Aria
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Movie Reviews of Aria
Movie Review: Cinematic Art
Summary: 5 Stars
It's a tragedy that this isn't available in a Blu-ray version, because it is a masterpiece of (funny, erotic, tragic) cinematic art. If you're not an opera fan, don't let that dissuade you...the film gives you so much visual and emotional content, the music becomes a completely enjoyable part of the experience. To be clear, this is not for folks who are unwilling to stretch themselves culturally, but the quality of the performances and the film-making is just stunning. These shorts were done by some of the best directors in the world. If there is anyone out there with the ability to make it happen, *please* do everything possible to have this film re-mastered and converted to Blu-ray.Movie Review: From The Sublime To The Ridiculous.
Summary: 4 Stars
Take 10 well known opera arias then ask 10 established or up and coming directors to interpret them visually in any manner they choose. Either a collection of opera videos or modern day silent shorts with musical accompaniment, take your pick. What you end up with is a film that ranges from the sublime to the ridiculous.
Each person must judge for themselves which segments work best for them. My favorite episodes were directed by Ken Russell, Bruce Beresford, Franc Roddam, and Derek Jarman. My favorite arias used were by Korngold, Verdi, Lully, and Leoncavallo. In only one instance (Bruce Beresford's interpretation of Erich Wolfgang Korngold's DIE TOTE STADT) do the video and the audio coincide.
As a devotee of silent movies, I am always drawn to films that attempt to tell their stories visually. Just as music is a key element in silents so it is with ARIA. When it was first released the movie did not satisfy opera purists and the music video crowd didn't care for it either which is a shame on both counts. ARIA is visually ravishing and the music is superb. It's just not for all tastes. This 2008 re-release is the same as the 2002 one.
Movie Review: Some good shorts, some bad ones
Summary: 3 Stars
I vaguely remember watching the 'Nessun Dorma' short years ago, but never really knowing what the movie was that I was watching. I'd had to go shortly after the piece ended, so I never got the chance to check my cable's viewer guide. (This was before the comcast digital cable & the 'info' button came into my life.)
Aria is a project where several directors were asked to interpret opera arias, with the results giving many different results. Some directors chose to set their pieces during different points in history while others chose more modern settings, such as the setting of Nessun Dorma or the piece about men in a brothel.
I'd enjoyed the Nessun Dorma piece when I was younger, so I was sure that I'd love or at least like the rest of the film. Not so. For me the film ran between dull and semi-interesting. Some of the pieces (the brothel piece) were pretty funny to watch while one was unintentionally hilarious- the piece with the two nude lovers made me laugh unexpectedly due to the bad lipsynching done by the pair as well as the relative disinterest on the man's face. Liz Hurley did a decent job with expressions, but sadly lip synching just wasn't her strong point. Even though I was occasionally bored by this film, I can't deny that some of the images in this film were striking.
(On a side note, it was interesting to see how many stars were in this movie & would later make it big. People such as Liz Hurley, Tilda Swinson & someone that looked a little like Ewan McGregor.)
The bottom line is that this film isn't going to be for everyone. For some, they'll look at it & say "but that's not how I interpreted this aria". For others, they'll get bored by how some of the pieces just seem to take forever to complete. Others will be a little turned off by how completely random these pieces are. This is pretty much something I'd recommend as a rental rather than a purchase.
Movie Review: Great Music For Listwening On lyh
Summary: 1 Stars
The ideal use for this DVD is to play the soundtrack on your computer while you are doing other things. It is apparent that Hollywood film directors are the shall,owest, least creative tribe on the planet, who equjate art with nakedness and have no imagination at all./ The one star is earned by the Verdi "Un Ballo" episode at the beginning which goes back to the attempted assasination of King Zog of Albania for a really thought-out tie in. Evderyhthing else visually on this disk is trash. The music selected is great and the singers are outstanding, with the tenor selection exceptional (no Pavarotti!) For listening only!Movie Review: ARIA - Classic Lost....
Summary: 1 Stars
ARIA is a wonderful film. Each director chose an Operatic Aria to work with for interpretation to the screen.
The new DVD release is to be avoided. I pre-ordered this a couple of months ago and upon arrival, was totally dissapointed by the quality. It's not 16x9 as advertised. It's not even full frame as it was filmed. Very poor transfer from an old answer or release print. Poor sound, doesn't even look good with a 1080 upconvert DVD player.
I have this film on VHS tape. Three years ago I transfered it to DVD. My VHS tape copy is far superior to this release.
In short, it sucks.......