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La Strada - Criterion CollectionRating:
Release Date: 18 November, 2003 Retail Price: $39.95 OUR Price: $35.99 You SAVE: $3.96! Cast: |
La Strada - Criterion Collection Reviews
Italian film from the Fifties
This is one of my favorite films of all time. This Criterion Collection release only made me appreciate it more by providing a view of Fellini's perspective (personal interview per Italian television documentary), and behind the scenes footage of Fellini's work (both in the special features section). Along with an interview with Martin Scorsese who is obviously indebted in some way to Fellini as a mentor and inspirational teacher/film-maker.
Not to be missed is the brilliant performance of Guilietta Masina as "Gelsomina." Is she a clown, developmentally disabled, or a kind of mystical creature here only to teach life lessons to mere mortals. As Fellini stated, after this film was released, he and wife Guileitta traveled together to America where she was treated by others with a certain awe as if she was from another planet. This was the character Fellini reflected back on as the one he loved the most.
The late film critic Pauline Kael, in her famous review of "La Strada," stated that Gelsomina represented the (human) soul, Zampano represented the body, and the Fool the mind. I might agree with this analogy but without ripping it to pieces, I think this film stands as a masterpiece. In my opinion, way ahead of it's time. This film uses characterization that really questions social roles--while reflecting and pondering on the fragility of human relationships with the redemption (i.e., Zampano on the beach realizing what he's lost and destroyed) that can follow.
The best foreign film I've seen.
La Strada (The Road) is a heartbreaking and beautiful film. Anthony Quinn plays a heartless and cruel Circus performer, he treats his traveling campanion with absolute disgust, he bullies her, he treats her like a pawn, but the ending is so sad. You come to the conclusion that Zampano (Quinn) did care about this woman but of course it is too late to make amends and beg her for forgiveness. Great and timeless classic, you have to see this, just brilliant and real.
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