Brother Sun, Sister Moon (Widescreen)
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Movie Reviews of Brother Sun, Sister Moon (Widescreen)
Movie Review: Even-handed, inspiring, expansive - glorious landscape shots
Summary: 5 Stars
By all means ignore the sourpuss who, as Amazon's lead reviewer, panned this so bad - he even forgot to mention that the film was an Oscar nominee.The story itself moves along at an even pace, and is amazingly inspiring, well-acted, well-directed - and at times gut-wrenching. Considering the actors playing the Franciscan brothers were actors and not real friars, their actions are very convincing indeed.
The photography is stunning, especially the rolling hills and valleys captured in the numerous landscape shots. If you've ever been to Italy, or have gazed at a number of Renaissance and proto-Renaissance paintings where a stylized landscape is used as a backdrop [or even if you have not], you'll revel in this. It's expansive, and totally stunning.
The costumes are to die for. And Francesco's young lady friend Clare is one of the most glorious creatures ever to grace the annals of technicolor.
The staged period music sometimes is a bit strident - it might sound better in stereo or surround - but still contributes a great deal towards capturing the mood of the times.
Donovan's specially-composed vocal music blends seamlessly into the story, his lyrics often providing a sort of commentary, sometimes obliquely poetic, never slavishly describing merely what is happening visually.
And what fun to see the innards of the Monreale Cathedral of Sicily - even though it was being staged as the Pope's cathedral in "Rome". (In Saint Francis' day, St. Peter's hadn't been yet constructed.) The gigantic Christ Pantocrator depicted in the apse (nearly identical to the one in the Cefalu Cathedral - also in Sicily) is one of the more sublime monuments of Byzantine Christendom.
You really should check this film out - it a total delight, and in so many, many ways.
Movie Review: "Throw It All Away!" ~ A Divine Ideal
Summary: 5 Stars
I first saw this movie in 1976 and immediately fell in love with it. Now some twenty-nine years later I can honestly say it hasn't lost much of its initial impact on me. While I won't go so far as to say that it played a part in my conversion to Catholicism, I will say that it provided me with a 'divine ideal' of what being Catholic should be about.
While it's true that the sixties hippie movement was a little too influential in Franco Zeffirelli's re-imagining of the young, nature loving saint, it doesn't take too much effort to simply acknowledge those cultural elements and move past them. Of course the Donovan music in the soundtrack may make it a little difficult for some.
Another often heard complaint concerns a number of historical inaccuracies within the script. I'd like to point out that the main function of a movie is to entertain. I don't know of any movie based on a real person or true event that is completely accurate. When you watch a movie a certain amount of artistic freedom with the storyline should be a given.
What we do have in 'Brother Sun, Sister Moon' is a film of overpowering innocence and spiritual purity. It's a story of one man's vision of the "Life of Christ" and his commitment to living that vision to its fullest. Coupled with some of the most amazing scenic footage of the Italian countryside you'll ever see Zefirelli has given us not only a moving spiritual document but a visual feast not soon to be forgotten.
Praise should also be given to a young cast, most of whom I've never seen in anything else. Graham Faulkner "is" Saint Francis as far as I'm concerned. Leigh Lawson was superb as his best friend Bernardo, as was Judi Bowker as the lovely Clare.
Movie Review: Perfection!
Summary: 5 Stars
Jangling along the agnostic hills of San Francisco as a very young teen, films about saints and churches took up precisely no mind space on daily bus trips. Then poof! Suddenly "the kid" yanked the "next stop" cable, exited, and dashed back up the street as if stricken by absolute necessity. I don't recall the marquee; had no notion of brothers of suns & moons; was expected home shortly -- the experience, the rush to hit the "movie theatre" alone (never), unheard of behaviour.
In the dim light, I claimed a formerly posh lounge seat, leant back, and inhaled strangely, deeply. As Donovan's voice wandered through a lace of lilac and velvet-cranberry flowered hills, the angsty kid felt a deep joy (only later to be labled). Words like "Crusades", "indulgences to His Majesty" had no formal space in "stuff learnt". But the joy! Some sort of visceral ecstacy claimed me as if I'd invited or understood it.
Years ago, this was, but what I write is true. Though still an agnostic, "Brother Sun" has lived in my library forever; I watch it, live it often. It is perfection, warmth for the cooling soul, peace for the raging mind, and love. Above all, this film is love and elicits love, invariably, from the stiff-as-stones of my many friendships. Stone hearts weep; grace fills the quiet.
"Brother Sun..." is simply a perfect film, melting anxious holiday "planners" as surely as it cools the burning beasts of politics. Five stars? Fifty stars? Rating? No. Just own it; lighten your own load. The easy life-lessons I accidentally tumbled into remain true, good and invaluable for me. For others, it likely morphs to meet one's needs, I suspect. It is beautiful.
Movie Review: Brother Sun, Sister Moon: I Loved this Film!
Summary: 5 Stars
There are several reviews available about this movie from professional critics who cite this film as saccharine, romantic, and inaccurate. It is all these. However, I love it. The film is overly optimistic about the early life and ministry of St. Francis of Assisi. It is tenderly romantic about his conversion, his love for the poor, and his affectations for his brothers. It is terribly inaccurate historically.
BUT! I believe Franco Zifferelli's movie captures the spirit of St. Francis beautifully. I believe the wonderful nature of newly discovered faith is captured perfectly in this movie. Francis' wide-eyed naivete about life and its obstacles are carried out perfectly by Graham Faulkner. The corrupt indifference of the medieval Church is aptly depicted in Bishop Guido's cynical sending of troops to destroy San Damiano and the ostentatious papal court in Rome.
Terribly inaccurate historically? I'm afraid so. The events between Francis' two military campaigns are ignored: he is seen only as going off to war once, as if he had never gone before. The time span between his conversion experience and the beginning of the Friars Minor is grossly reduced - it happened over a period of several years. San Damiano, the site of his conversion, is the focal point of the film. However, St. Mary of the Portiuncula was truly his spiritual home.
BUT! In the scope of the movie's mission to capture the spirit of St. Francis, those details are inconsequential.
Did I mention? I love this film!
Movie Review: Zeffirelli's Romanticized Masterpiece
Summary: 5 Stars
Franco Zeffirelli is responsible for three of the greatest films ever made; ROMEO AND JULIET, JESUS OF NAZARETH and BROTHER SUN, SISTER MOON. This film displays Zeffirelli's genius at it's clearest and is a perfect amalgamation of his other two films, ROMEO AND JULIET and JESUS OF NAZARETH. In fact it almost feels like a prequel to ROMEO AND JULIET. Ennio Guarnieri's beautiful photography is some of the greatest ever filmed. Any single frame in this movie is a work of art. The people and objects in every scene seem to radiate a certain light. Donovan's and Riz Ortolani's music is incredibly beautiful. Like ROMEO AND JULIET, Zeffirelli brings a sense of urgency to every word and movement. Everything feels extremely realistic yet romanticized; like a simple fable told by a medieval minstrel combined with early 1970's flower-power.
This has to be the most underrated film I've ever seen. This film has had such a profound effect on me, it's made me see the world in a new and different light. If this film has touched you I highly recommend German filmmaker Werner Herzog's THE ENIGMA OF KASPAR HAUSER (1974, available on DVD); which is about the true story of a young man who had been kept in a dark cellar his entire life since he was born with no human contact, and then one day released into society.