Visconti. His strengths here are the big two films: The Leopard and Rocco and His Brothers. Also, Luchino Visconti, oddly enough, touches many of the major artistic movements in the art forms young history. Ossessione is part neo-realism and part noir. La Terra Trema is almost purely neorealistic but a decade later he’s waving goodbye to neorealism and conquers the epic (right there with David Lean) with The Leopard.
Best film: Rocco and His Brothers – part neorealism and part Visconti decorated elegance. It’s ambitious and you can feel the operatic weight and size of it (not unlike The Leopard despite the fact that it’s largely a family drama).
total archiveable films: 10
top 100 films: 0
top 500 films: 3 (Rocco and His Brothers, The Leopard, Ossessione)
top 100 films of the decade: 3 (Rocco and His Brothers, The Leopard, Ossessione)
most overrated: #497 on TSPDT is just too lofty for me for La Terra Trema. This film is his heaviest neo-realism film—a story of a fishing town—and frankly I think Varda’s La Poine Courte (1955) wrestles with the same subject matter in superior fashion. However, I’ve only seen it once and look forward to the revisit.
most underrated: TSPDT has Ossessione as #755 and Visconti’s 7th best. I have it 3rd and #375 overall. This is his noir film (before noir exists) and it actually plagiarizes Cain’s novel The Postman Always Rings Twice. It’s an excellent film.
gem I want to spotlight: The Leopard. I still think TSPDT overrates it (#74 all-time) but seeing it on Blu-ray blew me away and I still want to mention that here. It was a different film from the VHS I had seen twice between 1999-2004.
stylistic innovations/traits: If you learn about Visconti you learn about his films. He was an aristocrat with a committed Marxist who was a homosexual and former set designer and interior designer. The final portion as a set designer comes across most readily in terms of visual style so that’s my interest here. As I said above he had influences in both neorealism ANDfilm noir. He had an operatic sense of style and featured films about societies, mostly high, who justly crumbled. His films are wonderfully decorated and are elegant- opulent (but he was critical of it- he adored Bunuel and hated Antonioni if that tells you anything on his narrative thesis).
top 10
- Rocco and His Brothers
- The Leopard
- Ossessione
- Death in Venice
- Senso
- The Damned
- The Innocent
- Ludwig
- La Terra Trema
- Conversation Piece
By year and grades
| 1943-Ossessione | MS |
| 1948- La Terra Trema | R |
| 1954- Senso | |
| 1960- Rocco and His Brothers | MP |
| 1963- The Leopard | MS |
| 1969- The Damned | |
| 1971- Death In Venice | |
| 1973- Ludwig | R |
| 1974- Conversation Piece | |
| 1976- The Innocent |
*MP is Masterpiece- top 1-3 quality of the year film
MS is Must-see- top 5-6 quality of the year film
HR is Highly Recommend- top 10 quality of the year film
R is Recommend- outside the top 10 of the year quality film but still in the archives
Luchino Visconti films I have seen ranked:
1. The Leopard (1963) – MP
2. Senso (1954) – MS
3. The Damned (1969) – MS
4. Ludwig (1973) – MS
5. Death in Venice (1971) – MS
6. L’Innocente (1976) – HR
7. Conversation Piece (1974) – HR
@Drake- What are the new grades for Luchino Visconti’s films? I’m particularly interested if you got around to watching The Stranger (1967) with Marcello Mastroianni.
@Malith- rough draft here:
1943- Ossessione MP
1948- La Terra Trema MP
1951- Bellissima R
1954- Senso MS
1957- Le Notti Bianche MS
1960- Rocco and His Brothers MP
1963- The Leopard MP
1965- Sandra HR
1969- The Damned MS
1971- Death In Venice HR/MS
1973- Ludwig HR/MS
1974- Conversation Piece HR
1976- L’Innocente R/HR
@Drake- Did you see The Stranger with Marcello Mastroianni?
Luchino Visconti Study Summary:
Luchino Visconti has one of the most interesting bodies of work. He has several MP level films, but it is also the variety of styles and genres that he takes on: film noir, neo-realism, historical epics, family dramas, romantic dramas. The first paragraph of Roger Ebert’s 4 star review for Rocco and His Brothers (1960)
“Luchino Visconti was a man of many tempers, styles and beliefs, and you can see them all, fighting for space, on the epic canvas of his masterpiece, “Rocco and His Brothers” (1960). Visconti (1906-1976) was gay, an aristocrat, a Marxist, a director of theater and opera. He was a key influence in Italian neorealism and later abandoned it to make movies of elaborate style and fantasy.”
I wholeheartedly agree with Ebert here. As has been noted by many critics, reviewers, cinephiles, etc. Rocco and His Brothers is both a family drama with neorealism roots but also has elements of an Epic with the 3-hour runtime, Operatic score, and stunning compositions.
When I was in college I took a film class as an elective, the course was Italian Film. I actually meant to sign up for a different class, Italian American film. A friend who told me about that course said he watched The Godfather, Goodfellas, and other all timers. It ended up being a blessing in disguise as I watched films that I would not have otherwise thought to watch. Rocco and His Brother’s was one of those films. I loved it and even wrote a paper on it.
Speaking of Italian American film vs Italian film, Martin Scorsese is known as a huge admirer of Visconti, he even does the introduction for Rocco and His Brothers Blu Ray and is on Criterion Extras for at least one if not more than one of his films. Age of Innocence (1993) is clearly Scorsese’s most “Visconti-esque” film. The incredible level of detail with the costume work, lavish estates, extravagant dinner parties, and use of color in mise en scene is Visconti.
There are some similarities to Bertolucci who was my previous study as both Bertolucci and Visconti like to split frames and have intricate detail regarding interiors although not even Visconti can match Bertolucci’s obsession with curtains, doors, corridors, and windows. They both cover political subject matter although it probably plays a large role in Bertolucci’s films. They both have an affinity for historical epics. Visconti is better at using block and positioning characters through a frame and really just compositions in general although Bertolucci’s use of architecture in The Conformist (1970) is unmatched
While length is not the only factor that determines whether a particular film is or should be regarded as “an epic” it is obviously a major factor. This correlation makes sense here as Visconti’s films, especially the later ones are usually labeled as epics. Of the 11 films in this Study, there are three films that run 3 hours or longer with one of those being a film that runs almost 4 hours. The average length of these 11 films is 150 minutes or 2 hours and 30 minutes. I have not gone through this for all of my director studies, but I would have to imagine this is the longest average length aside from possibly Sergio Leone and /or Andrei Tarkovsky. Despite the ridiculously high average length Visconti paces his films effectively as the narrative never seems rushed nor does it grow stagnant, even the longest ones
I wanted to watch Sandra (1965) but could not find a quality version, so I skipped. I also failed to find a decent version of The Stranger (1967) though both of these do not seem to be major works from what I have read but I would certainly be willing to watch in the future even if not for a study or taking notes
Despite the wide array of subject matter and genres Visconti’s films often center around characters living in times of political, social, or economic changes. Rocco and his Brothers (1960) centers around the Parondi Family and their struggles for a more prosperous future as they look for opportunities after their move to Northern Italy. Ossessione features characters trying to survive harsh economic times post WW2. The Leopard (1963) centers characters of extreme wealth and privilege who are fighting off change in an attempt to preserve their way of life even though they are intelligent enough to know that it is ultimately a futile effort. Senso (1954) is a melodrama but the affair between the two main characters is constrained by the political atmosphere of the time
The “Germany Trilogy” is fascinating as Visconti takes his love of Epic filmmaking to extreme levels. There are really no truly likable characters in any of these three films and that is not a complaint. What I really love about this trilogy is how clear it is how little Visconti cares about the critical response. These films center around characters who are more than just devoted but practically prisoners to their obsessions such as Ludwig II of Bavaria and his Opera Houses or the Dirk Bogarde character in Death in Venice, who pitifully wanders through the city with some futile attempt to regain something he can never get back, his youth. In The Damned you have the dysfunctional Essenbeck family. The characters in these films, and by extension Visconti himself, embrace decadence. The amount of attention to detail in the set design and especially the interiors rivals Bertolucci as I mentioned before. It should come as little surprise that Visconti clearly loves using gold in mise en scene. He seems to really love using gold and red or gold and blue in the mise en scene
The filmography is really strong as I watched 11 of his 14 feature films. The three films I have not seen are Bellissima (1951), Sandra (1965), and The Stranger (1967). If I can find quality versions of these at some point I would definitely check them out. But for now, I am satisfied with this study and will certainly revisit in Future.
I gave Rocco and slight edge over The Leopard but there is no wrong answer here. Going purely by the compositions and beauty then The Leopard is superior. I really love the way the story progresses in Rocco and His Brother. Each brother has a Chapter, but of course it’s all connected to the larger narrative of the Parondi Family. The film is constantly adding layers to as it progresses, and the development feels organic.
His use of color is spectacular in parts of Senso (1954) and certainly the Germany Trilogy and L’innocente (1976). But he can certainly make beautiful black and white films with the main evidence being Le Notti Bianche (1957). The entire film was shot on a soundstage at Cinecittà Studios in Rome; this includes streets, stores, waterways, monuments, etc. The night sequences are the best and most stunning visuals. In particular the use of fog near the canal and some beautiful silhouette shots. La Terra Trema (1948) uses beautiful black and white photography and has some gorgeous silhouette shots in several of the early morning scenes when the fishing boats are departing from the shore
Final Ranking and Grades:
# 1 Rocco and His Brothers (1960) – MP
# 2 The Leopard (1963) – MP
# 3 Ossessione (1943) – MP
# 4 The Damned (1954) – MS/MP
# 5 La Terra Trema (1948) – MS/MP
# 6 Senso (1954) – MS
# 7 Death in Venice (1971) – MS
# 8 Le Notti Bianche (1957) – MS/HR
# 9 Ludwig (1973) – HR
# 10 L’innocente (1976) – HR
# 11 Conversation Piece – HR/R
Quoting Ebert here is interesting. He had a really tough(almost embarassing) time with Visconti’s latter pictures(Especially the German trilogy)
@Malith – true, but the quote still holds up regardless of Ebert’s dislike of The German Trilogy. The quote was more about his wide ranging interests, tastes, and styles than a statement about the quality of his work. Although clearly Ebert loved much of his work; he has several on his 4 star Great Films List
Maybe Ebert struggled with the incest/paedophilia themes in the German Trilogy films. But that’s a very bad look on him.
@James Trapp- Amazing work – please keep it up. I’ve been able to catch up with both Sandra and Bellisima in the last 12 months or so- worth keeping an eye out on MUBI if you can.
@Drake – thank you, I actually dropped MUBI last year, was disappointed in the selection. I have a list of movies I could not find during previous director studies, will definitely add these two to the list
The first 40-50 minutes of Bertolucci’s The Dreamers is superb.
@James Trapp – yeah, if you’re knocking out the big stuff on criterion in studies like you have been- there’s probably less of a need for MUBI. I get frustrated by MUBI’s revolving door approach- but it also revolves some pretty hard to find stuff through that door – which has kept me over the years. And then they’ve been been getting more exclusive new stuff, too.
@Drake – I think MUBI you can pay month by month so I would not completely rule out getting it for a particular month if there are some films I have been unable to track down. But yeah Criterion is the best especially since they often will put out Collections of films in groups. Practically every Paul Schrader film is on Criterion this month. I did my Bresson Study when Criterion put out a Collection of most of his films.
Are you looking at any particular directors now?
@James Trapp- I’m running through some Linklater films right now with Hit Man just coming out.
@James Trapp- Agree with L’Innocente above Conversation Piece. Although I would still give that one a full HR. L’Innocente is a more expansive film than Conversation Piece with a gripping narrative and two extraordinary performances by Giancarlo Giannini and Laura Antonelli. Conversation Piece actually feels like the Coda to Visconti’s career not L’Innocente. Even though it was released earlier. Conversation Piece is a strong film nonetheless with the best Burt Lancaster performance in the 70’s by some distance.
L’innocente (1976)
Notes:
Starts with shot of lamp lights and slow zoom out revealing gym filled with fencers practicing
Giancarlo Giannini as the films lead character Tullio Hermil, a wealthy aristocrat
2:58 large mirror in gym
3:04 transition to shot inside extravagant estate filled with paintings, flowers, and lavish furniture
3:37 great blocking, impressive composition with an older woman in a black dress playing piano, with well-dressed individuals watching on
6:23 wide angle shot with frame filled to brim
7:07 red and gold dominate mise en scene
9:52 gorgeous use of red
15:38 stationary camera while action develops in background
20:27 doors as framing for shots, again camera stationary for extended time
21:28 flowers in foreground
22:39 excellent costume work as usual
23:16 opera within the film
35:40 immaculate mise en scene with the red and gold
39:27 shot of fencing near identical to opening of the film
42:35 shaky camera POV on horse
44:06 frame in frame in background and flowers spaced in midground
50:10 nice frame in frames using doorways and use of tans, browns, and white is mise en scene
54:52 standout composition with splitting frame and use of depth of field
1:01:10 blue and white mise en scene
1:03:07 close ups on faces of characters during moments of high emotions
1:03:59 rapid zoom then rapid pan to fencer walking in on Tullio Hermil and Teresa Raffo shortly after kissing, almost exposing their secret relationship
1:04:37 again with the fencing
1:10:06 overly dramatic sex sequence while talking about being an atheist
1:21:49 “We’re intelligent, we’ve studied. We’ve traveled. We enjoy ourselves so much, we’re so rich…and then?”
1:25:00 slow zoom out and zoom in on a newspaper article with the headline that Filippo d’Arborio is dead
1:26:37 score intensity rising as Tullio informs his wife Giuliana that her lover is now dead
1:29:31 close up on Tullio’s face as he speaks with the Doctor
1:30:55 Tullio listens to his wife giving birth in the other room
1:31:40 shot of Tullio’s face in center of frame and lamp on right side of the frame as Tullio appears deep in thought while listening to the doctor
1:34:38 Tullio’s lack of affection and attention for his son upsetting the grandmother
1:39:47 another use of close up during high tension scene
1:44:53 mirror image to frame shot
1:47:15 the baby’s cries are heard for several seconds off screen
1:48:50 shot outside showing snowfall
1:50:00 close up on Tullio’s face with 3 candle lights in frame; one in foreground, one in midground, and one in background; all this follows the announcement that the baby is not breathing
1:52:16 Tullio and Giuliana argue over the death of the child which Giuliana believes is a murder
1:53:33 sequence where Tullio and Giuliana are shot in frame one at a time and surrounded by complete darkness/black screen during carriage ride
1:55:47 Tullio takes Teresa to his townhouse and tries to restart their relationship inside the beautiful house with its extravagant interiors
2:04:38 beautiful use of frame in frames, color, and décor right before Tullio takes his own life following rejection by Teresa
Thoughts:
Final film of the Visconti Study
Visually stunning film with many of the Visconti traits from the latter half of his career; impressive attention to detail and use of color in the mise en scene, beautiful interiors in set design, characters living life of extravagance and privilege, using doorways to frame shots, etc. There are a number of impressive frame in
frames
Emotionally intense film with character displaying terrible human behavior. Tullio has few if any redeeming qualities
Visconti uses close ups on characters’ faces more than he has in other films or at least I have noticed it more, especially in the 2nd half as it emphasizes the strong emotions the characters are feeling but do not always talk about. This film becomes much darker in the 2nd half ending with extraordinarily disturbing sequence
Starting around 1:21:38 is the following dialogue:
“We’re intelligent, we’ve studied. We’ve traveled. We enjoy ourselves so much, we’re so rich…and then?”
Visconti himself lived a life of extreme privilege
Following the baby’s death/murder there is sequence where Tullio and Giuliana are shot in frame one at a time and surrounded by complete darkness/black screen during carriage ride. Shortly after Tullio takes Teresa to his townhouse and tries to restart their relationship inside the beautiful house with its extravagant interiors
The ending features beautiful use of frame in frames, color, and décor right before Tullio takes his own life following rejection by Teresa
Verdict: HR
Conversation Piece (1974)
Notes:
Starts with magnifying glass over painting and zoom out showing Burt Lancaster’s character who is referred to as “The Professor” here
2:59 yellow painted walls surrounding Silvana Mangano’s character, Countess Brumonti
3:40 the professor on opposite side of the frame from the other two characters in the shot, the office surrounded by books
7:01 Countess Brumonti seems to be a thoroughly unlikable character
13:24 wide angle shot of The Professor’s office with The Professor on the far right side of the frame
18:26 statue in foreground of frame
18:52 frame in frame
19:49 split frame with window in background on left
24:44 nice shot, office filled to brim with beautiful paintings on the walls and furniture filling in the room
28:04 admiration for painting with Opera music playing in background
28:38 Beautiful clock in middle of frame
30:45 characters staggered in various depths of field inside of the apartment unit
33:53 over the shoulder two-shot with 3rd character entering the frame from right background of frame
34:42 zoom in followed by use of doorway to frame the shot
39:41 Professor shows off his food cellar which includes various Italian meats and wines that he shares with his guests
44:58 two-shot of Countess and Konrad who is her much younger lover
49:47 door frame in frame
1:02:48 back to back shots of closing of doors
1:03:48 dissolve edit with bird noise in background
1:04:14 flashback to shot of empty room with flowers placed in 3 depths of field
1:06:29 another shot of door closing
1:13:50 strange sex sequence that occurs out of nowhere
1:19:23 orange interiors
1:20:01 the Professor deep in thought
1:21:47 white walls create distinct contrast with bright and primary colors of the painters and other objects in the room
1:23:25 white object in foreground separating the 3 characters in triangle composition from The Professor sitting across from the other 3
1:28:38 flashback with noticeable change in color palette with the pink and purple shades
1:35:00 the professor eating dinner with his new friends following argument
1:36:25 sequence with characters at dinner table shown one at a time within frame with candles in the foreground of each of these shots
1:41:04 Konrad’s marriage proposal is cruelly rejected by Countess Brumonti
1:54:36 Konrad’s suicide leads to The Professor becoming filled with guilt
Thoughts:
Visconti seemingly goes another direction following the conclusion of the “Germany Trilogy”. There is still impeccable interiors and décor but the scope and story appears much simpler, none the less it does become darker toward the end
There are almost no uses of zooms after heavy use in the “Germany Trilogy”
There is a strange sex sequence around the 73 min mark that I thought seemed out of place
Burt Lancaster continues to amaze me, he can credibly play a wide array of roles, here as a cultured and intelligent man clashing a little with a younger generation
Around 96 min mark there is a sequence with characters at dinner table shown one at a time within frame with candles in the foreground of each of these shots
Verdict: HR/R
I thought the sex sequence was one of the best moments in the whole film with the Italian music. It goes well with the theme of the film that is uninvited people disturbing the life of the Lancaster character. It is done so artily haha. Every movement.
@Malith – interesting, I just was not reallly sure what to make of it but you make a good point. Some of the bizarreness reminded me of Godard
Ludwig (1973)
Notes:
Starts with a bright red screen with white lettering for opening credits. Following this you have a shot of Church Spire and pan down to Ludwig II of Bavaria (played by Helmut Berger) as an 18 year old, he is speaking to the Father
2:38 close up shot of face with solid blue in the background
6 min decadent celebration inside lavish estate
9:25 incredible costume work with blue and red dominating the mise en scene in this scene
13:36 beautiful shot with red and green lighting from lamps in background of frame, as woman revealed to be Empress Elisabeth of Austria is riding a horse. The Empress is played by Romy Schneider
15:01 zoom in
20:50 double profile shot
23:20 change to a wintry landscape with snow falling
27:07 piano obstructing the frame in the foreground
37:14 multiple mirrors and reflections in the shot
50:00 Ludwig and Richard Wagner discuss the building of a theatre
1:00:23 beautiful shot of interior with use of red in mise en scene
1:00:59 close up on Ludwig’s face as he is clearly upset
1:14:03 “this War does not exist”
1:16:04 blue/purple sky at night with trees/woods in foreground
1:17:47 gorgeous shot of blue/purple horizon with Ludwig standing at shore
1:25:04 mirror reflection used in composition
1:27:16 shot capturing the size or depth of the estate
1:27:29 nice splitting of frame
1:28:02 light blue and gold in immaculate mise en scene
1:40:23 two-shot during dinner with gold plates and candles spread throughout the frame
1:41:31 shallow focus shot
1:42:35 wide angle shot inside bedroom with chandeliers, candles, and paintings spread throughout the shot including the candles in the foreground
1:48:20 another stunning interior shot
1:50:02 intense argument between Sophie and her mother as Sophie does not believe Ludwig loves her
2nd Half
Starts with narrator in front of blue wall followed by shot of religious service
7:39 “chloroform is the only thing to help me sleep” Ludwig
13:13 blue and gold mise en scene to red and gold into the next room Ludwig stumbles into
16:17 slow pan down small tree with Christmas decorations followed by camera panning over dozens of musicians including an orchestra
21:36 characters in multiple of depths with some nice frame in frames
26:13 beautiful shot in waterway with painting in background and use of red lighting
31:45 flowers, candles, paintings, expensive silverware, and gold all in this shot
37:20 cuts to shot of men in blue uniforms riding horses in the snow
43:58 slow pan down from ceiling to the ridiculously lavish interiors
44:47 frame in frame with beautiful use of blue light over the water
47:07 wide angle shot of red staircase as the women ascend in a long shot
48:03 extreme depth of field and beautiful use of patterns and symmetry in this immaculate shot
1:00:20 wide angle shot inside office
1:11:55 heavy rainfall with purple/blue sky as tension builds
1:14:03 Ludwig isolated in frame in medium shot
1:15:50 zoom out followed by zoom in following a troubled Ludwig asking for poison
1:21:56 blue and gold “Ludwig” coin
1:24:06 strong composition with characters in multiple depths
1:24:26 high angle shot with chandelier obstructing part of foreground
1:38:02 split frame with tree and deep focus on men walking into forest on rainy night
1:40:15 nice use of lighting via fire from torches
1:43:28 men with torches in middle of frame in surrounding water
Film ends with search party finding Ludwig II dead in the water
Thoughts:
Visconti with another strong historical epic
I like the use of 2:39:1
Here is part of a paragraph on Ludwig II of Bavaria from Wiki
“Ludwig ascended to the throne in 1864 at the age of 18 but increasingly withdrew from day-to-day affairs of state in favour of extravagant artistic and architectural projects. He commissioned the construction of lavish palaces…Ludwig spent all his own private royal revenues (although not state funds as is commonly thought) on these projects, borrowed extensively, and defied all attempts by his ministers to restrain him
Perhaps Visconti looked at Ludwig II of Bavaria as something of a kindred spirit. In a way the life of some
The costume work, mise en scene, and period detail is all exquisite
The four hour running time actually flows quite well although some critics felt it was aimless at times and I do not disagree entirely. There are some similarities to Ridley Scott’s Napoleon (2023) which overall thought was solid but a little disappointing and a mess at times. But part of Napoleon’s problem is that it does not seem to know what kind of film it wants to be. Visconti does not have that problem; this fits seamlessly with the unofficial “Germany Trilogy” which includes The Damned and Death in Venice
Verdict: HR
Strangely low rating for Ludwig. Hmm. I think it is at the very least equal or on the same level of Death in Venice. I think despite some flows(the interview scenes) Ludwig is better. It is more Viscontian(the downfall of a family) and a great companion piece or even a sequel to The Damned. The blue lighting in places, bleak atmosphere, the blocking of the screen with flowers/objects is very reminiscent of The Damned. And has a sprawling narrative that is never uninteresting with a tragic fate. I would have preferred more outdoor scenes though. And there was issues in my copy like dubbing issues(characters talking in English, then talking in a dubbed Italian voice suddenly in the middle of a scene-for example the first time Berger, Schneider kiss, a conversation with Berger and Helmut Griem). Hopefully I can find a better copy in the next one. I thought Romy Schneider gave a great performance here.
It is very different from the Napoleon as well. So I don’t get that comparison. My jaw dropped in one scene when Ludwig comes from an entirely blue sleeping room to an entirely red office room in one scene. Haha.
Death In Venice (1971)
Notes:
Starts with beautiful painterly image with pink and blue sky in background of frame and boat moving through the waters
4:43 Dirk Bogarde playing Gustav von Aschenbach, is shown sitting in chair on the boat
5:30 panning camera with subtle shifts moving along water
8:48 boats in midground and Venice in background, in particular Venice Lido
15:40 great splitting of frame and using different depths of field on each side of frame
17:48 two-shot using mirror reflection for 1 on the 2 characters
18:16 great splitting of frame and frame in frames using window overlooking the shore
23:36 detail in mise en scene is tremendous with flowers, lamps, chairs, and tables filling frame to the brim as camera roving through the room
23:25 camera holds on photograph of woman
23:55 another sequence with camera roving through the Grand Hotel des Bains
27:28 slow zoom out showing Gustav sitting by himself in Hotel’s ballroom
30 min zooms used during sequence
31:44 Gustav in right side of foreground and staff spread over background of frame after everyone else has left the room
33:06 Gustav eating dinner in restaurant by himself
34:44 beautiful shot of rows of tables at luxury restaurant
43:36 slow zoom in on Gustav before showing medium shot of a boy walking on the beach that has caught Gustav’s eye
48:48 beautiful shot of the beach horizontally split into thirds with sand, water, and sky
49:07 shot held as group of women in white dresses and holding white umbrellas over their heads
54:50 diagonal object resulting in trapezoid shaped frame
58:19 Gustav faces the young boy as they pass each other and share a glance for the first time
59:31 close up of Gustav who is traveling on boat and some movement is palpable as his head seems to be spinning with shaky camera
1:10:23 great composition with frame in frames and nice use of background/foreground
1:10:48 gorgeous shot of red and purple sky during magic hour
1:11:24 museum worthy imagery
1:14:10 shallow focus
1:14:26 another great shot with flowers obstructing part of foreground
1:16:24 Fur Elise playing in background with Gustav listening while positioned in nice frame in frame
1:21:30 Gustav walks into the dark
1:24:46 incredible shot near the canal similar to Le Notti Bianche (1957)
1:32:24 there are extended sequences even when the action is not focused on or around Gustav
1:33:40 zoom in on Gustav sitting at table as musical act continues
1:42:30 beautiful shot of light green painted corridor
1:46:38 extreme close up on Gustav’s face
1:47:38 beautiful shot of inverted reflection via water
1:48:48 profile shot of Tadzio surrounded by fog
1:51:32 Gustav in left side of foreground at night watching people walking by who quickly glance in his direction before walking away with the exception of Tadzio who temporarily stops and looks at Gustav
1:57:08 screaming nightmare as Gustav hears voice
1:58:04 close up of Tadzio’s face initially covered by shadow before coming into focus
2:00:33 sweeping ariel shot of beach as camera pans across
2:05:35 sparkling water as Tadzio shown walking toward it
2:06:03 light blue and purple horizon as Tadzio approaches the water
Thoughts:
Visconti moves from focus on a Family to setting the film around an individual character played by the great Dirk Bogarde, who I had never heard of a couple of months ago but between Visconti and my Losey Study I have now watched 6 of his films
Zooms dominate but are used differently than they are in The Damned as that film used rapid zooms in switching perspectives in the ensemble cast, in this film the zooms are much slower and are used to show Gustav’s relation to his surroundings and his mindset
The use of pans and roving camera are effective in placing you into the world of the film, the camera moves patiently and immerses the viewer into the film and more specifically Gustav’s perspective
Similar to Lost in Translation (2003) you have a character who is often “alone in a crowd” as he is surrounded by people but almost seems invisible to the people around him. There is some use of shallow focus in a couple of scenes
Venice is a great location for films. You have the canals, bridges, architecture, historical landmarks, and other traits making it ideal for the setting or shooting location. The Criterion Channel currently has a Collection of Films that are set in Venice
Flowers are everywhere in this film, often in foreground partially obstructing the frame
At 1:11:24 there is an image of sun setting that should be in museum, the final shot of Tadzio walking into the water with the blue and purple horizon is gorgeous. The beach sequence with a group of women with white clothing and white umbrellas is beautiful, here you have two shades of blue with the sky and the water
Gustav’s fascination with the young boy is certainly disturbing even though his intensions never seem to be nefarious, it is more pitiful than anything else. There is an obvious sadness to Gustav who seems to be wondering aimlessly. His interest in Tadzio as troubling as it is gives some feeling of purpose to him
Dirk Bogarde is great here. At times you might think you’re watching a silent film due to long stretches with little to no dialogue and Gustav himself goes through long stretches without uttering a single word. This makes Bogarde’s performance even more impressive given the challenging task of effectively portraying a complex character who is often nonverbal
Verdict: MS
@James Trapp-Bogarde’s character is chasing youth here much more than anything sexual or romantic. He is clearly in a deteriorating condition and the boy is reminding him of his younger/better days. I think this easily has a case for being Bogarde’s best performance. It’s a very against type role I think for him as well because usually he is so good at words and manipulating people around him.
@Malith – agreed, his intensions never seem to be nefarious, it is more pitiful than anything else. There is an obvious sadness to Gustav who seems to be wondering aimlessly. His interest in Tadzio as troubling as it is gives some feeling of purpose to him
There are similarities to the Takashi Shimura character in Ikiru (1952). Spending time with a younger women who reignites his passion for life having been in a 25 year stupor. That character also did not lust after the young woman who he becomes platonic friends. For him it was her youth and care free attitude that he found so alluring
The Damned (1969)
Notes:
Starts with slow zoom out revealing elegant dining room inside mansion
This film is set in 1930s Germany and focuses on the Essenbecks, a wealthy industrialist family starting to do business with the Nazi Party
4:06 zooms prevalent early
4:38 wide angle shot of upper level inside mansion
5:23 overhead shot moving over lower level of mansion
8:34 another use of zoom in on a character
9:07 Dirk Bogarde makes appearance
11:13 2 young girls around ages 12 and 8 years old in a frame in frame using curtains as they stand on a dimly lit stage with yellow and black curtains behind the girls
12:15 disturbing sequence with camera panning over room showing characters one at a time, each surrounded by darkness in and each with look of subtle (or unsubtle) menace on their faces with cello playing in background
14:29 standout composition with dimly lit room and character blocking and depth of field work
16:17 great use of color with an orange/red lighting over face of Thulin character watching the show and laughing
17:37 green, pink, and blue lighting illuminating from the stage and projector
19:17 camera panning across dinner table showing characters speaking while isolated in frame
20:11 zoom in on face
23:28 shot of character sitting at table with character in the background of the frame with objects in the foreground and midground obstructing the shot the rest of the frame
29:26 green lighting in background of frame in dim lite room
32:53 nice frame in frame using curtains
36:38 slow zoom and use of frame in frames
37:10 Nazi officers pounding doors
37:36 beautiful symmetrical shot of three blue windowpanes
39:37 composition with blocking and characters in various depths of field and dead man in bed in background
42:00 sequence shows several characters one at time with half of face covered by shadow before zoom
45:47 green and red neon lighting in this wide angle shot inside large room
47:30 shot similar to Antonioni’s Red Desert including the yellow smoke out of industrial machines which cover background of the frame with marching band in foreground
48:34 intense orange in shot of fire
58:18 shaky camera captures the chaos during book burning scene
1:07:48 Sophie von Essenbeck (Ingrid Thulin) can be cold without saying a single word
1:11:10 In an incredibly disturbing sequence Martin is reveled to be sexually abusing a 10 year old girl
1:12:11 blue curtain and beautiful silhouette image
1:13:58 great use of door as frame and deep focus shot of young girl lying in bed in background
1:15:12 split frame with nice use of background/foreground
1:17:30 shallow focus, rare so far in this film
1:18:32 another impressive composition splitting frame and use of deep focus
1:23:49 splitting frame with great deep focus shot
1:26:30 plant obstructing frame in foreground with two characters in different depths of field
1:31:29 zoom out to shot revealing Sophie in bed with Friedrich Bruckmann (Dirk Bogarde)
1:36:14 impressive depth of field in this shot of the lake in background and trees in foreground
1:37:11 haunting red lighting as camera pans over several characters in the red lit room with streamers obstructing the frame
1:39:09 camera gliding through the celebration
1:43:10 dance scene resembles the one in
1:47:20 blue backdrop
1:48:00 beautiful early morning shot
1:50:00 barrage of violence over the next several minutes as Nazi soldier move to several locations killing everyone they can
1:50:35 splitting of frame with murders in background of left side of frame, the rest of the frame is obstructed by a fence
1:55:55 shot of Martin from shoulders up with the rest of the frame completely black
2:01:54 dinner sequence much different tone than earlier one
2:03:07 door as frame and deep focus
2:05:53 green and pink lighting similar to Vertigo
2:09:38 zoom out from Martin sitting at the head of the table as it reveals that he is alone
2:11:08 standout frame with the foreground/background work and deep focus
2:17:52 high angle shot into courtyard using window as frame
2:24:24 great frame in frame using door in foreground and 2 characters in background with nice use of deep focus and silhouette
2:27:20 rapid zoom
2:28:44 candles obstruct part of the frame in the foreground
2:35:38 haunting image and dissolve with use of red and orange
Thoughts:
Visconti with another film focusing on a family but this time a far more nefarious one. It is much darker, but the breakdown of a powerful family has some similarities to The Magnificent Ambersens (1942)
The costume work, interior imagery, and mise en scene inside mansion impressive
The technicolor is used effectively for the films use of expressionistic color. The lighting stands out as well, the film largely takes place inside the Mansion which is often dimly lit creating an eerie atmosphere
Similar to The Leopard the film focuses on a family during a time of rapidly changing social and political conditions although the characters here are not as immune to these changes as they seemed to be in The Leopard. And while the Leopard contained likable characters, this film really does not
It’s another impressive showing for Dirk Bogarde although Ingrid Thulin as Baroness Sophie Von Essenbeck is the standout performance in my opinion. The performances are solid all the way around
The rapid zooms are the most notable stylistic tool, they are effective in showing different perspectives. The use of slow pans across rooms or the dinner table in several scenes are notable, especially so when they show characters isolated in the frame and in some cases the characters are isolated in the frame with complete blackness surrounding them
There are a number of shots where Visconti obstructs much of the frame using objects on the foreground and midground. He uses some amazing deep focus shots with characters in the foreground and background and considerate space between them
There is a distinct contrast starting around the 108 minute mark with several beautiful shots of nature and the surrounding area including a serene body of water; this all before a truly vicious sequence of Nazi officers committing mass murders
There are shots with characters shown isolated in frame but instead of being in center they are on the far side of the frame, often the right side
The ending shot is haunting as you have dissolve with bright orange fire
Verdict: MS
The Leopard (1963)
Notes:
Starts with shot outside beautiful and lavish estate and statue
Camera slowly moving toward estate set to Nino Rota score
4:03 camera moves inside estate during a religious service with Burt Lancaster in foreground playing Don Fabrizio Corbera, Prince of Salina
9:07 multiple depths of field and frame in frames used
10:23 camera pan and slow zoom in on a dead soldier found in the garden
11:57 dark blue fabric in background as Fabrizio and Father Pirrone shot in medium close up inside carriage as Fabrizio travels to see his mistress (probably one of several)
14:42 Delon character Prince Tancredi Falconeri, makes his first appearance playing Don Fabrizio’s nephew, he is shown in the background of frame via mirror image as Don Fabrizio is shaving
16:57 two shot of Fabrizio and Tancredi in different depths of field
22:25 Fabrizio is less concerned about the current political climate than the Father
24:46 great splitting of frame and depth of field in composition with Fabrizio and Father both facing opposite directions as Fabrizio loses himself in the beauty of the surrounding landscape from his balcony
27:40 camera slow pan showing aftermath of violent outburst in the streets
32:24 high angle long shot of horse carriages traveling over baren landscape, several dissolves used
42:10 shot of small gathering with Fabrizio and family having picnic in peaceful outdoor location
43:07 Tancredi in red uniform and with black robe over one of his eyes, is shown turning and speaking into camera in composition with characters in multiple depths of field
43:57 dissolve to shot of picnic clean up with insect noises in background
46:04 nice splitting o frame with structure in this high angle shot with soldiers and townspeople standing in the streets listening to live band as royalty walks through the streets
49:06 beautiful music playing during great slow pan from high angle inside the church
50:06 camera capturing beautiful interiors of Church during service
51:55 deep focus showing horses passing through streets in background in packed frame inside Church
55 min a humorous scene with Father informs Fabrizio that one of his mistresses, Concetta Corbera, is in love with Delon’s Tancredi
58:49 rich detail in mise en scene with paintings, curtains, expensive furniture and gold and red dominating
1:00:48 Claudia Cardinale as Angelica Sedara makes her first appearance, resulting in quick zoom in on Tancredi’s face followed by a close up on Fabrizio
1:01:52 Angelica in foreground speaking with Fabricio and Tancredi in midground
1:03:00 shot of luxurious dinner table
1:04:37 slow pan used to show Concetta’s obvious concern that Tancredi is too interested in Angelica
1:06:11 masterful composition with detailed layout of flowers and candles over white cloth of the dinner table and in background Tancredi positioned between Angelica and Concetta
1:10:40 symmetrical shot with Fabrizio flanked by red curtains
1:14:23 white, red, and green colored bourbons; 3 colors of Italian flag
1:17:58 gorgeous shot of fireworks in low angle profile shot of Fabrizio followed by dissolve and pan to shot of landscape as Fabrizio and Don Calogero Sedara (played by Paolo Stoppa) walk along side hunting dogs
1:21:16 Fabrizio in medium shot with dead rabbit hanging from a tree on left side of frame before camera moves back showing landscape in background as Fabrizio is on a hill
1:33:27 long shot of Fabrizio and Don Calogero walking down hill
1:34:20 triangle composition in this shot inside estate
1:41:45 multiple frame in frames with shot of corridor and including several doors
1:42:48 beautiful interior shot
1:49:24 multiple frame in frames using several doors using Angelica’s pink dress stands out from the desaturated color palette consisting of green and browns
1:58:38 sweeping ariel shot of surrounding of the estate
1:59:38 diagonal line of 3 characters across frame
1:59:54 great deep focus and frame
2:03:00 shallow focus
2:05:50 Fabrizio intellectual conversation about the future of Italy
2:09:35 camera angle changes showing Fabrizio isolated in middle of frame inside his office
2:12:06 low angle shot symmetrical frame with Fabrizio and Cavalier Chevalley sitting in chairs discussing politics by fireplace
2:14:01 rare use of silhouette
2:14:35 line of characters spread throughout the frame while walking down hill
2:16:21 gorgeous ariel shot of city
2:16:35 shot of ballroom filled by characters dancing
2:17:33 nice splitting of frame
2:18:45 amazing costume work
2:21:50 slow pan putting viewer inside the Ballroom
2:23:18 great blocking in composition
2:26:44 another shot of Fabrizio and mirror image sharing frame and Fabrizio seems to be pondering and alone despite being surrounded by people
2:28:10 one of best shots of film with frame packed and use of deep focus capturing the grandeur of this event, this is followed by a close up shot of Fabrizio who is isolated in frame and is conflicted as to whether he should stay or leave
2:29:57 high angle/overhead shot with chandeliers in foreground and midground
2:31:33 nice foreground/background work using shallow focus
2:34:57 profile shot of Fabrizio in dimly lit room by himself
2:36:50 Fabrizio, Tancredi and Angelica shown one at a time with the 3 of them in office
2:39:06 two shot of Fabrizio and Angelica with Tancredi out of frame
2:49:21 silhouette in part of the frame
2:54:50 amazing shot with candles throughout the midground and background with a chain of royalty dancing with their arms attached to each other
2:56:00 another mirror shot with close up on Fabrizio who has a single tear coming down his left eye
2:58:32 another excellent splitting of the frame and deep focus and frame in frames using doors and hallways
Thoughts:
This is a beautiful film start to finish capturing the final days of the Italian Aristocracy based on a novel by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa
This is one of the best historical epics that I have ever seen, taking its time to develop the story while also immersing the viewer in the film’s world. There are similarities in terms of subject matter and time and location to Bertolucci’s 1900 which I recently covered in my Bertolucci Study although this is superior even though 1900 had plenty to admire itself. There is some nice splitting of the frames which is one of Bertolucci’s specialties
The set designs here are arguably the most impressive aspect of the film. The incredible level of detail in the mise en scene and just the grandeur of their lifestyle is incredible; the Dinner sequences are perhaps topped only by The Age of Innocence (1993) and The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989)
Burt Lancaster playing the role of Fabrizio is a really interesting choice for the lead character given that he is not Italian, yet he gives an incredible and authentic performance. Arguably a career best and I do not say that lightly as he is one of my very favorite actors. He is impeccable in The Killers (1946) and The Sweet Smell of Success (1957) and great in many others demonstrating a huge range. With this film he portrays a more complex character than he initially seems to be in the beginning
Mirrors are used frequently throughout the film, especially in scenes with Fabrizio. Delon’s character makes his entrance into the film in a mirror reflection while Fabrizio is shaving. I see mirrors as a motif as Fabrizio is frequently reflecting on his life in the changing political and social environment. As stated above he is a more intelligent and thoughtful character than you might expect. In the 2nd half of the film Fabrizio is increasingly shown isolated in frames even throughout the immaculate ballroom sequence. There is also some shallow focus in shots where there are other characters in the background of the frame and Fabrizio in the foreground. Lancaster is especially great in the final 30 or so minutes, much of this is a silent performance with very little dialogue as he is in a constant state of pondering.
Alain Delon and Claudia Cardinale are both terrific as well, making a phenomenon big 3 acting performances
The film has similarities to Senso (1954) in terms of subject matter and visual style, but this goes further with the incredible painterly images throughout the film. The compositions, blocking, and framing are all at MP level
Ballroom sequences make for great Cinema; The Magnificent Ambersens (1942) and The Earrings of Madame de (1953) are two films that immediately come to mind; this might even top both of those two films
There is great world building beyond the aesthetics and costumes, architecture, etc. there is an intimacy as the viewer is brought into Fabrizio’s world
Masterful sequence starting around 65 minutes with slow pans and close ups used to show love triangle forming as Tancredi’s interest in Angelica is increasingly obvious to Concetta, there is beautiful use of flowers and candles spaced over the luxurious dinner table
just before 78 min mark there is great sequence starting with gorgeous shot of fireworks in low angle profile shot of Fabrizio followed by dissolve and amazing pan down from sky to a shot of landscape as Fabrizio and Don Calogero Sedara (played by Paolo Stoppa) walk alongside their hunting dogs. This sequence flows frictionlessly
I love the understated, life goes on sort of ending. It is perfect for this film since the revolutionary aspect is peripheral. Ending the film with a shocking act of violence or some other intense sequence would be out of place given everything that happens before it
Already dreading having to pick between this and Rocco when I do the final rankings for the Study
Verdict: MP
@James Trapp-Are you going to watch The Stranger? I have seen all of Visconti’s 7 color films apart from this one. He somehow got more and more prolific later in his career. And died way too early. I absolutely adore L’Innocente which was actually released after his death.
@Malith – I am not opposed to it if I can find it in decent quality. I watched to watch Sandra (1965) but the only versions I could find were not great
@James Trapp- really well done here!
Rocco and His Brothers (1960)
Notes:
Film with Chapter for each of 5 Parondi Brothers
Starts with shot of train station with group of 4 boys (1 kid and 3 teens/young adults) and their mother as they are migrating to Milan, which is in Northern Italy from Southern Italy, which at the time was much poorer with less prospects for work/jobs
6:48 photo of the oldest brother Vincenzo, the only brother not on the train, to a shot of Vincenzo at his fiancées house
6:50 “Vincenzo”
8:44 four brothers and mother enter house of Ginetta (played by Claudia Cardinale)
12:34 drama at the engagement party as Rosaria Parondi as the mother argues with the host family after being informed that they do not have room for Mother and her boys to sleep over
17:43 the Parondi Brothers and mama travel as a pack while Visconti holds shot
18:24 Brothers seeing snow for the first time through the window in their basement level apartment
20:24 medium close shot capturing the family in their close quarters
21:33 nice wide angle shot of the family with frame split by concrete block
22:25 this is a delightful little scene with Mama Parondi sending off each son to shovel snow
24:04 deep focus in narrow angle shot of family walking into a line
25:10 Nadia makes 1st appearance captured in high angle shot of her running up staircase
27:08 nice composition and depth of field with Vincenzo, Nadia, and a light bulb in 3 different depths
27:50 Nadia makes strong impression on Rocco and especially Simone
29:57 great composition with brothers spread in multiple depths of field and light bulb in foreground
32:30 another shot of Parondi in close quarters
36:21 high angle shot of workers in field segues to Simone training in local boxing gym
36:38 camera floating through gym
39:07 hallway shot slightly obscured by condensation with character in foreground and background
39:25 close up shots on Rocco and Simone is isolated frames when approached by boxing manager, cut to Simone in the ring for a real fight
44 min brawl in streets following Simone’s fight
46:20 “Simone”
The Simone chapter starts with shot of Nadia
47:21 close up semi-profile shot of Nadia’s face
52:10 Rocco barely visible in lower right foreground at the clothing store he works at with all female employees (except for Rocco). All this shortly before Simone enters into the middle of the frame demonstrating a contrast between the two brothers: the shy and passive Rocco vs the brash and assertive Simone
55:38 frame split with Simone in changing room
57:03 shot of boxing gym with speed bag in foreground in similar position to light bulbs in earlier scenes
1:04:51 Simone showing his arrogance and tendency to take advantage of people
1:09:30 car windshield as frame
1:10:05 stolen jewelry Nadia gives to Rocco which she got from Simone
1:12:27 composition capturing Parondi Brothers all in different depths of field
1:14:10 camera with slow pan from Rocco to Simone, angry and hurt as he feels he’s being rejected by Nadia who leaves message through Rocco
1:15:16 “Rocco”
1:16:18 Rocco reads letter from his mother updating him as he is off doing military service and informs him via the letter that Vincenzo is married and his wife pregnant and Simone is training
1:18:15 dissolve as Nadia meets up with Rocco and tells him she did prison time but is out
1:20:55 Rocco in medium close up taking to Nadia at cafe
1:23:50 close up of Rocco and Nadia holding hands
1:29:58 Simone and Rocco sparring in background of frame
1:31:49 wide angle shot of city followed by Rocco and Nadia meeting up with an initial shot using frame in frame through a bus window
1:33:20 Simone struggling in boxing match versus faster fighter
1:37:15 Simone told about Rocco running around with Nadia
1:38:00 dissolve from shot of Simone’s intense face
1:41:52 close up of Simone looking through bushes
1:43:43 start of brutal rape sequence as Rocco is held down while Simone assaults Nadia
1:45:17 standout composition with Nadia literally in the middle of the brothers in midground of frame with Rocco and foreground and Simone in background
1:47:39 long shot of Rocco and Simone next to tall structure after most of sequence in medium close ups or medium shots
1:51:47 Rocco’s face in close with top of Nadia’s head barely visible in frame
1:52:45 tremendous composition at rooftop of the cathedral of Milan which is also known as Duomo of Milan. It’s a high angle shot but with Rocco and Nadia in foreground and pedestrians walking below during the daytime, Rocco tells a devastated Nadia that she should go back to Simone even though she is in love with Rocco
1:54:56 stunning high angle shot capturing the Cathedrak
1:56:08 Nadia laughing like she was in the first scene she meets the Parondi Family
2:00:12 Rocco shown boxing from crowd to in medium close up
2:01:11 shot of Rocco from inside the ring
2:02:56 close up on Rocco’s face while talking to Ciro who is off screen
2:03:38 “Ciro”
2:04:38 Ciro and his girlfriend Franca in medium close up
2:05:38 curtains creating frame in frame showing Nadia inside kitchen of Parondi house
2:07:09 mama is distraught due to Simone and his relationship with Nadia
2:09:44 Ciro talks to Rocco about Simone but he can’t accept the truth that Simone is a bad seed
2:11:15 beautiful shot with brother’s talking in foreground in heavy mist throughout the rest of frame
2:12:37 doorway used to frame shot of the youngest brother Luca walking away
2:13:51 Simone shot as shadow in midground in sequence implying he is prostituting himself to the former boxing manager in a depressing and disturbing sequence
2:19:44 Nadia and mama get in intense fight over Simone
2:24:38 Rocco willing to go to extreme lengths for Simone even ruining his own life
2:24:50 great composition with frame in frame and multi depths of field
2:28:44 wide angle shot of stadium Rocco with big fight approaching
2:29:50 Simone laughingstock of town now
2:33:12 Simone inverted image in reflection in water
2:34:14 Nadia laughs at Simone who makes a desparate and pathetic plea for the two of them to start over leading to Simone to pull out a blade
2:37:35 Nadia does not resist and puts arm out with religious like sacrificial image being killed on the cross by Simone. This is crosscut to an extent with Rocco in the ring during his big fight which he wins
2:39:54 “Luca”
Parondi family celebrating Rocco’s big victory
2:41:04 shot of two levels of apartment complex as neighbors invited to celebrate
2:42:05 a now married Vincenzo with his wife and kid makes a toast
2:42:53 camera with slow pan outward following Rocco making a toast
2:49:20 Simone naturally ruins the party
2:52:20 slow zoom in on Rocco talking to Luca
2:52:49 Ciro talking to Luca
Thoughts:
When I was in college I took a film class as an elective, the course was Italian Film. I actually meant to sign up for a different class, Italian American film. A friend who told me about that course said he watched The Godfather, Goodfellas, and other all timers. It ended up being a blessing in disguise as I watched films I would not have thought to watch otherwise. Rocco and His Brother’s was one of those films. I loved it and even wrote a paper on it.
Cinema has always excelled at championing individuals, but I really love films that focus on families, and this is exceptional in its storytelling and despite the chapter breaks for each of the 5 brothers the film is focused on the Parondi Family as a whole
Alain Delon as Rocco is excellent playing the brother who tries to hold everything together even when it becomes futile due to Simone’s increasingly terrible decisions. Rocco is forgiving, perhaps too forgiving as he becomes an enabler of Simone’s despicable behavior which turns criminal in two truly brutal sequences, one near the halfway point of the film and the other in the final 30 minutes
Annie Girardot as Nadia with a standout performance that is arguably the best in the film as it sets the key conflict between Simone and Rocco leading to Simone nearly destroying the family. There are two especially disturbing sequences; Simone sexually assaulting Nadia and then the scene where he kills her which is presented using religious imagery as Nadia reaches arms out as if being stabbed on the cross as Simone in black clothing walks into her with a blade
John Steinbeck’s 1939 novel The Grapes of Wrath was made into a 1940 film directed by John Ford and starring Henry Fonda as the patriarch of the Joad Family. This film gets compared to Rocco and His Brothers thematically as you have migration of family looking for work and by extension opportunities to prosper
The compositions are phenomenal throughout the film, with Visconti using deep focus shots and layering the compositions and using frame in frames. The earlier scenes contain shots of all or most of the brothers in a single frame when they are living together in close quarters. As the story goes forward these shots are less common as they start having their own lives to a certain extent
The Nino Rota score is used effectively as this is a highly dramatic film starting with a near 4 minute opening credit sequence. The films dramatic intensity only increases over time and by the end the score is near Operatic
Visconti uses long shots is a couple of scenes, an interesting one is following the brutal assault that Simone commits on Nadia followed by Rocco and Simone fighting and at one point Visconti uses a long shot showing the brothers next to a large structure. A long shot is used showing Vincenzo working early in the film and near the end when Ciro is returning to a work shift after speaking with Luca. It seems Visconti uses long shots in sequences demonstrating problems between the brothers or challenges facing them
There is a haunting sequence when Simone’s boxing manager takes advantage of his position to make sexual advances on him showed as shadowy figures
I like the boxing sequences which alternate between medium shots inside ring to slightly elevated long shots from the stands
Verdict: MP
@James Trapp- that’s hilarious about the italian american film vs. italian film elective
Le Notti Bianche (1957)
Notes:
Starts with shot in town at night
3:31 Marcello Mastroianni as Mario walking through mainly empty road at night in Livorno (Tuscany)
7:02 stunning composition with 3 characters in silhouette and in triangle formation at extreme ends of frame
11:35 chance meeting between Mario and Natalia (played by Maria Schell)
15:05 low angle shot as Mario walks Natalia into her apartment
15:58 high angle shot as Natalia briefly opens door to invite Mario for a date
17:30 deep focus shot and frame in frames in background of streets at night
21:31 chase scene as Mario sees Natalia running away from him through
26:15 water in background with small but noticeable ripples
29:23 great background/foreground work in this two-shot that occurs before flash back sequence with Natalia and her family
32:03 there are three and at one point four images of Natalia with multiple mirror reflections
38:45 frame in frame in while attending Opera House in upper section
40:08 frame in frames with frame split in middle
43:26 frame in frames in the middle of the town
53:16 great use of foreground/background in nighttime shot with Mario and Natalia in foreground
54:42 great use of foreground and silhouette images in the hazy nighttime lighting
1:02:40 two-shot of Mario and Natalia in public place; faces facing away from each other, reflecting the cold nature of their relationship at this point
1:09:14 Mario and Natalia crowded into corner of room at their table while everyone else in dancing
1:11:04 surveillance angle shot of Mario and Natalie dancing together with the crowd, so far their relationship has been just the 2 of them even in crowds
1:13:04 great lighting, use of frame, and depth of field
1:17:53 shot similar to opening with Mario chasing Natalia through same area of town
1:23:56 cat and mouse game ends
1:26:55 Natalie in profile shot isolated in frame
1:27:02 Mario only partially visible in background moves into frame
1:38:52 amazing deep focus in composition with 3 characters in separate depths
1:39:57 devastating sequence as Mario stares from background of frame and watches Natalie and the tenant walk away after embracing
Devastating ending with Mario getting heart broken
Thoughts:
After going to color in Senso (1954) Visconti returns to black and white and in a way it is just as visually stunning if not more so
Luchino Visconti and Marcello Mastroianni working together at least once seems like destiny. Marcello Mastroianni is effortlessly cool in his work with Fellini, he plays it a bit different here as he is still smooth but more vulnerable.
The narrative is straight forward enough, it’s a romantic drama with characters meeting by chance and falling for one while the 2 lead characters find conflicts preventing a long term relationship. None the less I found the story engaging even if narrative is not breaking any new ground
The entire film was shot on a soundstage at Cinecittà Studios in Rome; this includes streets, stores, waterways, monuments, etc. The night sequences are the best and most stunning visuals. In particular the use of fog near the canal and some beautiful silhouette shots. The film actually has visuals similar to film noir even if the subject matter of noir is not present
Many use of frame in frames including some that are so subtle they are easy to miss. Characters are placed at extreme ends of the frame in several of the night sequences including a standout at 7 min mark. There are often characters that are almost hidden in the frame as they are small and far from the focus of the frame
The depts of field is incredible in several scenes including that devastating ending with Mario in background or midground as Natalia and tenant embrace in foreground and walk off screen with a heart broken Mario frozen in his place
The playful chase sequences fit into the film, which is a bit more playful in its atmosphere than Visconti’s other work up to this point. By no means is this a romantic comedy but it has lighter moments
Verdict: MS/HR
Senso (1954)
Notes:
Alida Valli and Farley Granger star in film largely a two character driven film with Granger as Austrian Lieutenant Franz Mahler and Valli as Contessa Livia Serpieri
Film set in 1866 during Third Italian War of Independence
Starts with opening credits over an Opera which takes place at La Fenice, a historical opera house, with camera floating around capturing the atmosphere
4:50 confetti falling in white, green, and pink
6:03 Farley Granger, an Austrian, gets into heated exchange with Italian marchese as tensions rise
6:28 camera pans to Alida Valli character who happens to be cousin to the marchese who confronted Austrians inside the Opera
10:03 Alida Valli’s Contressa is gorgeous, and she knows it
11:30 the curtains of the Opera stage serve as frame
11:55 blue, red, and gold make for interesting combination of colors in this shot
12:48 Two-shot as the smooth talking Franz makes move by sitting next to the beautiful Contessa
14:44 canted angle low angle shot of Opera
15:32 great use of frame in frames using golden bars
20:38 dissolve to Franz following the Contessa through Venice at night
25:54 slow tracking shot as Franz continues to follow Contessa who clearly is enjoying this attention contrary to what she is saying throughout the sequence
26:10 the street consists of stones with hint of blue lighting as they talk into later hours of the night
29:14 museum quality beautiful shot of Venice at dawn
32:48 dissolve to rented room where Franz and Contessa use for their affair
41:17 great composition with character blocking surrounding exterior of the frame
46:02 nice use of surveillance angle camera following a dejected Contessa as she continues to search for Franz who is MIA
47:47 excellent use of frames and deep focus capturing 2 characters in bottom of stairs in the background of the frame
52:50 Contessa reunites with her cousin the importance of sacrificing everything for Country
53:21 sweeping pan capturing landscape
55:05 sudden return of Franz
57:00 magnificent composition positioning Franz outside Contessa’s bed visible through curtain
1:00:45 Franz visible foreground and in mirror in background following an announcement of search in the middle of the night
1:02:17 Antonioni esque with characters bodies communicating via how they are positioned in frame
1:03:52 overhead shot capturing the characters feelings via positioning in the frame
1:05:44 another shot using mirror in background, showing characters in foreground
1:12:02 deep focus showing Franz and Contessa at extreme opposites of frame as Contessa leaves room
1:16:24 beautiful shot with painting as backdrop and Contessa on right side of frame
1:21:29 great use of multiple frame in frames using doors
1:26:18 blue uniforms on soldiers’ contrast with beige exterior of buildings in town
1:30:03 phenomenal use of filling the frame with characters and objects in long lines with symmetrical frame, Bertolucci had many shots like this in several of his films and especially 1900 (1976)
1:37:00 multicolored sky into half of frame with Contessa narrating off screen inside carriage
1:37:43 Contessa inside carriage with beautiful blue and purple interiors
1:38:35 beautiful shot of Italian countryside
1:41:56 after extended sequence Contessa arrives at Franz house, red and gold interiors
1:45:10 Franz with another girl, Contessa devastated
1:49:02 triangle composition of the love triangle
1:55:20 another dissolve used, here Contessa leaves Franz after being humiliated and having her heart broken by him, she brings letter to Austrian general who ultimately realizes he must deal with Franz’s betrayal as a Deserter
2:00:10 a broken and devastated Contessa walks through empty and dark village streets
2:01:01 great framing in shot of Franz executed by firing squad
Thoughts:
This is a gorgeous film filled with amazing compositions, bold use of color, along with excellent set design and costume work
Senso could not more different than La Terra Trema regarding its setting and subject matter
Great opening in the Opera House, it establishes basically everything the viewer needs to understand regarding the world the film is set in with the opulent Opera House, attended by aristocrats and royalty as well as the Italy/Austria conflict and of course the films two lead characters and the sexual tension in their conversations with one another. This sets up Contessa’s future dilemma between helping her cousin and her affair with Franz. I love the colorful confetti as well as the interior colors in the Opera House. Incredible set desisgn
Farley Granger is an interesting actor; I previously knew him from 2 Hitchcock films; Rope (1948) and Strangers on a Train (1951). He was even better in They Live by Night (1948). And he was excellent here for the first 90 minutes but not quite as effective in the final 30 minutes when his character has a complete meltdown. Valli is great for the entire film and especially later when her passion morphs into obsession
The narration is more consistent than it was in La Terra Trema (1948) although I am not sure how necessary it was, not a complaint exactly. Or if it is then it is a minor one
There are some similarities with Antonioni here; wealthy and/or powerful characters, use of body positioning in frames to communicate character relationships and emotional connections, painterly use of color, and probably some other similarities although the acting is more melodramatic than Antonioni
There is an incredible use of frame in frames including one at 1:21:29 mark. I love how Visconti uses the stage as a frame during the opening sequence in the Opera House. The deep focus work is also impressive. He does not do it to the same extent as Bertolucci, but Visconti will hold shots with static camera at times as characters move in or out of the frame
Verdict: MS