Medea (1970) (Sub)

Starring:Maria Callas, Giuseppe Gentile, Massimo Girotti, Laurent Terzieff, Margaret Clementi, Annamaria Chio, Paul Jabara, Gerard Weiss, Sergio Tramonti, Luigi Barbini, Graziella Chiarcossi, Giorgio Trombetti, Gian Paolo Durgar, Franco Jacobbi, Mirella Pamphili, Maria Cumani Quasimodo, Vladimir Julukhadze
Director: Pier Paolo Pasolini
Studio: Vanguard Cinema
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
The only movie made by Maria Callas, Medea nevertheless contains not a note of the great diva singing. And yet her presence is stunning, with a face (often seen in close-up) that cuts across the frame like a great phenomenon of nature. This raw, mostly wordless take on the Greek classic is a characteristic film from the influential Italian director Pier Paolo Pasolini: intellectually sophisticated yet almost primitive in its feel. The weird, jagged locations and Pasolini's elliptical style contribute to the sense of violence already in the story, and the visual approach (realized by Gangs of New York production designer Dante Ferretti) brings in African masks and pagan rituals. If it's not quite satisfying as a treatment of the original Euripides play, it succeeds as a blunt experience in its own right. And tantalizingly suggests what Callas might have done had she opted for a movie career. --Robert Horton

Fate/Stay Night 5: Medea (Ws Sub)
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Fate/Stay Night 5: Medea (Ws Sub)
Starring: Fate , and Stay Night
Manufacturer: GENEON [PIONEER]
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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In the aftermath of the last battle, only four Servants remain. Two of them inhabit Ryudou Shrine, making the next fight a dangerous one, as Shirou will have to face Assassin and Caster within their domain. Unfortunately, Shirou doesn't have time to strategize when one of his closest friends is taken there to be a sacrifice. Even with Saber and Rin by his side, Shirou, rushes into battle at a great disadvantage, while another Servant from Saber's past, emerges onto the scene...

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Georgia on my mind . . .
Dull
Surviving by living a fiction
Lies and Deception: The Price of Love!
What a wonderful surprise!

Since Otar Left
Starring: Esther Gorintin , Nino Khomasuridze , Dinara Drukarova , Temur Kalandadze , and Rusudan Bolqvadze
Director: Julie Bertucelli
Manufacturer: Zeitgeist Films
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ASIN: B0006J2FRG
Release Date: 2005-01-25

Description

Julie Bertuccelli's acclaimed first feature is a charming, bittersweet tale of deception and affection. Three women—strong-willed Eka (90-year-old Esther Gorintin), her long-suffering daughter Marina and rebellious granddaughter Ada (FREEZE, DIE, COME TO LIFE's Dinara Droukarova)—live together in contemporary Tbilisi, Georgia. As they weather the routine power and water outages that plague the former Soviet republic, Eka pines for her beloved son Otar, a physician-turned-construction worker in Paris. Marina is as resentful of her mother's obsession as Ada is supportive, until they receive tragic news from France that will change their lives forever…. Former assistant director to Tavernier and Kieslowski, Bertuccelli deftly spins the delicate threads of familial conflict and maternal love into a bewitching tangle of intergenerational duplicity. This Edition features 12 deleted scenes and an extensive behind-the-scenes documentary.

Customer Reviews:

Georgia on my mind . . ........2006-10-20

I loved this film. It opened a window onto a world I'd never seen in a film before - Tblisi in Georgia (former soviet republic) - and while it moves slowly as a story, who cares? Its three central characters are the core of a wonderful ensemble of actors. The joy of the film is in the nuances, from the very opening scene, where a disparaging sidelong glance is all a white-haired mother needs to give to discourage her middle-aged daughter from taking a nibble from the old woman's piece of cake. The action speaks volumes.

Meanwhile, there is the day-by-day struggle to put food on the table and somehow survive in this new capitalist economy, where everyone it seems is at the flea market trying to sell household goods and other belongings for a little money to keep things going. A birthday gathering brings together a room full of friends and relatives, singing songs that begin sadly and then grow in volume, as guests leap up to dance. A daughter asks her mother if a man they see in uniform looks like her father, a casualty in Afghanistan. Two unmarried people in their middle years carry on a friendly relationship, and one remarks off-handedly to the other, "I wish I were in love with you." The same woman shampoos her mother's hair, as the old woman complains bitterly that the water is either too hot or too cold.

While there is an arc to the film involving a much loved son gone to work in Paris and the unfortunate circumstances leading to a series of lies meant to cover them up, it doesn't matter as much as the slow progress of one thing after another in a city where hope is on hold and getting by and little victories are enough. Definitely for lovers of small, independent films. The DVD includes lengthy featurettes devoted to the film's production.

Dull.......2006-08-03

Since Otar Left takes place in Paris and Georgia. Not the state, but the country that was once part of the USSR. It's about there generations of women. Mother, daughter and granddaughter. The middle age daughter and granddaughter kept a lie about Otar. He died in Paris but the daughter didn't want to tell her mom. Otar was mother's favorite child and the reasons the daughter wouldn't tell was because she thought it would break her heart. She was also afraid that Otar would become a saint in her mother's eyes and she didn't want to live with that. I felt the the daughter, taking care of a parent who doesn't appreciate you isn't easy (I know from experience!).

I really wanted to like this movie but I couldn't. I did like the grandmother's performance. Actually, the acting in general was pretty good. I just felt it was slow moving. In general I like foreign films because it's often about people and their relationships. But this was just boring to me. I just couldn't get myself to feel much for the characters.

Surviving by living a fiction.......2006-06-12

Life in Tbilisi in 2002 for the three generations of women at the center of this film--the indomitable 90-year old Eka, her cynical daughter Marina, and her dutiful teenage granddaughter Ada-- is not very easy. The electricity and the water in their formerly elegant apartment is intermittent, and the only sources of income are what little Marina can make by selling household objects in the city park and the money sent to them from Paris by Eka's beloved son Otar, who has left Georgia to eke out a better life. The film starts by letting us get caught up in the rhythms of these women's lives as they squabble, complain, tend to one another, and wait for Otar to contact his doting mother by phone of by letter--and then a disaster occurs when Marina and Ada discover that Otar has died while illegally working on a construction site. Fearful of devastating the physically fragile Eka, they concoct an elaborate lie that he is still alive and sending his mother letters Ada pens.

On its own terms, this little film--the first-time effort of Julie Bertocelli--is just about perfect. The characters are beautifully layered, so that our initial opinions of them become slowly changed as the film progresses so we see that Eka is much more generous, Marina more fragile, and Ada more independent than we initially are led to believe. The film is an extended meditation on nostalgia, and how we cling to our pasts to survive and expect our loved ones to do the same; it's also a study of beauty, and Bertocelli's lovely use of composition and color show us why living in Shevardnaze's slowly disintegrating Georgia after the fall of the USSR has its compensations. This is an excellent film--one that has a subject matter that will seem unfamiliar to many Western viewers who do not know Tbilisi or Georgia, but one that is both rich and repaying.

Lies and Deception: The Price of Love!.......2006-01-04

Since Otar Left is a touching story about three generations of women living together in Soviet Republic enduring the hardships of the home where electricity and water cut off periodically.

A ninety year old Grandmother, Eka lives with her daughter Marina and granddaughter Ada. Grandmother Eka son's has left for France to work and he corresponds through letters and phone calls; he also includes money in the letters. Grandmother stops everything to take his call and has granddaughter Ada read the letters, because Ada reads them better than Marina.

We learn immediately about the profound love Eka has for her son and how daughter Marina feels slighted over her mother's love for Otar. We do not see Otar, we only know of his presence among the family. Then, news arrives that Otar is dead. Mother Marina and Ada decide to lie to Eka and embark on a web of deception to keep the truth from her. Ada starts creating letters from Otar, but no money is included. Phone calls don't come from Otar and Grandmother is suspicious.

The deception continues and Grandmother has an urge to find out for herself and arranges a trip for all three to France, where Otar was working.

Ester Gorintin's (Eka) performance is powerful. Her role is not heavy in dialogue or action. Her face doesn't reveal lots of emotion, but it is in her eyes, her body movements, her mannerisms. You get great insight into her maternal love for her son via the only communication avenues she is left with, mail and phone calls.

The languages spoken are Russian and French with English subtitles. The DVD features director Julie Bertucelli in making of scenes and photos. See this film with the entire family. ......MzRizz

What a wonderful surprise!.......2005-12-22

Thank God for the Sundance Channel or I'd probably never have stumbled upon this utter gem. If some of the plot elements of "Since Otar Left" tempt you to dismiss it as some sort of "girlie film" or some sort of "weepie" only women might be able to enjoy or understand, all I can say is, please don't dismiss it that way because it's much broader and deeper in scope and impact than that, as can be gathered from the other fine reviews already posted here by others who've seen the film.

If you're a glutton for great screenplays and tour-de-force acting, you owe it to yourself to see "Since Otar Left" because you will not believe, until you see it, how amazing Esther Gorintin's performance is as the problematical, adorable matriarch. If you're still not quite sure that this is "your type of movie," give it a chance, and I guarantee you, it'll suck you right in.

There's a wordless glance, a silent timeless moment, passing between grandmother and granddaughter toward the end of the film that's so sublime it'll knock your socks off and leave you screaming inside your own head: "Why oh why aren't we making more movies like this in the United States?" Maybe it's because our film directors or screen writers are terrified of silent timeless moments onscreen and are constantly taking the easy way out, attempting to force into the spoken word (or into the flashy special effect) everything that can never be said that way.

Won't find that type of nonsense here. The dialog in "Since Otar Left" is brilliant (and the subtitles do it justice), but it's really all in the eyes.

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Fascinating and unusual film
An amazing achievement....
"Sing. Sing. Sing. Die"
Stunning
A truly extraordinary film.

The Color of Pomegranates
Starring: Sofiko Chiaureli , Melkon Aleksanyan , Vilen Galstyan , Giorgi Gegechkori , and Spartak Bagashvili
Director: Sergei Parajanov , and Ron Holloway
Manufacturer: Kino Video
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The Legend of Suram Fortress/Ashik Kerib
Pickpocket - Criterion Collection
Mouchette - Criterion Collection
Viridiana - Criterion Collection
Andrei Rublev - Criterion Collection

ASIN: B00005A05I
Release Date: 2001-04-03

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating and unusual film.......2007-04-08

The Color of Pomegranates (made in 1968, and also released under the name Sayat Nova) is not really a conventional movie. It is more like a series of tableaux "inspired" by 18th century Armenian poet Nova. It is nonetheless fascinating, and should be required viewing for anybody interested not only in Armenian culture but in cinema in general (or, if you wish, the visual arts). This movie has inspired many artists, including some music videos (admittedly not among the arts' highest form), including REM's "Losing my Religion" and Deep Forest's "Sweet Lullaby". There is a heavy homoerotic subtext to many of the tableaux, and as a matter of fact, Paradjanov would later spent several years in jail in the Soviet Union accused, among other things, of homosexuality. Though released under international pressure, it would take him another 16 years to make another movie, shortly before his untimely death in 1990.

An amazing achievement...........2006-11-01

This is one of those films that you can't make any literal sense about it. It's all images. It's like Fellini's Satyricon, Greenaway's Prospero's Books, and, to a lesser extent, Argento's Inferno. But WHAT IMAGES! This is a magnificent, breathtaking beautiful, poetic, painterly masterpiece. You could freeze any frame of this, and they would look like medeval paintings come to life. Paradjanov did not make many films (the Soviet authorities made life a living hell for him because of his outspoken views on politics and his nationalistic leanings), but the ones that he did will always live. No one in this world made films like he does. They are so unique in world cinema. This is an abstract film about the Armenian poet Sayat Nova. It is not a literal biographical film. It is a film that enters into the poet's world. Many have complained about the transfer by Kino. It is not great, but the fact that this film has survived at all is a miracle in itself. And it's Paradjanov's original cut too. The conditions in which it was made were not very good, so it is possible that the film stock Paradjanov shot on was defective, or very worn. One little known problem with Soviet filmmaking was that many crews had to share equipment with each other, and that it wasn't the greatest to begin with. That might be why the film looks faded and old. But the fact that we have it is magnificent enough. The documentary, Paradjanov: A Requiem, is very good. It is not filled with talking heads analyzing Paradjanov's films and life. Most of the film features Paradjanov himself. It contains the final interview he did. He is fully alive and very boisterous during the whole film. He is still very outspoken about life in the USSR (which was falling apart by the time this film was made), and he is just amazing to behold. The film has clips from many of Paradjanov's early work, none of which has ever been released here. This is definitely worth picking up.

"Sing. Sing. Sing. Die" .......2006-07-28

Its unfortunate that there are some bad reviews of this DVD. I suspect that KINO's bad reputation precedes them here. They are, of course, well-known for dishing out a terrible print and charging an arm and a leg for it. This is certainly the case with their Legend of the Suram Fortress/Ashik Kerib release. Those are inexcusably bad.

It is not true of The Color of Pomegranates. For once, KINO has done right, and the negative criticism, I think, is just plain wrong for the most part. This is a film made in the 60s in the Soviet Union by a Georgian film-maker that was cut and then later banned. The chances of a print like this surviving are pretty slim; that it has survived, and in such good condition, is a miracle.

A cleaner, less washed-out print of this film is known, and has been released on DVD in other Regions. What makes KINO's release remarkable, however, is that unlike those releases, KINO's version is Parajanov's original cut of the film, which resurfaced in the West in the 80s.

Other than the colors being a little washed, the image on this disc is extremely clean and clear. The audio suffers at bits, but it isn't terribly distracting. The only real drawback is KINO's consistent problem with burnt subtitles; its impossible to remove those gaudy yellow tags from the image. Fortunately, this is a film with very little dialogue, most of which is spoken over intertitles, so its not a huge drawback.

Beyond that, KINO deserves a lot of praise for serving up some really outstanding extras. A ten-minute short by Parajanov, "Hagop Hovnatanian" is included, also looking quite nice. The short consists mostly of still-photography of paintings and objects; it may have been pulled together from one of projects Parajanov was forced to abandon before Pomegranates.

The second extra is an hour long film, completed just after Parajanov's death. This is worth the price alone for Parajanov fans. Most of the film is narrated by Parajanov himself, from one of his last interviews, put together beautifully with footage from his films, many of them rarely seen. I can't stress what a great documentary this is: Parajanov speaks candidly about his troubled career, his time in prison, the avant-garde in Russian film, his admiration of Dovzhenko and Pasolini ("he is a god to me"), and much more.

Anyway, pick this up without reservation. Credit where credit is due: KINO has put together a great disc here.

Stunning.......2005-08-08

The print is not great but then again I doubt KINO could have afforded to do a full restoration based on 2000-tops sales at $15 a clip wholesale, if even. We're lucky to have this at all.
A beautiful film--I will never forget the non-linear, dreamlike magic from my first viewing years ago.

I notice a resident of Seattle thinks that the director pretty much deserved to be sent to a gulag for his work, and seemingly for his sexual preferences too. Hmmm. The movie seemed to summon up something hateful in at least one viewer. Democracy being what it is, a "Report This" seems in order and I'm sure if Amazon gets a lot of them perhaps the offending comments will evaporate. I only admire the right of free speech when someone has something, let's say, intelligent to say.

A truly extraordinary film........2004-03-04

This really is an absolutely extraordinary film, all the more so when one considers the conditions under which Sergei Paradjanov made it. While it is true to say that the pace of the film is slow and its plot inscrutable there is no denying the absolute genius and vision of its director. It is hard to compare this film to any other but for me I would quote what Stanley Kubrick once said when asked to explain the meaning of 2001: A Space Odyssey to a film critic - "Sometimes the truth of a thing is not so much in the think of it, but in the feel of it". This is how I would approach a film like The Color of Pomegranates for the first time, do not attempt to understand or extract meaning from it straight away but let the film's amazing visual dynamism sink into your sub-consciousness and marvel at the sheer audacity of the director's non-conventional approach to film making. It is such a terrible shame that this amazing artist (for Sergei Paradjanov was not just a film-maker) was harassed and imprisoned on false charges by the Soviet authorities for much of his adult life and denied the ability bring more of his unique visions to life but perhaps such hardships made him utilise his artistic gifts all the more when confronted by such oppression.

Anybody who enjoys this film should also seek out his other films that are widely available for viewing, namely Shadows of Our Forgotten Ancestors (1964), The Legend of Suram Fortress (1984) and Ashik Kerib (1988) for we are lucky to have these few masterpieces of his.

I have only viewed this film on Kino's DVD version so I cannot compare it with any other versions. However, this is the version of the film Paradjanov intended for us to see and in my opinion is preferable even if the print might not be as good a print as the version that was cut/censored and which Paradjanov disowned. It is fortunate that an original print was recovered at all and is now available for us to see. Hopefully a version will be issued someday that will restore the quality of the original print.

As for the argument to the literal translation of the title in the previous reviews I had thought that the original title of the film was "Sayat Nova" and that the title was changed to "The Color of Pomegranate(s)" when the film was cut/censored and that somehow this is the title that has stuck. Either way I have no problems calling the film by either title.

Customer Reviews:

"Why must women bear so much?..........2006-07-31

...Wordlessly submissive in body and deed? What rights have women?" --Medea

People seem disappointed with the transfer to DVD, but it didn't bother me too much. It's an old video, so I wouldn't expect it to be perfect. All things technical need not be perfect at all times.

This story was one of my favorites in college, so I was naturally interested in the film versions. I prefer this adaptation to the one with Maria Callas. The atmosphere is more suitable in von Trier's work, with the mist, wind, barren land, gray seas. It also reflects Medea's mood, I think. Such bleak imagery for her depressed state.

However, I found it interesting that birds were chirping on the sunny day that Medea hung her children (I think she stabbed them in the book). I also found it somewhat unrealistic when the older son told her that he knew what was going to happen, and when he put the noose around his own neck.

Not much dialogue, but that's okay, because it didn't need much (if you know the story).

Great lines by Medea, as one would expect: "I'd rather bleed behind a shield than bearing a man's children." With this review's title quotation, it is clear that Medea feels her oppression as a female in a patriarchal society. She would rather be a soldier than a mother - more active, aggressive. Alas, she "was but his prey." She left her country and family for Jason, helped him find the fleece, but he ends up betraying her.

Medea is obviously a feminist of her time, noting how society discriminates against her, knowing that pride is good fortune for Jason, but bad fortune for her. That's still true in today's society. Aggressive, arrogant women are looked down upon much more than are aggressive, arrogant men. It's the "bitch" character flaw vs. the "normal (strong!)" male personality. And her powers and intelligence (again, also happens today) are underestimated until the end.

There is a beautiful scene involving a horse that was cut by the poisoned crown. It appears to go crazy, breaking free from its ties and frantically running out to the beach towards the sea, until it finally collapses, seizing until it is still. That horse did some good acting, or maybe they really stabbed it or something.

Something that bothered me about Medea's appearance - that hideous skull cap. I wanted to see her hair, I've always pictured Medea with wild long hair. She let it out one time, at the end of the movie. Perhaps the cap represented her bondage to Jason, and taking it off signaled her release? That's probably a stretch, but it's what came to mind when I saw it.

I've never felt sorry for Jason. He brought it on himself. Did he deserve to have his children, new wife and father in law murdered? Perhaps not, but it is Medea's last hurrah and her right as a scorned woman. Men tried to diminish her power, but she outsmarted them all by pretending that she had been wrong, apologizing to Jason, acting proper, submissive, meek (non-threatening).

The sad thing is, Jason seems like the kind of man who would do that all over again if given the chance. He is too self-centered to see what how his actions will affect those who have grown to trust and love him. Moral of the story: obey the "Do not commit adultery" commandment, or someone might break the "Do not murder" commandment.

"There is no greater sorrow than love." --Medea

Awful Transfer.......2006-04-27

Stay away from Facets. I thought the transfer was poor on the Facets edition of Heimat, but this makes the US Facets Heimat look hi-def by comparison. This dvd is pixilated, grainy & just barely this side of unwatcheable. This transfer makes many of the dollar store dvd's look good by comparison. I can't believe Facets has the gall to charge $30 for this. This review & the 1 star rating is for this dvd, Not for the film. The transfer is so bad that I can't judge or enjoy the film.

More Greek Myths.......2004-12-14

Trier, who is at times an accomplished director, has an eye for great art. This film, which deals with the Greek mythology of Medea, who killed her children in order to appease the gods, is an artistic telling of the event, from deep colored shots of the ocean to lens filtered wind brushing against the actors shade, this is all visual, but the film is quite utterly boring and thus, we are not interested in the development of sequences which Trier arranges from us. Udo Kier is common in this adaptation and by the end, we are glad that the screen is no longer filled with such blatant incoehesion.

Not his best, by a longshot........2003-10-10

First I would like to say that I have a deep knowledge of Von Trier- he was brought to my attention before any of his films saw US release by friends in europe and well before Dogme existed. This is probably the worst work I have seen from Von Trier. The film is incredibly short, and still manages to seem long and grating at points. Stylistically, themetically, and in regards to acting, this film is very strong, however it is overly minimalistic to the point of being off-putting.

If you absolutely have to complete your Von Trier collection then consider purchasing this DVD, otherwise I'd recommend seeking out the complete Europa trilogy and the under appreciated Kingdom miniseries. Worth a viewing, not a purchase.

Essential Von Trier.......2003-06-21

This beautiful piece of art is one of Lars Von Trier's best works, and is certaintly the best of his pre-dogma period. It is based on a previously unfilmed script by the master Carl Th. Dreyer (Lars claimed to be in constant telepathic communication with him during its filming), and tells the story of Medea's revenge on Jason (of the Argonauts) after he leaves her to become the heir of a throne. The plot is sparse; the real star of this film is Von Trier's direction and great command of mood. Many of the techniques employed in "Zentropa" and "Element of Crime" are used, as well as an extremely drab and degraded film image, and all serve to create a harsh other-world filled with despair.

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Not a review, but a Correction
a film that mesmerizes, and provokes questions
MEDEA
Euripides under Pasolini ' s approach!
Barbaric, Raw and Brilliant

Medea (1970) (Sub)
Starring: Maria Callas , Giuseppe Gentile , Massimo Girotti , Laurent Terzieff , and Margaret Clementi
Director: Pier Paolo Pasolini
Manufacturer: Vanguard Cinema
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Oedipus Rex

ASIN: B00006IUL2
Release Date: 2002-11-26

Amazon.com

The only movie made by Maria Callas, Medea nevertheless contains not a note of the great diva singing. And yet her presence is stunning, with a face (often seen in close-up) that cuts across the frame like a great phenomenon of nature. This raw, mostly wordless take on the Greek classic is a characteristic film from the influential Italian director Pier Paolo Pasolini: intellectually sophisticated yet almost primitive in its feel. The weird, jagged locations and Pasolini's elliptical style contribute to the sense of violence already in the story, and the visual approach (realized by Gangs of New York production designer Dante Ferretti) brings in African masks and pagan rituals. If it's not quite satisfying as a treatment of the original Euripides play, it succeeds as a blunt experience in its own right. And tantalizingly suggests what Callas might have done had she opted for a movie career. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

Not a review, but a Correction.......2006-08-22

Let me correct "cherubino", the previous reviewer of this DVD. Although the voices are dubbed over the actors, the voice of Medea IS that of Callas herself! I suspect that the dubbing was done due to the external noise that might have got into the recording when filming was taking place. But it is the voice of Callas that we hear on this film. Just a pity that the dubbing was not done very well, as we do see discrepancies between the mouth movements and the sound that is coming out.

a film that mesmerizes, and provokes questions.......2005-09-20

Previous reviewers have given much thought and details about the film that surpass what I could possibly say; instead, I wish only to share my reaction to this film.

It does not bother me that the dialogue is minimal. Anyone who really wants to know can read the original play, or listen to Callas' recordings of the operatic rendition by Cherubini. What does bother me is why Callas was dubbed. She knew Italian, and surely could have delivered the lines in a capable manner. What was Pasolini's intent?

The landscapes that we see in this film are often breathtaking. The land is harsh, often barren, but with a starkness and magnificence that beguile you.

I was also struck by how the characters moved, particularly the servantwomen, with their sudden running motions. It certainly distances you from modern-day life, to see people act in this manner.

For the DVD release, they should have interviewed a film scholar, to shed light on Pasolini's technique and artistic choices. Instead, we are just left with the film itself, without having our questions answered.

It is so jarring to see La Divina in this film. She has been mostly experienced through her recordings; in this, we SEE her, frame by frame. Her beauty is not confined to the numerous, sleek photographs taken during her singing career. She is a paragon of meditteranean beauty.

MEDEA.......2005-06-09

Maria Callas she is the Queen of Art God send Her For us Pasolini He is the king of Art They Crown Each other by Medea Callas she give us Art more than aney wamen DiD in the History of Art and pasolini by Medea he give us a film can live in the kingdom Of Art forever[...]

Euripides under Pasolini ' s approach!.......2005-01-20

The classic Greek tragedy in hands of Pier Paolo acquires a revaluated vision according to this talented image' s poet .

The simple fact to consider to Maria Callas one of the Goddess of the Opera performing Medea confirms Wagner' s thesis about the arts ` integration .

And since the stated situations may be not perfectly in consonance respect the original script , if you are an open mind viewer , you just . Forget about the rules of the tradition .

The art has never been a definitive statement by itself . The transformation is involved through its grow up process . In this sense transformation and innovation may be well considered equivalent concepts .

Acquire this artwork and get on the line with the cathartic experience.

Barbaric, Raw and Brilliant.......2004-09-21

I first saw Medea in college and was highly critical of it, finding it disappointing on almost all counts: terrible sound editing, cheap film stock, over bright lighting, bizarre, amateurish acting styles, inadequately edited, etc. Then there was the extended murder scene of Glauce and Creon going seemingly on forever, and then . . . wait; what's this? It's repeated all over again? Did someone get the wrong reel into the house?

Another ten years went by before I watched it again and after the second viewing, found myself emotionally drained, my jaw on the floor with the realization that I'd just finished a film that alternately horrified, fascinated and astonished me.

Medea is a grim, violent, film, minimally processed which only adds to its gruesome, wild rawness. This is Pasolini's Medea, not Euripedes and it is not easy viewing. Its wild, African/Middle Eastern score with the nasal bleating of women's voices in near pre-historic sounding rhythmic chant adds further to the element of being "out there" this film produces: This is about as far away from popular cinema as one can get. Medea doesn't easily compare to films of any other style or genre; not even with some of Pasolini's other work. But, if you can succumb to its hypnotic, mesmerizing pace at once both frenetic and static - you will realize this is as about as close to a hallucinatory experience one can achieve without the use of an illegal substance. Granted, not everyone wants that experience.

As Medea, Callas is simply amazing. Oddly, when the film came out she was roundly criticized for not being able to transfer the magic she so naturally gave on stage to the big screen. I will strongly disagree. The more I watch this film (which is probably several times a year for well over a decade), the more amazed I am by her performance in it. Where I, too, had first been critical of her languid weirdness, I've grown to see her
commitment to the role. I've come to be riveted to her painfully expressive mask as she completely inhabits this character who is, quite literally, capable of everything (yes - everything is the right word here).

Where I was once critical of the lighting, I've grown up to realize what Pasolini did; why he chose to film at the times of day he chose, and the resulting, fascinatingly brutal and surreal luminosity that bathes the entire film and the almost palpable sense of its visual texture. Stunning. The landscapes Pasolini chose to film in are as brutal and as vital as the characters of the tale. His near excision of all spoken text ( the screenplay is nearly dialogue free) brings us into a timeless, yet somehow ancient world where all is understood without the use of verbal communication. The savage, bloody rites of sacrifices for fertility and harvest initially seem barbarous then become somehow beautiful and fascinating. Then they make one cringe with the realization of how, not so long ago, this was us.

A remarkable, savage and beautiful film.

Charlie Rose with Jeremy Greenstock; Richard Perle; Fiona Shaw (February 5, 2003)

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Charlie Rose with Jeremy Greenstock; Richard Perle; Fiona Shaw (February 5, 2003)

Manufacturer: Charlie Rose, Inc.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

General | Educational | Genres | DVD | Video

Description

Sir Jeremy Greenstock, the British ambassador to the United Nations, looks at Colin Powell's case that the United Nations must seek to disarm Iraq. Then, Richard Perle, former Pentagon official and fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, predicts the consequences of Powell's testimony. Also, a talk with the Irish actress Fiona Shaw on her role in a production of Medea on Broadway.

Cherubini - Medea / Gavazzeni, Cigni, Scano, Ruta, Chialli, Garau, Cuboni, Hull, Sassari Opera

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sound X image
A rare chance to experience Cherubini's masterpiece

Cherubini - Medea / Gavazzeni, Cigni, Scano, Ruta, Chialli, Garau, Cuboni, Hull, Sassari Opera
Starring: Denia Mazzola Gavazzen , Carlo Cigni , Elisabetta Scano , Cesare Ruta , and Eric Hull
Manufacturer: Kicco Classics
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Massenet - Le Roi de Lahore / Gipali, Sanchez, Stoyanov, Zanellato, Montiel, Vatchkov, Viotti, Venice Opera
Meyerbeer - Dinorah / Arapian, Vignon, Philippe, Victores-Benavente, Mazzota, Opdebeeck, Compiegne Opera
Saint-Saens - Henry VIII / Rouillon, Command, Vignon, Gabriel, Bohee, Serkoyan, Laiter, Loisel, Guingal, Compiegne Opera
Rossini - Moise et Pharaon / Frittoli, Ganassi, Abdrazakov, Schrott, Filianoti, Muzek, Giuseppini, Ceron, Surguladze, Muraro, Muti, La Scala Opera
Donizetti - Pia De Tolomei / Ciofi, Schmunck, Schroeder, Polverelli, Arrivabeni, La Fenice Opera

ASIN: B000A2ACIS
Release Date: 2005-08-16

Customer Reviews:

sound X image.......2006-10-22

The sings are great, but the video director and audio editor (Giovanna Nocetti) is out! Total amateur!

A rare chance to experience Cherubini's masterpiece.......2005-08-13

Being my favorite opera, I was very excited to see that a DVD was being produced from a recent performance. So as not to bore anybody with my ramblings about the opera itself, I'll only concentrate this DVD's perfoming edition and performance.
The performing edition is based on Carlo Zangarini's Italian version and is similar to the version that Maria Callas made famous back in the 1950's. Zangarini's version is based on Franz Lachner's 1855 version with recitatives replacing the original spoken dialogue. Lachner's version is itself based on Cherubini's 1812 Vienna score with changes and reductions made to the original French Opera Comique score of 1797. The original French Opera Comique version had longer ensembles and spoken dialogue between the musical numbers which, in the hands of good French speaking actors, can come across as more dramatic and fluid then what we have here. But, even in CD recordings, no one has risen to the challenge of giving these spoken parts their true dramatic dimensions (I'm thinking that Minkowski and the singing actors he usually works with could do wonders with the original score).
This performing edition looses some of the musical structures Cherubini had created for the original 1797 French version. The most notable losses are in the fiery duet for Jason and Medea in the first act, the ensemble for Medea, Creon, Neris and chorus in the second act and the finale at the end of the opera. It's a shame the original 1797 French version hasn't yet replaced this Italian version as the most performed.
About the performers, everybody seems to have some talent, if not totally engaged in their performances. The Medea of Denia Mazzola Gavazzeni isn't one of the better performances I've heard, but she holds her own against the draining, emotionally charged version. Although, at times, I fear she was on the verge of loosing any kind of control over her singing. Jason, a role that would test the best singing actor to draw out anything more then a two dimensional character, is performed by Cesare Ruta in a typically flat, deer in the headlights, performance. The Neris of Chiara Chialli looks like she is on the verge of falling asleep, but when she sings, you know that she is truly the pillar of strength for Medea. As Creon, Carlo Cigni sings with an authoritative voice, but sometimes seems to get lost with the stage directions. Elisbetta Scano as Glauce does not iritate like some singers can with the openning aria but seems little concerned about the drama of the piece. The chorus sometimes sounds muffled, whether this is due to the recording, staging or confusion in the chorus itself, I cannot tell. Basically, all of the performers seem to be stretching their talents to their limits but with this music, and dramatic structure, most singers would be.
The DVD itself is what makes me the most disappointed about the whole package. What was with the editing of this DVD? It's obvious it was filmed, then edited, from several different performances (a normal practice) but please while editing an opera try to match up the image with the soundtrack. At times the video was several seconds behind what was being sung or just plain matched up wrong. At one point the editor(s) didn't look closely enough to see that Medea is still singing, yet the music is finished. This was very distracting at times.
The image of the video was good for the close ups, but a little blurry when showing the whole stage. The picture format is in 4:3 (full screen).
The soundtrack was decent and clear (Dolby Digital 2.0), if not up to the standards being set by companies such as Opus Arte.
Kicco should be commended for putting this recording out, even with the reservations I stated above. They may not have the resources to bring out a product with the same quality as the larger companies, but they are at least making an effort, with this release, to give us an opera that is rarely seen or heard.
All in all a good DVD of a great opera, even if it is not the best version of the piece. If you, like me, love this opera, this DVD will be well worth having in your collection to view over and over again. It may be a long wait until we see another performance of this opera on DVD.

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Cherubini:Medea
Starring: Eric Hull
Manufacturer: Video Artists Intern
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

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