Senso (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

Senso - a film so famous that a remake in 2011 and an opera were made to dwell on its undying glory. As always with the most notorious movies, there is an enigma to what exactly make them live and shine, outlive all who have done it and still gain new worshipers. We can at least try to analyze what makes it a cult and golden calf around which there is such a constant dance macabre.It is interesting to research about the literary source of the film, a novella "Senso" by Camillo Boito (a man, just as the author of Anna Karenina and Madame Bovary), written in 1882. In the book, the character of Livia is one of a lustful, selfish and revengeful female who watches the execution of her lover with the same delight as she experienced in his arms. It seems to be obvious that Visconti was inspired by a theme of a predatory female destroying a vulnerable, fragile male who desperately tries to fight for his life in society but is finished off by an axe lowered by the lecherous, furious and vengeful Bacchante.This idea gains force in Visconti's later movies, starting with "Death in Venice" in the threatening figure of the watchful mother, and continuing with crescendo from "Ludwig" through " Conversation Piece" to "L'Innocente", where the destructive female appears in all her horror, equipped with the flawless physical beauty which she uses as weapon to drive the poor man to his ruin.In a sense, "Senso" has shoots of many other obsessions that Visconti expressed later on in the aforementioned films - here we have a hero renamed from the original name in the novel of Remigio Ruz to Franz Mahler, in honor of the composer whose music Visconti adored and used to much acclaim in "Death in Venice". And it is these obsessions that distinguish his work and turn it into cult status.The obsessive attention to detail resulting in incomparable beauty of cinematography, camera work, leading actor, costumes, decorations, of the places where the films were made, his drive to authenticity and perfection makes his work above compare, and like the pictures of the old masters, more and more valuable as we move further in the Braver Newer World of art.For all those reasons, I have become a zealot of Visconti decades ago, and I watch his movies, including "Senso", from time to time, as one goes to a museum to delight in a beloved masterpiece. But the reason to finally write a review was an amazing coincidence when visiting Veneto region the last autumn; the goal was to see as many as possible Palladian villas, and what a surprise I had when after arriving in Villa Godi-Malinverni, I learned that "Senso" was filmed there! These were the episodes when Livia leaves Venice for her country villa; and it is in the villa that Franz breaks into her bedroom, alarming dogs and causing the famous uproar. It was curious to observe that the Villa was quite far from Venice - it is between Bassano del Grappa and Vicenza, and in 1882 it would probably take days to reach it!The Villa is today even more amazing - in the film one can hardly notice the frescoes, and the garden in front in 1954 was not as luxurious as it is now, although in the timeline of the story it was probably even more opulent than today - with roses, camellias and other magical plants that perfume the air in warm September sun...Visconti has grown up in palaces and villas like Villa Godi-Malinverni; certainly the aristocratic rich friends and relatives of his family had similar properties. This villa is occupied today by a private owner, and the neighboring Villa Poiano is today a country retreat of a certain countess - just like Livia, only that today's countess lives in Milano, not in Venice. Since Visconti was a habitue in such villas and palaces like the one rented in Palermo for "Il Gattopardo" shooting, he knew intimately how to furnish the place and make it look the way it should be. This adds an irreplaceable allure to all his films which exude glamor and elegance.The story of the film "Senso" is forever captivating, as sex and violence always are. Love, betrayal, hate - all the titillating subjects that entertain humanity. Perhaps I watched this movie so many times that this time I lost some sensitivity to "Senso" the story. But some side observations emerged:1. The character of Fritz Mahler, presented unsympathetically in 19th century morality as a as coward who does not wish to fight in a war occupies a central place in 20th century as an existentialist figure. His moral dillema of an individual having to sacrifice his life on the altar of the rich and powerful cannot be more modern even today. Ironically, Austria's empire disintegrated shortly after the film's events were taking place, making his doubts and views prophetic.2. The reunification of Italy - one would ask the same question today as it was asked in Garibaldi's times - was it such a good idea? As of today, it seems clear that the North Italy is a true beneficiary, while the South continues to sink, justly confirming Il Gattopardo's pessimism. Also the theme of Southern migrants has been duly explored in "Rocco and his brothers", revealing rejection of the South by the North. Perhaps the South would indeed fare better if it would be independent from the authority of Turin and Milan. And the WWII destruction of Italy could have been much less severe as Mussolini dragged the whole country into the inferno. Had Italy remained fragmented as it was in middle ages, for example, cities like Treviso or Livorno could have survived intact.3. After being to numerous cities and towns in Italy, one cannot fail to notice that major roads, streets and squares bear all the same names - Piazza Garibaldi, Corso Cavour, Via Mazzini, etc. We owe this destruction of history to the propaganda of the reunification benefits which with passage of time seem more and more dubious.Such thoughts were provoked by a film that was supposedly not designed to do so! However, as with any genius work of art, it lives its own life and inspires the viewer to the most unexpected ideas. I also attach some current images of Villa Godi-Malinverni.This film is simply extraordinary, as the opera "Il Trovatore", city of Venice, Palladian villas, human passions... A must for all times.

Great Quality in such an amazing CLASSIC.

Criterion has made lots of people very happy with this comprehensive release of Luchino Visconti's 1954 masterpiece SENSO. Loosely based on Camillo Boito's novella of the same name, SENSO is the story of a doomed love affair, set during the turmoil of Austria-occupied Italy in 1866.During a performance of "Il trovatore" at La Fenice, the Countess Livia (Alida Valli) meets Austrian officer Franz Mahler (Farley Granger). The two fall into a torrid love affair, which is made all the more scandalous because of their individual loyalties. When Franz begs Livia to give him the money he needs in order to bribe certain officials and exit the army, Livia reluctantly hands over the Italian partisan funds that were entrusted to her by her cousin, exiled because of his actions in trying to undermine the Austrian army. When she later receives a rather strange letter from Franz, Livia follows him back to Verona, where her ever-crumbling sanity reaches the breaking point...SENSO is a delicate piece which borders on the operatic. It's not by coincidence that shortly after this film, Luchino Visconti became one of the most prolific opera directors in Europe. Leading actors Alida Valli and Farley Granger both deliver superb performances, but the star of SENSO is undoubtedly the bewitching Ms Valli, who in her performance as the Countess Livia, is almost an opera heroine in real-life.Lush in it's design and photography, it's strange to think that SENSO sadly didn't make much of an impression during it's original release in 1954. Critics felt that Luchino Visconti was "betraying" his neo-realist attitudes, not quite realising that in SENSO he beautifully blended neo-realism with theatrical grandeur, therefore creating a whole new genre of filmmaking.Criterion's two-disc DVD package includes the seldom-seen English language dub of SENSO entitled "The Wanton Countess", which is significantly shorter than the original Italian cut. The English dub is noteworthy in that both Farley Granger and Alida Valli's voices can finally be heard. The print of "The Wanton Countess", supplied by Harvard University, isn't in the best shape, with lots of jumps and splices; Aldo Graziati's colour photography is dulled considerably with the film sadly looking like it's been soaked in brown tea. Rest assured that the original Italian cut of SENSO looks crisp and beautiful by comparison.

The media could not be loaded.  I enjoyed this film! I never knew American bisexual actor Farley Granger could speak Italian! A great film also knowing that both main actors had been in a Hitchcock film (Farley Granger: Rope / Strangers on a Train) (Alida Valli: The Paradine Case)Also one good thing to note is that this is a 2 DVD set, not 1 as stated in this detail!

Recupera un clásico olvidado del cine italiano

Venezia/Venedig, 1866, der italienischer Bürgerkrieg (Risorgimento) ist im vollen Gange. Garibaldi mit seinen Truppen wird immer stärker, Alfonso La Marmora ist im Norden im Anmarsch. In dieser Zeit spielt in der berühmter Oper La Fenice Verdi's Troubadour (Il trovatore). Teatro La Fenice wird von unzähligen Kerzen beleuchtet, die Szene ist farbenfroh, opulent. Wie das Publikum. Im Parterre sitzen meistens die österreichische Offiziere, weiße Uniformen überall, in den Logen sitzen sowohl Venezianer wie auch österreichische Adelige. Ganz oben das "gewöhnliche" Publikum. Die Luft ist dick,man spürt den Hass... Die wunderbaren Wände des Teatro dienen als Kulisse für die spürbare Feindlichkeit gegen die Besatzer.In einer Loge sitzt die Contessa Livia Serpieri mit ihrem Mann und Bekannten. Unten im Parterre ist ihr Cousin Marquis Roberto Ussoni, der offen mit Garibaldi sympatisiert. Es kommt zum Streit, der zu einem Duell führen kann. Die Contessa hat Angst um ihren unbesonnen Cousin und spricht den österreichischen Offizier Franz Mahler an. Der Cousin wird ins Exil geschickt, aber er bleibt am Leben. Der junge Offizier scheint sich in die aparte Contessa zu verlieben.Sein Werben wird erhört und die Verliebten treffen sich in einem Zimmer in Venedig. Mahler spricht über solche Zimmer, die die Erinnerungen bergen, über die Mücken, Geräusche, als ob er in solchen Zimmer viel Zeit verbracht hätte. Die Contessa hört zwar zu, aber sie versteht es nicht, oder kann nicht mehr verstehen.Als die Lage in Venedig gefährlich wird, drängt der Ehemann, Conte Serpieri die Stadt zu verlassen und in das Landhaus zu ziehen, wo es sicherer wird. Fast hätte sich seine Frau verraten, aber der Zufall kommt ihr zur Hilfe. Ihr Cousin bittet sie, das Geld für die Freiheitskämpfer mitzunehmen. Er ist mit seinen Freunden geflohen und will kämpfen.Nur ungern zieht Contessa auf das Land. In einer Nacht bellen die Hunde, auf ihrem Balkon ist eine Person. Es ist Franz Mahler, der aus Venedig geflohen ist. Seine Geliebte glaubt, er ist nur wegen ihr gekommen und versteckt ihn. Sie hat Angst um ihn. Er sagt ihr, es bestünde eine Möglichkeit sich von der Wehrdienst zu befreien. Man muß nur viel Geld haben und einen Arzt bestechen, der dann ein falsches Attest schreibt. Die Contessa ist so verliebt, dass sie ihrem Geliebten das Geld, das sie vom Cousin bekommen hat, gibt, und die Kämpfer bestiehlt. Nur damit "ihr Franz" lebt, und sie dann, als der Krieg zu Ende ist, mit ihm leben wird. Sie überhört seine Andeutungen, wie die Worte - du bist ja älter..., ich habe...Sie hört nur das, was sie will und möchte.Ihre Verliebtheit ist fast wie eine Psychose. Sie wirft alles weg, fährt nach Verona, wo Franz jetzt in der Sicherheit ist. Zwar schreibt er ihr, sie solle warten, aber das kann sie nicht. Als sie zu der Adresse kommt, die Reise ist gefährlich, ist ihr Franz betrunken, verwahrlost und nicht allein. Ein junges Mädchen ist bei ihm. Ohne Skrupel sagt er: die jüngere muß ER bezahlen, die ältere dagegen... Er scheint aber doch nicht froh zu sein und sagt, er sei ein Deserteur. Die Szene ist peinlich, sogar das junge Mädchen spürt das. Die Contessa flieht und geht zu der österreichischen Kommandatur. Dort erzählt sie dem General, wo sich der Offizier Mahler versteckt. Der General muß handeln, aber er sagt ihr, dass sie mit diesem Worten den Offizier in den Tod schickt. Ob das wert wäre...Was so schön beginnt in der wunderbaren Oper, wo sich die Leute trotzdem noch amüsieren, verwandelt sich in eine Liebe, die alles zerstört. Ob das Liebe ist? Viel mehr eine Verliebtheit, ein Traum... Die Contessa Livia, eine stolze Venezianerin wird ein unbeholfenes Mädchen, das alles glaubt, was ihm der Liebhaber erzählt. Das dabei den Mann, den Cousin, die Freiheit, die Freunde vergisst nur um mit Franz zu leben. Das nicht genug Zeit hat sich eine kurze Pause zu gönnen und zu sich zu kommen. Sich nicht fragt, ob der Liebhaber ihrer würdig ist. Erst als er sie beschimpft, sie erniedrigt, ihr die ganze Würde nimmt, wacht sie auf. Zu spät!Visconti hat einen wunderbaren Film gemacht. Man bedenke, es ist das Jahr 1954. Der Film ist so voll von der Farbe, dass man die Farben als eine Geschichte für sich nennen kann. Jede Szene ist schön, die Landschaft wunderbar, sogar die schmutzigen Strassen Venedig' haben ein(en) Flair, den man sich nicht entziehen kann.Es ist sein erster Film in der Farbe. Ich kann schwer sagen, welcher Film von Visconti mir am meisten gefällt, dieser sicher, weil hier der Beginn eine Ära der Opulenz, der Schönheit beginnt, die dann in weiteren Filmen fortgesetzt wird.Sehenswert, ein Klassiker!

貴族の末裔のヴィスコンティだけに、凛として気品と美学を感じさせる映画です。後の「山猫」を彷彿とさせ、マーラーの意味で「ベニスに死す」の伏線的作品でもある。1954年に公開の古い作品だが、PAL画質らしい濃密なカラーが作品を彩っている。ヴェネツィアの街並み、フェニーチェ劇場、絵画が飾られた豪華な邸宅を美しく描き出す。最初のヴェルディの「トロヴァトーレ」のアリア、「見よ、恐ろしい炎を」から一気に引き込まれた。オペラや洋楽好きが高じてイタリア語を学ぶようになり、イタリア映画も大好きになった。そんな私にとって弩ストライクの作品、オペラが好きな人ならこれだけでも一見の価値あり。この国でも、政治家の不倫やお金にまつわる不祥事が世間を騒がせる昨今。オンナとカネに汚い人間が最も嫌われるのは、古今東西を問わないと感じた。人の欲望の賤しさと悲惨な結末もあって、日本での人気はイマイチなようですね。でもイタリアの文化と歴史に関心があれば、楽しめる作品だと思う。原題の「Senso」の邦題が「夏の嵐」なのもインパクトが足らず、作品の知名度もイマイチ。英語だとsenseで、官能だけでなく感覚や気分も意味する抽象的な単語、邦題は文字通りセンスが要る。イタリア語字幕が付いてるので台詞が短いシーンは筋を追えるが、日本語字幕も欲しい。日本語字幕付きの国内盤ＤＶＤは暫く廃盤状態で、中古でも大変な高値が付いている。再評価の気運が高まることにより、Blu-rayによるリマスター国内盤が発売されると良いですね。

Ich baue eine Sammlung aus allen klassischen Filmen auf. Mein Bekanntenkreis hat sehr grosses Interesse dafür. Die Filme werden je nach Wunsch gemeinsam angeschau