Besieged

Starring:Thandie Newton, David Thewlis, Claudio Santamaria, John C. Ojwang, Massimo De Rossi, Cyril Nri, Paul Osul, Veronica Lazar, Gian Franco Mazzoni, Maria Mazetti Di Pietralata, Andrea Quercia, Alexander Menis, Natalia Mignosa, Lorenzo Mollica, Elena Perino, Fernando Trombetti, Veronica Visentin
Director: Bernardo Bertolucci
Studio: New Line Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Two disparate worlds come together in thoroughly unexpected ways in this intriguing film directed by Academy Award winner Bernardo Bertolucci. The opening sequence, in an impoverished, unnamed African dictatorship, is painfully intense: we watch in horror as the movie's heroine, Shandurai (serenely beautiful Thandie Newton), witnesses the brutal arrest of her husband, a rebellious reformer. Then suddenly we are transported to Rome, where Shandurai is studying medicine and cleaning house for a reclusive, wealthy pianist, Mr. Kinsky (David Thewlis). Knowing nothing of her past, Kinsky falls hopelessly in love with Shandurai. She finds his clumsy courtship insulting, especially in contrast to the heavy load she's borne in her life. But it gradually becomes clear Shandurai has sorely underestimated Mr. Kinsky.

Amazon.com

Two disparate worlds come together in thoroughly unexpected ways in this intriguing film directed by Academy Award winner Bernardo Bertolucci. The opening sequence, in an impoverished, unnamed African dictatorship, is painfully intense: we watch in horror as the movie's heroine, Shandurai (serenely beautiful Thandie Newton), witnesses the brutal arrest of her husband, a rebellious reformer. Then suddenly we are transported to Rome, where Shandurai is studying medicine and cleaning house for a reclusive, wealthy pianist, Mr. Kinsky (David Thewlis). Knowing nothing of her past, Kinsky falls hopelessly in love with Shandurai. She finds his clumsy courtship insulting, especially in contrast to the heavy load she's borne in her life. But it gradually becomes clear Shandurai has sorely underestimated Mr. Kinsky.

Customer Reviews:

"Not Again", right?.......2007-04-26

I know, I know. Thandie Newton has been cast in a role that seems all too familiar. I don't even need to go into it; you know what I'm talking about. Looking past that, I must admit that she does it well every time though. And her performance in "Besieged" may very well be her best. It's a classic love story that's not exactly what you might surmise by looking at the DVD's cover. For some reason, the price of this DVD has remained rather high. I would recommend shopping around for a good deal. But if you have to go with the high price, it will be worth every dollar.

A cinematic triumph!.......2007-01-11

This is the rarest of all modern films, a MOTION PICTURE. It tells its story in image and facial expression, not in words. There is little dialogue; what sounds we hear are mostly music (the form of communication between the two leads) and ambient sounds, such as street noises.

This is another rare film in which the viewer (this viewer, anyway) can't imagine anyone else playing the leads. Newton (as Shandurai) and Thewlis (as Mr. Kinsky) fit into their roles so well, you believe them completely. There is never a false move in the entire film. Their growing relationship is defined largely by Kinsky's successful attempts to communicate with Shandurai with his piano, his most beloved possession.

The film explores motivation and honesty in an entirely new and refreshing way, leaving the viewer riveted to the screen, never taking the easy way out. What happens at the end? I'd like to think I know what will happen, but Bertolucci leaves it open-ended.

Touches your soul.......2006-10-09

I love, love, love this movie. Every time I watch this movie I am enthralled by the great acting and beautiful yet haunting music. This is a movie with very little dialogue, however, it is a very memorable piece of art. Thandie Newton plays a woman who has lost her husband to the cruel injustices in her African country and moves to Rome to study medicine. She supports herself as a live in maid for a pianist.

Very early on in the movie we learn her employer has fallen in love with her. When she laughs at his advances he begs her to let him prove his love for her. She eventually tells him the only way he can prove his love is to free her husband from his African prison. He realizes then she is married but he has made a promise to prove his love and goes about selling his art and furniture to free her husband.

The haunting beauty of this film is the up close shots of Thandie Newton's face as she expresses joy, sadness, fear and remorse. She expresses all of her emotions without speaking words and draws the audience inside her and we experience her inner turmoil. As she realizes what her employer is doing for her and her husband she slowly begins to realize she has some feelings for him. Yet, because of the lack of dialogue we are never sure whether her feelings are a result of her gratefulness or true desire.

My only sore point is the ending of this film leaves you hanging. You want the beautiful African maid and her white lovestruck employer to be together, but we do not get the American style of a finished ending. We are left to make our own interpretations.

I am actually going to purchase this movie and the soundtrack. That's how wonderful I think it is.

Voice-over commentary bonus feature rates 5 stars.......2005-07-13

Many cinema lovers will enjoy this film; some will not. There's enough opinions on the film already posted that I'll not review the film again. But if you do see "Beseiged" on DVD, treat yourself to a second viewing with the voice-over commentary by the director, Bernardo Bertolucci, and co-writer Claire Peploe, which appears as a bonus feature. The commentary contains a wealth of information that amplifies and enriches the film experience and itself is worth the purchase price of the DVD.

The Benevolent Master.......2002-05-26

I could not help but to watch this film with all of my African American female sensibilities. Despite the proficient acting, cinematography and directing, I found the content highly offensive and trite. Mr. Kinksy claimed to love Shanduri and was willing to do anything to possess her affections. He was put off to find out that Shanduri was married, but not deterred. Shanduri gave him what she believed was an unattainable challenge to have her husband, who was arrested for speaking out against the government, freed from an African prison. I recognize that it is possible for a servant to fall in love with her employer, however I know that it is extremely rare. (Ask any black woman who's cleaned a white person's house, `how much love do you have for your boss.' The relationship between Shanduri and Mr. Kinksy was one of abuse of power and emotional manipulation. During the `relationship' that I watched develop, not once did Shanduri refer to her employer by his first name. Clearly indicating an uneven balance of power and control...not much different from a slave owner offering to free his children born to his African concubine. So, Mr. Kinksy gave up some of his prized possessions; it was European influence that created the climate that allowed Shanduri's husband to be detained indefinitely. Though I am one among several with a different review about the film, I have no reason to forget the long history of abuse past and present that women of color experienced at the hands of white people, especially white men. To see such a film is an insult and another example of how Europeans do not understand the masses of African Americans.

Average customer rating:

Besieged [Region 2]
Starring: Thandie Newton , David Thewlis , Claudio Santamaria , John C. Ojwang , and Massimo De Rossi
Director: Bernardo Bertolucci
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B00004VYCK

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