#235: VISCONTI, Luchino: The Leopard (1963)

-
VISCONTI, Luchino (Italy)
The Leopard [1963]
Spine #235
DVD


Making its long-awaited U.S. home video debut, Luchino Visconti's The Leopard (Il Gattopardo) is an epic on the grandest possible scale. The film recreates with nostalgia, drama, and opulence, the tumultuous years of Italy's Risorgimento — when the aristocracy lost its grip and the middle classes rose and formed a unified, democratic Italy. Burt Lancaster stars as the aging prince watching his culture and fortune wane in the face of a new generation, represented by his upstart nephew (Alain Delon) and his beautiful fiancée (Claudia Cardinale). Awarded the Palme d'Or at the 1963 Cannes Film Festival, The Leopard translates Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampeusa's novel, and the history it recounts, into a truly cinematic masterpiece. The Criterion Collection is proud to present the film in two distinct versions: Visconti's original Italian version, and the alternate English-language version released in America in a newly restored special edition.

185 minutes
Color
Monaural
in Italian
2:21:1 aspect ratio
Criterion Release 2004
Director/Writers


From the novel by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa.
Visconti was 57 when he directed The Leopard.

Other Visconti films in the Collection:

#556: Senso (1954)
#296: Le Notti Bianchi (1957)
#1098: The Damned (1969)
#962: Death In Venice (1971)

The Film

Film Rating (0-60):

60

The Extras

The Booklet

Ten-page wraparound featuring an essay by Michael Wood.

Commentary

By film scholar Peter Cowie.

A Dying jBreed: The Making of The Leopard

An hour-long documentary featuring interviews with actress Cardinale; screenwriter D’Amico, director of photography Giuseppe Rotunno, filmmaker Sydney Pollack, and many others.
Interview

With producer Goffredo Lombardo.
Video interview

With professor Millicent Marcus of the University of Pennsylvania on the history behind The Leopard.

Stills gallery

Of rare behind-the-scenes production photos.

New transfer

Of the 161-minute American release, with English-language dialogue (including Lancaster’s actual voice).

Original theatrical trailer and newsreels

Extras Rating (0-40):

39

60 + 39 =

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Complete Criterion Collection By Director

-
THE COMPLETE CRITERION COLLECTION BY DIRECTOR ADOLPHSON, Edvin (1893-1979) & WALLÉN, Sigurd (1884-1947) {Sweden} The Count Of The Old Town [1935] {Eclipse #46} AKAD, Lüfti Ö. (1916-2011) {Turkey} Law Of The Border [1966] {Spine #878} AKERMAN, Chantal (1950-2015) {Belgium} Saute ma ville [1968] {Spine #1203a} L'enfant aimé, ou Je à être une femme mariée [1971] {Spine #1203b} La Chambre [1972] {Eclipse #19/Spine #1203c} Hotel Monterey (United States) [1972] {Eclipse #19/Spine #1203d} Le 15/8 [1973] {Spine #1203e} Je Tu Il Elle (France) [1975] {Eclipse #19/Spine #1203f} Jeanne Dielman, 23, Quai Du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles [1975] {Spine #484} News From Home (United States) [1976] {Eclipse #19/Spine #1203g} Les Rendez-Vous D'Anna (France) [1978] {Eclipse #19/Spine #1203h} ALDRICH, Robert (1918-1983) {United States} Kiss Me Deadly [1955] {Spine #568}  [ 87 ] Flight Of The Phoenix [1965] {Spine #1116} ALLÉGRET, Marc (1900-1973) {France} Fanny [1
Read more

The Complete Criterion Collection By Spine #

-
The Complete Criterion Collection By Spine # 0000A: No spine #: Ingmar Bergman's Cinema (BERGMAN, Ingmar) [1946-2003] {Sweden} Crisis [1946] A Ship To India [1947] Port Of Call [1948] Thirst [1949] To Joy [1950] Summer Interlude [1951] Waiting Women [1952] Sawdust And Tinsel [1953]  [ 89 ] Summer With Monika [1953] A Lesson In Love [1954] Dreams [1955] Smiles Of A Summer Night [1955] The Seventh Seal [1957] Wild Strawberries [1957]  [ 93 ] Brink Of Life [1958] The Magician [1958] The Devil's Eye [1960] The Virgin Spring [1960] Through A Glass Darkly [1961] The Silence [1963] Winter Light [1963] All These Women [1964] Persona [1966]  [ 94 ] Hour Of The Wolf [1968] Shame [1968] The Passion Of Anna [1969] The Rite [1969] Fårö Document [1970] The Touch [1971] Cries And Whispers [1972] Scenes From A Marriage [1973] The Magic Flute [1975] The Serpent's Egg [1977] Autumn Sonata [1978] Fårö Document 1979 [1979] From The Life Of The Marionettes
Read more

#304: ROEG, Nicolas: The Man Who Fell To Earth (1976)

-
Image
ROEG, Nicolas (United States) The Man Who Fell To Earth [1976] Spine #304 DVD OOP The Man Who Fell to Earth  is a daring exploration of science fiction as an art form. The story of an alien on an elaborate rescue mission provides the launching pad for Nicolas Roeg's visual tour de force, a formally adventurous examination of alienation in contemporary life. Rock legend David Bowie, in his acting debut, completely embodies the title role, while Candy Clark, Buck Henry, and Rip Torn turn in pitch-perfect supporting performances. The film's hallucinatory vision was obscured in the American theatrical release, which deleted nearly twenty minutes of crucial scenes and details. The Criterion Collection is proud to present Roeg's full uncut version, in this exclusive new director-approved high-definition widescreen transfer. 139 minutes Color Stereo 2:35:1 aspect ratio Criterion Release 2005 Director/Writers From the novel by Walter Tevis . Screenplay
Read more