Full-length original
(3 of 4 Found this Helpful)
May 13, 2008
Just to correct the mistake by a previous reviewer, the DVD contains the full-length uncut 188-minute film. It is a brand new digitally-restored transfer made especially for the Koch Lorber Films DVD release and looks great.
seem to be a butchered version of a masterpiece
(1 of 2 Found this Helpful)
April 21, 2008
According to the product information on Amazon, this DVD lasts 105 minutes. It must be the butchered version of this more than three hour masterpiece. I hope I am wrong, for this is one of my all-time favorite movies. I have seen the shortened version in a theatre; it was sickening to realize how they had cut the heart out of some sequences.
ONE OF THE MAJUSCULE ITALIAN FILMS OF THE DECADE!
(2 of 3 Found this Helpful)
November 13, 2006
Few filmakers around the world have been able to transcript with such precision and profundity of spirit the legacy of Luigi Pirandello.
This film is composed by four stories of this monumental writer. And the final result could not be more fortunate. The bitter cynicism of some characters, the fragile human condition and the cosmic poetry were exposed with impeccable plasticity through a fluid camera work.
You should not miss for any reason, this emblematic and superb feat of the cinema.
Extremely Bizarre, but in a good way
December 25, 2004
I watched Kaos last night for my Italian Culture class. There are 4 parts but the first 3 struck me particularly. The first one "L'otro Figlio" or "The Other Son" was a sad story but I really liked it. The main character for this segment, Mariagracia, gave a riveting performance.
The second story "Mal di Luna" or "Moon Sickness" is a werewolf story. This is where the movie starts to get a bit bizarre. Newlyweds Sidora and Bata live in the sicilian countryside and every full moon, Bata is enchanted by the moon and it rules him. He howls and barks like a wolf and it causes him great pain. Sidora totally freaks out and doesn't stand by him at all...
The third story "La Giara" or "The Jar" is extremely bizarre but I found it entertaining. This guy named Don Lollo who looks like what Mick Jagger would look like if he were an Italian man, acquires this huge clay jar that the town will put olive oil in. One night they come out and it's broken into 2 pieces. As a result, Don Lollo hires this eccentric potter to come fix this jar with his "magic glue" After a long series of events, the mad potter gets stuck inside the jar. It ends up being pretty funny...
All in all, I liked it. I think the editing between stories could've used a little work, but overall I thought the settings seemed very realistic. I really like the creative shots that the movie had. Most of the people seem like real sicilian people, not just random actors.
4 out of 5
"from our land of tears"
(17 of 17 Found this Helpful)
February 19, 2003
Produced by Raitelevisione Italiana, this film set in Sicily and directed by brothers Paolo and Vittorio Taviani, consists of four stories based on Luigi Pirandello's "Le Novelle per un Anno", and has some spectacular cinematography by Giuseppe Lanci and a gorgeous score by Nicola Piovani.
The first two stories in particular, take place in a parched, rocky setting, that has a strange beauty despite the dust and the cruelty of the life; life is harsh, and so is the way some of the characters treat each other. A warning to those of you, who like me are sensitive about the abuse of animals, the initial scene of the film with a crow is a little unpleasant.
The stories are: "L'Altro Figlio" (The Other Son), about a mother with two sons in America, and one that she has at home, but has rejected.
"Mal di Luna" (Moon Sickness), about a man who goes wild and howls when the moon is full, and his new wife.
"La Giara" (The Jar), which is a comedic story about an oil jar "as wide as an abbess".
"Requiem", is about a community of shepherds who challenge the town leader for land rights, to bury their dead.
the film ends with a lovely epilogue, "Colloquio con la Madre" (Conversing with Mother). Omero Antonutti plays Pirandello, and Regina Bianchi as his mother, with a scene on an island of pumice that is exquisite.
The ensemble cast is wonderful, with some members appearing in more than one story. Among the many fine actors are: Massimo Bonetti, Claudio Bigagli, Erica Maria Modugno, Franco Franchi, and Ciccio Ingrassia.
Just over 3 hours long, some may find this film slow, but if you are willing to immerse yourself in its unique atmosphere, you will be greatly rewarded.
