Titreenp SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

Smartorhypo Highly Overrated But Still Good

Melanie Bouvet The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

Ginger Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

krocheav Bertolucci again shows he is simply following in the footsteps of his earlier mentor Pasolini. Both these Italians continually proved they were little more than makers of perverse movies - displaying a heavy leaning towards paedophilia, obscenity obsessed sexuality and ugly violence. This offering from Bertolucci grinds in at a stupefying 317mins! with even the 247min version seeming to be endlessly overblown. In typical Italian production style it occasionally sounds and looks cheap (even with Vittorio Storaro behind camera). This ultimately shallow glimpse at fascism v/s communism in the early half of the 20th cent - busies itself with superficial situations and characters of very limited interest. Glorified violence against people and animals combined with sensationalised perverse sexual details are placed above any serious historical influences - culminating in dummying down the supposedly 'important' outcome. This elephantine movie basically ends up being little more than simplistic hate revenge & grotty games being played by a typically overrated movie maker with delusions of grandeur. The big cast is nothing more than a hook for international audiences and many performances are sub-standard. Strictly for those with a 'bent' towards these types of over-ripe productions (also wastes a score by Morricone)

runamokprods So flawed that I almost feel weird giving it this high a rating. But two viewings of this somewhat bloated 5 hour plus film left me feeling the same way; The film is over-simplistic in its characters and politics, badly dubbed (with actors from all over speaking their own language, so whatever soundtrack you pick there are important characters who sound like something out of 'What's Up Tiger Lily'), and even the English spoken by DeNiro seems post- recorded, making for an oddly stiff sounding performance. Yet for all these complaints it is somehow a near-great film. There are so many moments; images, incidents that are indelible, and in the end there's such a real emotional punch to this overview of the history of Italy from 1900 to 1945 as seem through the lives of a few people in a small town that it overcomes many of the flaws. I couldn't defend the film from anyone who wanted to tear it down – e.g. the simple-minded jingoistic endless competition between fascism and communism as if those were the only two options in the world, with both sides reduced to cartoon like figures of evil and good.But it's strengths are strong enough that I'd urge people to judge for themselves. You may find, like me, that all the flaws don't matter to you when a film has so many unforgettable moments. (although I suspect some may want to hunt down and kill me for the recommendation).

Jackson Booth-Millard I knew that this was listed in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, I didn't realise however it was going to be so long, so I watched it as soon as I could so not to risk dozing off, from director Bernardo Bertolucci (Little Buddha, Stealing Beauty). Basically this film follows the life of two men born in the same year, 1900, the beginning of the 20th Century, in Italy, and sees their life going through the years up to 1945. Olmo Dalcò (Gérard Depardieu) was born a bastard of peasant stock with his grandfather Leo (The Asphalt Jungle's Sterling Hayden), Alfredo Berlinghieri (Robert De Niro) was born in a family of landowners with abusive but populist grandfather, also named Alfredo (Burt Lancaster). Despite the social differences, Olmo and Alfredo become childhood friends, Olmo growing to enlist for the army in World War I, Alfredo learning about the landowning business, and their friendship continues when brought together again. Fascism is becoming rife in many people, including sadistic hired foreman Attila Mellanchini (Donald Sutherland), who tortures and kills animals and people, but don't worry, he gets what he deserves eventually. The 1920's begin, and both the men get married, Alfredo to gorgeous Ada Fiastri Paulhan (Dominique Sanda) who develops alcoholism, and Olmo to Anita (Anna Henkel) who dies during childbirth. Of course World War II begins as the 1940's come along, and the two friends in the older age seem to have parted their ways, and brought back together they do not see eye to eye, and in the end Olmo witnesses Alfredo killing himself. Also starring Stefania Sandrelli as Anita Foschi, Alida Valli as Signora Pioppi and Laura Betti as Regina. Both De Niro and Depardieu give credible leading performances, Sutherland is extraordinary as the evil character, and Lancaster gets his time too, there are certainly some eye catching moments and memorable scenes, despite it being five hours and seventeen minutes long, it is I suppose worth it, a most watchable epic period drama. Very good!

jowshihuh My title sums it up really well, modesty be damned. I would give this film an award for having the best potential. What could be better than a film written and directed by Bernardo Bertolucci, scored by Ennio Morricone, photographed by Vittorio Storaro; using the acting talents of Robert DeNiro, Gerard Depardieu, Dominique Sanda, Burt Lancaster, and Donald Sutherland, for a whole 315 minutes? Apparently, a lot. Novecento (which I refuse to call 1900 because none of it actually takes place during that actual year) usually has the same critique: moments of true brilliance, with other stuff thrown in. My favorite review used the metaphor of a delicious pasta salad, with chunks of Velveeta thrown in.Truly, this films really does look delicious at first. My mouth was watering, at least. This is the stuff dreams are made of, or so I hoped. For starters, it was directed by Bernardo Bertolucci, who is one of my favorite directors, and maybe even my favorite. He had come from making two masterpieces: The Conformist and Last Tango in Paris. Ennio Morricone, well, need I say more? The same goes for Vittorio Storaro, whom I consider to be the greatest color cinematographer. The cast is made up of international greats. Did I mention it was a whole 315 minutes?During the first four hours of so, this movie was really something special. Yeah, there were a few of those "chunks of Velveeta" thrown in, but they were heavily outweighed. I'm glad to say that the pacing was excellent. Then the ending came around, and I had to ask my self, "What went wrong?"Let me start by stating what did not go wrong. The score, for one, did not go wrong. The cinematography was great as always. Some of the main performances, such as those by Burt Lancaster and Gerard Depardieu, were really good. I hate to admit it, but I really blame Bernardo Bertolucci. Don't get me wrong, this man is a genius. I'm just sad that he had to mess up his first epic. While Bertolucci's masterful touch is felt throughout most of the film, he just got carried away. This film is drunk in politics. His masterpiece, The Conformist, is very balanced in its politics (both consist mainly of anti-fascism, and maybe a little pro-communism). Most of the chunks of Velveeta are the bits of politics thrown haphazardly into the film.There are also some of the characters: the villains are so hammy (and fascist), Robert DeNiro puts on a frankly bad performance, and the peasants seem kind of cheesy at times (although they're perfectly fine throughout most of the movie).In the end, I would still give this a positive rating. If some of the political junk wasn't thrown in, we could have ourselves a masterpiece. Unfortunately, movies cost too much to have final drafts, so we have to live with what it is. Personally, I am perfectly fine with that, but it makes me sad to think of what could have been. Oh, Bertolucci, if you hadn't made such good films before, I don't know how I could forgive you....