VIVA L’ITALIA REVIEWED
“Viva L’Italia” is where biopic and documentary meet. The great Roberto Rosselini wanted to make a David Lean inspired look at Garibaldi and his efforts to unify Italy in the 19th Century. The costumes are rich as well as the battles. Yet, something feels off here. History students and scholars will appreciate the effort, but I noticed something while switching between the US and International cuts. This isn’t that gritty for a War film.
But, I guess that’s the Neo-classical European style sweeping into the picture. It’s a film about feeling and nailing that certain aesthetic. If you expected to see “the Thousand” engaged in brutal conflict, you would be disappointed. In that sense, I appreciate a war film about looking pretty. Coming from a master director such as Rosselini, it’s almost foolish to expect something else. Arrow Academy is nailing it with these specialty foreign releases.
Once upon a time, these important films were the sole domain of Criterion. Now, films like “Viva L’Italia” can be discovered now instead of waiting for years to be acknowledged.
SPECIAL FEATURES
- English language shorter cut
- New Interview
- Visual essay
A/V STATS
- 1.66:1 1080p transfer
- LPCM 1.0 MONO
