Rocco and His Brothers
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Movie Reviews of Rocco and His Brothers
Movie Review: A grand effort
Summary: 3 Stars
"Rocco and his Brothers" is one of Visconti's most famous films, yet it seems to fall flat. Four brothers and their mother journey to northern Italy to join their brother Vincenzo. While there, one amazing even after another occurs to test the bonds of the family.The film is divided into five sections, one for each of the brothers yet the film really centers around Rocco and Simone. Simone plays the stereotypical bad boy. He comes to the north and begins to see a prostitute and to steal. His criminal impulses lead him to rape his ex-girlfriend (who at the time is dating Rocco) which seems completely out of character. Yes he has a bad streak but the scene seems contrived. He rapes the girl to hurt noth her and Rocco and then proceeds to punch Rocco to the point of unconsciousness. Up until this point he seems more of a rebel and than suddenly he turns into a hard-core criminal. Rocco's character isn't much better. He is depicted in a saintly matter and while this is purposeful, he saintliness is so extreme that one gets aggravated with the character. He constantly forgives Simone and constantly "turns his other cheek". In short, all the character are extremely stereotyped and are manipulated to fit the script instead of being believable.
The only thing that saves the film in any way is the acting. The two main brothers, Simone and Rocco, and Nadia are all played remarkabley well inspite of the despicable script. Annie Girardot who plays Nadia puts in the best performance and makes the viewer wonder if she is the only sane person in all of Italy.
Movie Review: Film=5 Stars, DVD=3 Stars
Summary: 3 Stars
The long-awaited DVD release of Visconti's great novel-like film is here. Sad to report, it is something of a disappointment.The film itself looks quite good, transferred from a well-preserved source. But this is the 168-minute version of "Rocco e i suoi Fratelli"--12 minutes of the original 180 minutes have been cut. To be fair, this version has been the "standard" on VHS for some time, presumably Image derived it from the source of earlier releases. It is really unfortunate that a full-length print could not be used here. Moreover, there are zero extras on the disc: just a static, hastily-produced menu. The English-only subtitles are removable.
Visconti's film is traditional. It is a contemporary of "Shoot the Piano Player", "L'Avventura" and "La Dolce Vita", yet it has virtually nothing in common with them. Watching "Rocco" is like reading a 19th century novel, with chapters devoted to the five brothers of the title. All characters are well-drawn, the film is beautifully shot, acting is often brilliant. There are many unforgettable moments in what feels like a vast, panoramic view of several years in one family's history. One element Visconti shares in this film with Antonioni is the great Italian theme of transition from the old world to the modern world. Characters are forced to accept change, change themselves, or perish.
In spite of these limitations, the DVD is recommended. If you don't watch it, you will miss a powerful cinematic experience.
Movie Review: There was a time...
Summary: 3 Stars
There was a time when scene after scene of screaming Italians meant 'art film' and endless depictions of tedious pathology was 'interesting.' Not now. There are standout performances that are timeless, but you should bring a lot of tolerance to this if you plan to enjoy it. Also, there are no extras on the DVD - nothing to help the viewer appreciate why this film was important when it was made, etc.