08-04T12:04:04.720-05:00I did. The version I found had both, but whenever ...I did. The version I found had both, but whenever possible, I like the original language. <br /><br />I agree on your assessment, too. The end felt like just a stopping place instead of an actual conclusion. But it moves so fast that by the time I realized I wanted more, it was done.SJHoneywellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-58599105961061552252012-08-04T11:06:19.070-05:002012-08-04T11:06:19.070-05:00Did you watch the Italian version? I assume you di...Did you watch the Italian version? I assume you did if you say it's three hours. It certainly one of those longer films that fees like there could be much more to it. I did like this one a lot. It wasn't top notch for me, but I thought it was really amazing when it worked for me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-56453902768366152242012-08-01T08:11:47.294-05:002012-08-01T08:11:47.294-05:00I've found this is a genre I often stumble on-...I've found this is a genre I often stumble on--long, languid period pieces that move slowly. Still, this is better than I'd hoped it would be.SJHoneywellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-5716819355308471822012-07-31T23:59:59.204-05:002012-07-31T23:59:59.204-05:00Brilliant review but unfortunately I'm yet to ...Brilliant review but unfortunately I'm yet to watch this film. Will it watch it soon and come back with a comment :)Haricharan Pudipeddihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16076790669404961308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-29222663481256703572012-07-31T17:00:52.822-05:002012-07-31T17:00:52.822-05:00I gotta say, I enjoyed Claudia Cardinale. I also e...I gotta say, I enjoyed Claudia Cardinale. I also enjoyed how natural she is with Alain Delon throughout. They're a really cute couple together, and I bought them completely.SJHoneywellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-30774854326232641732012-07-31T15:56:37.222-05:002012-07-31T15:56:37.222-05:00Some reviewers have called this Lancaster's be...Some reviewers have called this Lancaster's best performance, though it is of interest that in the more respected Italian version, his voice is dubbed. <br /><br />Overall, this was a film I respected more than liked, though Claudia Cardinale is still my choice for sexiest woman in film history.Chris, a librarianhttp://www.1001afilmodyssey.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-59541001567211962482012-07-31T10:43:06.406-05:002012-07-31T10:43:06.406-05:00I look forward to your review. I give it a lot of ...I look forward to your review. I give it a lot of credit in that it ran more than three hours but felt very much shorter to me.SJHoneywellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-55988906589754987102012-07-30T23:11:11.056-05:002012-07-30T23:11:11.056-05:00I think you are kinder to this film than I would b...I think you are kinder to this film than I would be.siochembiohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11487373396181856763noreply@blogger.com