|
Filmed by Roberto Rossellini in the direct aftermath of World
War II on the war-ravaged streets of Italy, this movie is
based on real events that took place in Nazi-occupied Italy
in 1944. It examines the choices that people were forced to
make in wartime. It centres on the Resistance and its members,
in particular on priest Don Pietro...
Rome,
Open City (or to give it it's original title Roma,
cittą aperta) from 1945 is often cited
as the true beginning of neo-realism with its documentary-style
imagery and the authenticity of its performances. Rossellini's
classic tells the story of resistance under German occupation.
Based in part on the real-life account of a priest's heroic
involvement in the struggle, the film was shot under difficult
circumstances on the war-torn streets of Rome and tried to
commit to celluloid what those last few months of German occupation
were like for the residents that lived through it.
For
a movie this old I was surprised that there were any extras
at all, but there is a wonderful, and very recent, 47 minute
featurette entitled The Children of Rome, Open City.
This is one of the best extras I've ever watched on a DVD
release. This interviews the children of those - actors and
crew - behind the movie, as well as incorporating archive
interviews. It also takes one of the original child actors
around the streets where the movie was filmed to see what
has changed - oddly enough, not much. There is a rather touching
scene where he runs into another elderly gentleman who was
an extra in the movie.
There
was also an interesting anecdote that explained the difficulties
in filming in a country where the Germans were still roaming
the streets. During one scene, where the priest is bundled
into a car by the Nazis, a tram driver applied the breaks
to his tram to see what was going on. One of the passengers
in the tram got out a gun to come to the aid of the actor
playing the priest and there was very nearly a fatality as
he tried to shoot the actor playing the Nazi.
Also,
I noticed that the subtitles on the clips used in the featurette
were not the same as those in the movie - sometimes changing
the meaning of a scene.
Which
brings me around to the subtitles in the movie. There are
loads scenes with no subtitles. While you can work out what
is being said, or at least get the gist of the conversation,
it's incredibly distracting. Why a more comprehensive series
of titles couldn't have been used is beyond me - it gets to
the point where it is sometimes difficult to tell who is saying
what.
Sadly
this release is overpriced. Sure if the DVD producers had
restored the film print (or even given it a bit of a scrubbing
up) I'd splash £18 from my own pocket to buy this. Sadly
they haven't and the picture quality ranges from average to
very poor. This is the sort of movie I'd expect to pay £12.99
for, not £17.99.
And
that's the thing I didn't get about this release. It's not
likely to appeal to your lowbrow punter. Movie buffs will
want to add this to their collection, but most movie buffs
won't be impressed with the picture quality of the movie.
It looks like we will have to wait a few more years until
a restored version is released.
Ray
Thompson
Buy
this item online
We
compare prices online so you get the cheapest
deal!
Click on the logo of the desired store below
to purchase this item.
|
|
|
£13.49
(Amazon.co.uk) |
| |
|
|
|
£13.49
(MVC.co.uk) |
| |
|
|
|
£13.99
(Moviemail-online.co.uk) |
All prices correct at time of going to press.
|
|
