The Horseman on the Roof
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Movie Reviews of The Horseman on the Roof
Movie Review: Another great film gets MiramAXED
Summary: 3 Stars
This would be a 5-star review if only they'd released the uncut version shown everywhere else. The Horseman on the Roof has to be one of the most beautiful looking films I've ever seen, which is odd for a movie about a cholera epidemic.
Set in a beautiful summer in the mid-19th century, it follows Olivier Martinez's Italian in exile as he is chased across France by Austrian agents intent on killing as many Italian rebels as they can only for his pursuers to be outrun by a cholera epidemic that picks off friends and foes. Along the way his path crosses with various victims and survivors - a doctor who teaches him a neat disinfecting trick of setting your hands on fire, a cute governess, Jean Yanne's duplicitous peddler, Gerard Depardieu's paranoid mayor, and most importantly Juliette Binoche, who is determined to find her husband. Naturally they become travelling companions as they try to get through roadblocks and avoid being put into quarantine by the soldiers cordoning off the roads - a virtual death sentence - and eventually nearly become more. The film looks so good in cinemascope and so much of it is terrific than you can just about forgive the fact that the ending is a bit of a washout after everything that's gone before.
A really enjoyable old-fashioned epic, I'd definitely pick this up if it ever turned up on DVD uncut with English subtitles (the Miramax disc is typically cut by 17 minutes thanks to Harvey Scissorhands).
Movie Review: A superb old-fashioned romantic adventure, but MiramAxed by 16 minutes
Summary: 3 Stars
Jean-Paul Rappeneau's grand romantic adventure starts off with Italian exile Olivier Martinez on the run from Austrian assassins until an outbreak of cholera outruns them both, turning the beautiful countryside into a treacherous series of army roadblocks, deadly quarantine areas and a feeding ground for flocks of crows. It's an episodic affair - leading lady Juliette Binoche isn't even introduced until a third into the film - but its shot through with such lavish old-fashioned romanticism that that's not really a problem. Indeed, not even the lack of a proper ending can do much damage.
As with Cyrano De Bergerac, Rappeneau shows a real understanding of movement and color, with a wonderful use of both the landscape of a semi-mythical Provence and the full width of the Scope screen. En route there are a slew of nice little cameos (Gerard Depardieu, Jean Yanne, Isabelle Carre) and memorable moments, adding up to a satisfyingly old fashioned epic that stands up well to repeated viewings.
BUT, and it's a big one, in their infinite wisdom Miramax decided to cut the film by 16 minutes for the US market - including all of Isabelle Carre's very appealing Cesar-nominated supporting role - and this is the version on the Region 1 DVD. However, if you have a multi-region player, the UK DVD isuncut, subtitled and in 2.35:1 widescreen and also comes with a particularly good 28-minute interview with Rappeneau.
Movie Review: Something Missing
Summary: 3 Stars
The Horseman on the Roof was fabulous for its historical portrayal of the rumblings around the time of the Piedmontese Wars in Italy and France, including the cholera epidemic. A fugitive from justice (for being an Italian freedom-fighter) encounters a lovely young Provencal marquess while being chased by crazed townspeople (who believe he's poisoned the well). During many side-ways wanderings through the beautiful countryside of Provence and Dauphine, France, the duo of obstinates make their way through armed roadblocks, quarantine prisons, and even Austrian assassains. The married marquess finds her way back to her husband, with no taint of adultery, despite the obvious attraction between the two. But the marquis realizes his wife bears, and he is forced to a difficult decision.Excellent acting, splendid scenery, slightly predictable romantic plotline, and some might think it slow in parts. Do not recommend watchin at 2:00am.
Movie Review: Kind of slow...
Summary: 3 Stars
I liked watching this, and JB was good as usual. However, the pace was pretty slow. Scenery good, acting fine, and the story line was good too. It just seemed too plodding, and the ending was predictable.Movie Review: Stars for Angelo
Summary: 2 Stars
If you are simply looking for the pleasure of watching a very good looking Italian for 2 hrs then by all means get this movie. Its one of the few "romances" which I actually enjoyed the parts before the h/H met more then once they had. The pursuit of Angelo was the most exciting part of the movie, unfortunatly the people chasing him are dead before the first half of the movie is over, and we,re left watching Angelo escort a woman across France who loves another man. Ultimatly this was the source of all the problems I had with the movie. I was never able to get beyond the fact that the heroine was in love with one man while she was supposedly falling in love with Angelo? I never really saw where she stopped loving her husband and started loving him. This just doesn't work as a romance.