Elena Cantarone Movies
- 1993
Antonio (Enrico Salimbeni) may not have been the most energetic waiter in the most popular restaurant in this unfashionable Adriatic tourist town, but that is no reason for his boss not to pay him. When he takes the wages that he is owed out of the till, not only does the owner throw him out, but he has him beaten up, to boot. Enzo (Mario Adorf), the owner of a restaurant so far off the beaten track it is widely known as Abissinia rather than being called by its true name, takes him in. The leisurely pace of everything that is done at the restaurant leaves Antonio with plenty of time to put together the story of its owner and the love of his life, and how he, too, fell from culinary glory to his present obscurity. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mario Adorf, Grazyna Szapolowska, (more)
In this thriller, American novelist David Raybourne (Andrew McCarthy) accidentally becomes entangled in the Red Brigade's terrorist plan to kidnap Italian Premier Aldo Moro during a research trip to Rome. As the terrorists attempt to kill David, he and his photojournalist friend (Sharon Stone) must struggle to stay alive. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Andrew McCarthy, Valeria Golino, (more)
- 1989
- R
This choice chunk of Italian horror junk arrived on video courtesy of the cinematic garbage collectors at Troma, Inc. Basically a dull, pointless rip-off of the Evil Dead series, this film gets off to a wonderfully tasteless start, depicting a bizarre castration-murder performed by a female demon (Elena Cantarone) with a clawed appendage that emerges from an unmentionable location. From there, the story slides quickly downhill into the familiar campers-versus-monsters scenario (albeit padded with footage from another film and endless woodland traveling shots), in which unsuspecting vacationers stumble upon both the she-demon and her geeky adversary (Luciano Crovato). Naturally, several of the campers become possessed by the demonic forces lurking within the woods, pitting the survivors against their former companions in an audaciously gory climax. Fans of blood-drenched Italian zombie-fests may find some moments worthwhile, but endless tedious stretches may invite heavy lashings of the fast-forward button. Originally titled Notte nel Bosco, or Night in the Woods. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
Director Federico Fellini gently lampoons the world of small-time show business in Ginger and Fred. Giulietta Masina and Marcello Mastroianni star as Amelia Bonetti and Pippo Botticella, a onetime celebrity song-and-dance team. Having risen to fame with a dancing act where they recreated the acts of Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire (hoping to become the Fred and Ginger of Italy), Amelia and Pippo parted company to pursue their separate lives. Neither one was particularly successful in other fields of endeavor, so when after many years Amelia is offered a guest-star gig on a TV variety show, she jumps at the chance. She also seeks out her former partner, Pippo, who may have looked like Astaire in his younger days, but now....The overall good cheer of the film was dampened when the real Ginger Rogers sued the distributors of Ginger and Fred for "defamation of character." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marcello Mastroianni, Giulietta Masina, (more)
- 1986
In this conventional, broadly comic farce of greed and royal matrimony, nearly bankrupt businessman Victor Harris (Roger Hanin) is marrying Maria-Helena (Pauline Lafont), a princess who comes with a dowry that is made up of one half of her island kingdom. Her father, the cowardly King Arnold III (Jean Rochefort) is counting on the money this marriage will bring him. The country is now almost bankrupt because of the king's gambling debts. As Harris and the king look forward to their illusory profits from the royal merger, other characters add some liveliness to the otherwise predictable story. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Rochefort, Roger Hanin, (more)
