Showing posts with label richard burton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label richard burton. Show all posts

7/09/2012

Massacre in Rome (Remastered Edition) (1973) Review

Massacre in Rome (Remastered Edition) (1973)
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The film "Massacre in Rome" is a film that conveys the orchestration of the retaliation plan in regard to the assault of the Italian national partisans against the SS brigade stationed in Rome during the WWII era.
We closely watch the orchestration of that massacre through the intrusive look behind all the closed doors at the SS headquarters, the Police Department of Rome and the Roman Catholic Church.
The director provides us a documentary view as if there was a camera within those headquarters and we are thankfully ridden of any over dramatization that certainly destroys the very essence of political cinema. Simply watch all the reasoning and the agendas followed by the implicated authorities to simple matters (such as the number of people to be executed for every dead SS officer. All of them remain very interesting in respect of understanding diplomatic games and saving face against the opponent as well as to the higher ranks.
This is a political film in the very same tradition of the film "Z" where the dialogues are realistic, the pace is timely increasing and the actors are serving the actual characters' reasoning and do not think for one single minute to ride upon their star status.
Richard Burton and Marcello Mastroianni along with a group of excellent actors entice us in a magnificent piece of historical representation. The film rightfully condemns the executioners along with the authorities whose apathy was just as crucial for the execution of all the innocent Italian prisoners.
The end of the film presents the massacre that may have disappointed many viewers due to the fact that it is compared to the today's graphic depiction of violence in films. One though can rightfully hold a different opinion that is based on the character portrayal that sometimes is perfectly stated on the faces of the executioner and the innocent.
The film credits give a list of all the names of the people killed.

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Torn from the pages of history comes the true account of one of the most devastating massacres in the chronicles of modern warfare.March 1944.With the fortunes of war turning against the Third Reich, Nazi-occupied Rome is a hotbed of dissent from the growing resistance movement.When the Roman underground ambushes a column of SS military police, killing 33, the German High Command orders the execution of 10 Roman citizens for each of its fallen soldiers.MASSACRE IN ROME unites two of the greatest cinema icons of the 1960s.Marcello Mastroianni (LA DOLCE VITA, 8½) stars as Roman priest Pietro Antonelli, ordered by the Pope to collaborate with Nazi Lt. Colonel Herbert Kappler (Richard Burton, of WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?), charged by Hitler with the duty of rounding up 330 civilians for execution.Dedicated to pacifism, Antonelli must choose whether to defy the Pope’s orders and aid the resistance or remain true to his vows and watch his countrymen slaughtered by the SS.This Carlo Ponti production was the second film by director George Pan Cosmatos (RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD PART II), and benefits from a tense, searing score from Ennio Morricone. NoShame Films presents for the first time ever a deluxe 2-DVD edition. MASSACRE IN ROME is a commanding, disturbing historical drama of rebellion, heroism and sacrifice by men and women who loved freedom more than they feared death.

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12/04/2011

Alexander the Great (1956) Review

Alexander the Great (1956)
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I see that all other reviews where written before the Oct. 19th 04 release of this DVD, therefore referring to VHS only. I purchased and viewed this today, Oct. 27th. 04. It is not my intention to give this a detailed review as has been done at lenght eleswhere. Not my style anyway.
To write about Greek or Roman history/heros with all the factions and diverse warring rulers of those times is tedious at best. And a hard subject to put into a screenplay, to breathe the least. However this is a literate screenplay and all the players are mentioned, just a bit hard to follow unless you've read your Will Durant. Not just another popcorn flick.
No, I just want to say that if anyone is thinking of buying this DVD, I don't think you'd be disappointed, providing you love all the Hollywood epics of the 50's. If you do you may want this one too! Not the spectacle of Quo Vadis, Ben Hur, King of Kings or the pagentry of Cleopatra, but a worthy entry none the less. Matte paintings used in all aforementioned used here as well, but not as many. The Babalonian City is extraordinary and enough glass paintings to convey an epic, unlike the claustrophobic Spartacus. The sets are somewhat meger, like Spartacus, but what lacks there is made up for in the use of Technicolor and Cinemascope and the absolutely remarkable and stunning wardrobe. This is a terrific transfer and will look even better on your 16 x 9 HDTV! The 480 that DVD's put out look as though you might reach for that goblet on wine on the table.
Spain seems to double well for Greece and Persia and although the battles were not of the rousing kind, one over looks this as a trade off to the overall movie. This film also doesn't have that ''Hollywood touch'' of the others of the 50's and seems more adult for that reason {Barabbas 61' is another}.
So if you're looking for another great but not Great 1950's epic just cut the Grodian Knot and ride out of the store on old Bucephalus!
Oh yes, I hope the up coming new release of Alexander, anticipated and welcomed, surpasses this version as there is nothing much better than a good movie, but this 1956 Richard Burton, Fredric March film may be above the mark in the end, as so many remakes or rehashed films can never come close the their predecessors, even with all of the CGI of today. Look at the disappointing Troy, a DVD I won't be purchasing.


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Fierce military commander, magnificent warrior, world conqueror. Legendary Macedonian hero Alexander the Great is celebrated in this definitive film about his tumultuous life. Richard Burton, FredricMarch and Claire Bloom lead a "remarkable cast" (Leonard Maltin) of thousands in this epic film that seamlessly blends spectacular action, vivid character portrayals and an age-old tale of wisdom, blood and glory!Alexander (Burton) is a man torn by conflict between the lofty wisdom of histeacher, Aristotle (Barry Jones), loyalty to his warrior father (March) and his own grand design for world domination. In a turbulent world of political unrest, this ambitious young man must rise above all conflict to unite the continents of Europe and Asia and become one of the most celebrated rulers of all time!

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