Open City
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VHS Movie Reviews of Open City
Movie Review: A visceral film; exceptionally natural and real.
Summary: 4 Stars
"Oh, it's not difficult to die well," a character opines in this film; "the difficult thing is to live right." "Open City" ends with a firing squard executing this man (in the back, no less), for having "lived right" against Nazi occupation. This film has a you-are-there visceral feel to it and shows how Italians were united against their Nazi occupation---thus the film utilizes 3 diverse, but interconnected, focal points: a man and his pregnant girlfriend on the eve of their wedding, a leader of the Communist resistance, and a Catholic priest. It is a film worthy of watching (albeit overpriced). CheersMovie Review: A masterpeice
Summary: 5 Stars
Using simple cinematographic techniques and subtle video work, Rossellini was able to capture the startlingly good acting of his characters. However, the film's power is not in the actors' abilities to portray different characters, but in its stark simplicity that historic Rome is able to live anew for the viewer. (Indeed, Open City was filmed only several weeks after liberation and many of the film actors were unschooled and found off the streets.) One can not help but feel the power, agony and brave fortitude of the film's characters.
The film is worthy of many, many viewings; Enjoy.
Movie Review: mediocre piece of realist propaganda
Summary: 2 Stars
A mediocre piece of realist propaganda, now elevated to the ranks of "film greats" because of its conformity to certain techniques of the era, this film has nothing to offer except rigid, cliched "villains" (the Germans) and the "noble born oppressed" (Italians). It is sentimentalizing at its worse, I particularly found the portrayal of the German commander weak, as he looked like a gerbil, and did not seem very apt or capable. There is very little in the way of story and the expected brutality of the Germans is what takes up the greater part of the screen time, how predictable.Movie Review: DO NOT get the Image DVD
Summary: 1 Stars
Terrible transfer and entire passages of dialogue untranslated. The case indicates that it was taken from a "pristine" 35mm print of the film. NOT TRUE, unless pristine means barely watchable. I would wait and hope Criterion releases it.Movie Review: Life and strength.
Summary: 5 Stars
This film is often considered one of the first to come out of the Italian Neo-Realism movement, and to a degree it's debatable but in the larger sense I can see where that epithet comes from. This movie is largely a humanistic heroic statement, but its focus is on the utter importance of life... life that is free and unabused.
The setting is Nazi-occupied Rome, the characters, a bunch of Roman citizens who live day by day under the shadow of the Reich. Key to the action is a priest who practices civil disobedience; his friend, a revolutionary; and a pregnant woman who plans to marry the revolutionary. They all try to figure out what's important to them while the Gustapos search for any signs of rebellion, thus putting pressure on their day to day life.
The real mix that helps make this film really empathetic is its focus on heroic inner strength, which can seem to make matters of real life seem lesser, for the purpose of maintaining free and unconflicted life, which it illustrates as most important. Thus the mere act of living is the goal, and the martyr of a hero so others can live the romance. It's quite beautiful really.
It also adds bits of light humor amidst moments of tragedy in a rather grateful way, thus keeping it from being just cynical and depressing. Overall, it really does take the time to care for the simple natures of noteworthy characters.
--PolarisDiB