recommendations - italian film?

[thelongerhours]

what are everyone's personal favorites from italy

Comments

[mariasil]

Il Postino is wonderful, and Respiro is quite recent and absolutely FANTASTIC.

[theeveningsky]

I was just about to write Il Postino.

[thelongerhours]

thanks guys. ive seen these and liked them as well.

[flaccidfakeflan]

Ciao, Professore! and Il Postino. I love Roberto Benigni. His wonderful italian movies include: La Vita è bella, Pinocchio, and Johnny Stecchino.

[thelongerhours]

thanks for you suggestions. im not a benigni fan at all - but these things are just a matter of personal taste anyway. : )

[mariasil]

Also, I'm not a Netflix user *yet*, but there are quite a few other good recent movies, but I don't know to what extent they're available here -- it seems that a lot of times things get shown in Art House/Foreign theatres here but that doesn't translate to availability on DVD later -- so I'm moderately hesitant to mention others that may be really not available unless you can get them from Italy...

[thelongerhours]

exactly, and that can really be a problem. i hate how the usa is so cut off from the world. its visible on so many levels. netflix isnt bad at all and i *would* recommend it -- but its still a matter of what even gets released here. and to order from abroad you need a player that covers the different regions...

[mariasil]

I do have a multi-region DVD player, and it does make my life so much happier. Usually it's just a matter of putting in a code via the remote control, but I didn't do my own.
The other thing is that DVDs can still be expensive in Europe -- still around $25 or so I've found, which is still better than having them shipped from Europe which can cost just as much as the DVD itself. ...so you pay for plane tickets, etc and that covers the cost! ;)

Recommendations

[gallianoparfait]

Here are twelve recommendations off the top of my head, set within your parameters, more or less, and that are available in the US on DVD or VHS.

Three Brothers (1982) Francesco Rosi
Christ Stopped at Eboli (1979) Francesco Rosi
The Keys to the House (2004) Gianni Amelio
The Tree of Wooden Clogs (1979) Ermanno Olmi
Good Morning Night (2003) Marco Bellocchio
Night of the Shooting Stars (1982) Taviani Brothers
Padre Padrone (1977) Taviani Brothers
The Way We Laughed (1998) Gianni Amelio
Open Doors (1991) Gianni Amelio
Lamerica (1995) Gianni Amelio
Respiro (2002) Emanuele Crialese
Pizzicata (2002) Eduardo Winspeare

I've been collecting and viewing Italian films for over fifty years! I used to program the Italian Film Society of RI and I've taught a course in the Italian cinema. These are all good films. There are many many others. I am particularly fond of Italian movies from the 1930s to the 1960s, and the silent era as well. My advice would be not to ignore any period.

Re: Recommendations

[thelongerhours]

thank you so much. thats a great list and i will check them out! : )

Re: Recommendations

[gallianoparfait]

Add:
I'm Not Scared (2003) Gabriele Salvatores
Flight of the Innocent (1993) Carlo Carlei
(Both on similar themes, both exciting and moving.)

and the Academy Award winning:
Mediterraneo (1991) Gabriele Salvatores

I'll add more from that period as I think of them.

Re: Recommendations

[thelongerhours]

i've added you to my friend's list. you sound like someone who knows his stuff & your journal looks interesting. thanks for all the suggestions. ive started checking them out. ^^

[gallianoparfait]

If you don't have a multi-region DVD player, DVDs from abroad can still be played on your computer's DVD drive...at least they can on mine.
A good Italian source for video and DVD is
http://www.internetbookshop.it/
Shipping is expensive, but not bad if you buy a batch, and they arrive by Fedex in a couple of days.