Boccaccio '70 (Remastered Edition)

Starring:Marisa Solinas, Germano Gilioli, Anita Ekberg, Peppino De Filippo, Romy Schneider, Tomas Milian, Romolo Valli, Sophia Loren, Luigi Giuliani, Alfio Vita, Silvio Bagolini, Amedeo Girardi, Suso Cecchi d'Amico, Alberto Sorrentino, Donatella Della Nora, Dante Maggio, Antonio Acqua, Mario Passante, Giacomo Furia, Paolo Stoppa
Director: Luchino Visconti, Vittorio De Sica, Federico Fellini
Studio: NoShame Films
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
A summit meeting of great Italian directors of the era, Boccaccio '70 is an antipasto platter of vintage sex symbols and naughty material. Cooked up and bankrolled by Carlo Ponti and American producer Joseph E. Levine, the four-part film was meant to tap the international smash of Federico Fellini's La Dolce Vita, which gave audiences some refreshingly, you know, "mature" subject matter. Four directors were hired to create segments ostensibly based on the tales of Boccaccio: Fellini himself (in the lull between La Dolce Vita and 8-1/2), Luchino Visconti, Vittorio De Sica, and Mario Monicelli.

Monicelli's story, Renzo and Luciana, is an agreeable tale, full of everyday Roman life: an office worker (Marisa Solinas) must marry her boyfriend when she gets pregnant--although marriage is against company rules. Fellini's segment, The Temptation of Dr. Antonio, is fantastical and big-scaled. It tells of a censorious bluenose (Peppino de Filippo) who becomes incensed at the presence of a billboard featuring a sexy portrait of Anita Ekberg (selling milk)--a portrait that comes to life. For this bizarre escapade, Nino Rota composed an advertising jingle that will stick in your mind whether you want it to or not.

Visconti's The Job is the best segment, tracking the emotional chess game between a playboy (Thomas Milian) and his wife (Romy Schneider at her most gorgeous) after he is publicly exposed in a sex scandal. Finally, the De Sica piece (The Raffle) is a fairly broad romp that uses Sophia Loren as the reward in a raffle. Sophia's delicious, needless to say.

The finished product weighed in at a whopping 208 minutes, and Monicelli's segment was lopped off before the film showed at the Cannes Film Festival. It has never been restored, until this DVD release. All the segments are frankly too long, and none qualifies as an essential gem, but they do give the flavor of Italy's best at an especially exciting cinematic moment. --Robert Horton
Description
Four complete segments, each directed by a master filmmaker and starring an extraordinary cast of international stars: "Renzo & Luciana", directed by Mario Monicelli (BIG DEAL ON MADONNA STREET) was cut to shorten the film for its international release and it's shown here for the first time ever in America. "The Temptation of Doctor Antonio" directed by Federico Fellini (LA DOLCE VITA, 8 1/2) and starring Anita Ekberg (LA DOLCE VITA), enlighten by a dreamy humoristic touch, it's considered by many to be the best Fellini's work ever! "The Job", directed by Luchino Visconti (THE LOEPARD, ROCCO AND HIS BROTHERS) stars Romy Schneider (WHAT'S NEW, PUSSYCAT) and future genre icon Tomas Milian (TRAFFIC, ALMOST HUMAN). A witty contemplation of marriage with an attention to details was the trademark of the Visconti's incomparable style. Finally, "The Raffle", an earthy comic romp directed by Vittorio De Sica (THE BICYCLE THIEF, TWO WOMEN) and starring Sophia Loren (YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW, TWO WOMEN) as a woman who causes all sorts of problems for herself when she offers her favors as the prize in a lottery.

Amazon.com

A summit meeting of great Italian directors of the era, Boccaccio '70 is an antipasto platter of vintage sex symbols and naughty material. Cooked up and bankrolled by Carlo Ponti and American producer Joseph E. Levine, the four-part film was meant to tap the international smash of Federico Fellini's La Dolce Vita, which gave audiences some refreshingly, you know, "mature" subject matter. Four directors were hired to create segments ostensibly based on the tales of Boccaccio: Fellini himself (in the lull between La Dolce Vita and 8-1/2), Luchino Visconti, Vittorio De Sica, and Mario Monicelli.

Monicelli's story, Renzo and Luciana, is an agreeable tale, full of everyday Roman life: an office worker (Marisa Solinas) must marry her boyfriend when she gets pregnant--although marriage is against company rules. Fellini's segment, The Temptation of Dr. Antonio, is fantastical and big-scaled. It tells of a censorious bluenose (Peppino de Filippo) who becomes incensed at the presence of a billboard featuring a sexy portrait of Anita Ekberg (selling milk)--a portrait that comes to life. For this bizarre escapade, Nino Rota composed an advertising jingle that will stick in your mind whether you want it to or not.

Visconti's The Job is the best segment, tracking the emotional chess game between a playboy (Thomas Milian) and his wife (Romy Schneider at her most gorgeous) after he is publicly exposed in a sex scandal. Finally, the De Sica piece (The Raffle) is a fairly broad romp that uses Sophia Loren as the reward in a raffle. Sophia's delicious, needless to say.

Description

Four complete segments, each directed by a master filmmaker and starring an extraordinary cast of international stars: "Renzo & Luciana", directed by Mario Monicelli (BIG DEAL ON MADONNA STREET) was cut to shorten the film for its international release and it's shown here for the first time ever in America. "The Temptation of Doctor Antonio" directed by Federico Fellini (LA DOLCE VITA, 8 1/2) and starring Anita Ekberg (LA DOLCE VITA), enlighten by a dreamy humoristic touch, it's considered by many to be the best Fellini's work ever! "The Job", directed by Luchino Visconti (THE LOEPARD, ROCCO AND HIS BROTHERS) stars Romy Schneider (WHAT'S NEW, PUSSYCAT) and future genre icon Tomas Milian (TRAFFIC, ALMOST HUMAN). A witty contemplation of marriage with an attention to details was the trademark of the Visconti's incomparable style. Finally, "The Raffle", an earthy comic romp directed by Vittorio De Sica (THE BICYCLE THIEF, TWO WOMEN) and starring Sophia Loren (YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW, TWO WOMEN) as a woman who causes all sorts of problems for herself when she offers her favors as the prize in a lottery.

BOCCACCIO '70 is presented in a widescreen anamorphic digital transfer, loaded with never seen before extras, including a rare behind-the-scene archival footage

Customer Reviews:

It's the Fellini segment, stupid! .......2005-07-21

5 stars because of the fantastic Fellini at his best-incomparable-Anita Ekberg-extravaganza! 3 stars to de Sica for lovely yet minor Sofia romp. 2 stars to theatrical budoir boredom of Visconti who can't find proper filter for his camera. 2 stars for Monicelli: was this a futuristic tale? 1 star to rather drab DVD package with hardly any meat on it (stills + thirty seconds of some black and white Sofia newsreel footage from 196?...nothing else!)
Overall: 5 stars because Il Maestro overwhelms every single complaint...in fact I suggest that you first watch disc 2 (Visconti/de Sica combo) and then go to disc 1 (Monicelli/Fellini)...

A must for fans of the directors.......2005-05-28

BOCCACCIO 70 is made up of four short films, each around 45 minutes long. The DVD set is broken up into two DVDS, with two of the shorts on each, and the second DVD containing a few extras.

The transfer for all the shorts is absolutely stunning. I don't think it could have looked this good when it played in theatres.

Disc 1

The first segment, directed by Mario Monicelli, had long been unseen, at least in the US. It was removed from the US release of the film. It is the least of the four, but still quite watchable, about a newly married couple, dealing with their family and work. Not much to it, but an interesting view of everyday life.

The second is probably the strongest, by Fellini. I would argue that this is one of Fellini's most focused works (although I would admit that I find him to be overrated to some extent). It is a very funny film about a moral crusader who objects to a large billboard for milk, with Anita Ekberg on it.

Disc 2

The third segment is directed by Visconti starring Romy Schneider. A wealthy man is caught in a scandal, having to do damage control with his business associates and his wife. It is one of Visconti's lightest works, and also quite fun.

The final segment is De Sica's THE RAFFLE. A group of men enter a raffle, the prize being Sophia Loren.

The extras on the disc include the original US credits, trailers, and some brief interviews made at the time of the films release, as well as a photo gallery.

The film is a must watch for all fans of the directors.

Drink your meelk!.......2005-05-04

This film I picked up more out of curiousity and because Fellini directs one of the viginettes. I had never seen any of the 4 mini films before, nor did I know of the controversy surrounding its universal release. Each film deals with sexuality in different ways. All of the films have impressive looking anamorphic transfers for being almost 45yrs old. There is English dubbed audio tracks though my copy kept switching back to Italian on its own.. English subtitles looked fine.
All of the films looked great and are restored anamorphic transfers. The Fellini film was my favorite by far. This is his first feature using color as well as featuring dreams/fantasy in his films. I couldn't help think of Attack of the 50ft Woman seeing the charming Anita come to life off a billboard. This is as close to comedy as Fellini got , too bad he didn't explore this more often. Fellini's segment is almost an hour.

The Visconti piece was lavishly produced and feautured a troubled wife trying to rekindle that spark. This takes place in a high class French styled mansion. Romy is nice to look at even if she is rather pathetic. This mini drama was the most serious of the 4 and rather depressing as it unfolded.

The last two were rather light and forgetful even if Sophia Loren looked fabulous, and was omni present in her role as a carnival spinster with a change of heart.

The extras are fun. Lots of on set pics and lobby cards , plus a large fold out booklet with press clippings and news reviews.The U.S. and Italian trailers are intresting to compare.

If your a Fellini fan, you would do well to see this for his giantess fantasy alone!

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