Filippo Sanjust Movies
- 1986
Ponchielli's La Gioconda tells the tragic story of a young Venetian street singer -- the Gioconda of the title -- whose beauty attracts the attention of the despicable and vengeful Barnaba, a spy for the all-powerful Council of Ten. Barnaba's desire is not returned by the young girl, who instead loves Enzo, a seaman. Enzo, in turn, is the former lover of Laura, now married to Alvise, the head of the Council. Barnaba, suspecting that Enzo and Laura still love each other, arranges an assignation for them, hoping to thereby win Gioconda for himself; he also plans to tell Alvise that his wife is planning to elope with her former lover. Overhearing the plot, Gioconda confronts Laura and is ready to do her harm; when she realizes that Laura had earlier rescued her dear blind mother from an angry crowd, she warns her of Barnaba's duplicity. When Laura returns to her home, Alvise gives her poison, but Gioconda manages to switch it with a potion that will merely make her fall into a deathlike sleep. Alvise arrests Enzo, who is distraught over Laura's seeming death. Gionconda says she will give herself to Barnaba if he will use his influence to save Enzo. He agrees, and Giocaonda then arranges for Laura's body to be removed to her own home. Enzo confronts Gioconda there, ready to kill her for removing the body, but Laura awakens just in time and the lovers profusely thank Gioconda before fleeing. Barnaba arrives to claim his prize, but the street singer kills herself rather than submit to him. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eva Marton, Plácido Domingo, (more)
- 1978
The Wiener Philharmoniker mounted this stage production of Richard Strauss's opera Ariadne auf Naxos, starring Gundula Janowitz, René Kollo and Edita Gruberova. The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of Karl Böhm, provides symphonic accompaniment. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gundula Janowitz, René Kollo, (more)
- 1970
Brand new operas are a relatively infrequent phenomenon, and films of new operas are even rarer. This 1970 film enshrines a 1963 opera composed by Hans Werner Henze (born 1926) in the neoclassical manner pioneered by Igor Stravinsky. The story, set in 1830's Germany and based on a libretto by Ingeborg Bachmann, follows the progress of a cynical English nobleman's practical joke on a town full of people who seem to think that anything the nobility does is all right with them -- even when, as in this case, it involves foisting off a circus ape as a dear relative and holding a grand ball for him. The over-trained animal spouts odd maxims and quotes from Goethe, before "going ape" and wreaking havoc. With its satirical and comic elements, this opera might readily have joined the world's standard operatic repertoire, except for one crucial omission: reviewers complained that the neoclassical score lacked any trace of a memorable melody. While this might be forgiven in a short piece, in an opera, it soon becomes very difficult to take. Despite that, The Young Lord remains on the (very) short list of modern works that are performed occasionally to round out an otherwise too-conservative season. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Edith Mathis
The Deutsch Oper Berlin mounted this lavish 1968 production of Ingeborg Bachmann's opera Der junge Lord, starring Edith Mathis as Luise, Donald Grobe as Wilhelm, Barry McDaniel as Sekretar Sir Edgars and Loren Driscoll as Lord Barrat. Gustav Rudolf Sellner mounted the production and directs; The Orchestra and Chorus of the Deutsch Oper Berlin provide musical accompaniment. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Edith Mathis, Donald Grobe, (more)
- 1963
Set during the time of the brilliant Queen Elizabeth I of England, this adventure tale is loosely based on the exploits of Sir Francis Drake (Rod Taylor). He was one of the Queen's leading commanders in the battles with Spain over the gold of the New World. Drake is shown wearing several hats, so to speak. He is a pirate who has no problems about raiding Spanish gold arsenals. He is a military commander who plans and executes naval battles with the Spanish armada -- and wins. He is a diplomat who knows how to maneuver in courtly circles -- but that does not stop him from trashing a Spanish-backed plan to assassinate the Queen. Although this costume drama by Rudolph Maté is not without a few minor flaws, Drake's adventures should entertain most audiences, especially the younger set. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rod Taylor, Keith Michell, (more)
- 1962
Filmed in Egypt, The Golden Arrow stars yesteryear's beefcake Tab Hunter as a bold Arabian Nights bandit. He discovers that he's actually the son of a Sultan, and that his kingdom is in danger. In order to save his people and restore his throne, the Tabmeister must locate a magic golden arrow. Or, if you prefer, he must locate "la fraccia d'oro", which was the original Italian title of this film. The Golden Arrow lets us know halfway through that it's not to be taken seriously (as if we had up till then) by offering us two comic genies: One skinny, one lazy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tab Hunter, Rossana Podestà, (more)
- 1960
Aimed at the youngsters, this typical Italian fantasy-adventure stars Steve Reeves as Karim, the thief of the title. Karim is not only the strongest, fastest, and smartest of thieves, he also has a magic ring and a cape that makes him invisible. Thus armed, he is well-prepared to face a series of Herculean tests in order to win the hand of the Sultan's beautiful daughter Anima (Georgia Moll). These "tests" purify his past wrongdoings and ultimately lead to a blue rose, the key to winning Anima in marriage. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve Reeves, Giorgia Moll, (more)
- 1960
Steve Reeves trades sandals and togas for the frilly, functional outfits common to 17th-century buccaneers in Morgan the Pirate. As the real-life Sir Henry Morgan, Reeves is sold into slavery and forced to work on a Panama plantation. He is purchased by haughty Valerie Lagrange; they fall in love, and as punishment Reeves is condemned to toil in the galley of a Spanish vessel. He leads an escape, overtakes the ship, and establishes himself as a pirate captain. In true Captain Blood fashion, he eventually catches up with his former amour LaGrange, laying waste to most of Panama in the process. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve Reeves, Valerie Lagrange, (more)
Although this uninspired Italian adventure film is loosely based on Leo Tolstoy's tale about a 19th-century clash between Czarist Russia and several ethnic groups in the Caucasus, Tolstoy's original talent is buried. Ponderous and quickly put together, the story stars Steve Reeves as the muscular hero known as the "White Warrior" who leads the defence against the Russians. ("White" in this case refers to his warrior's garb.) His defence strategy would be an easier task if there were not political intrigue and romantic hurdles to overcome within his own camp, obstacles which provide grist for the narrative mill. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Giorgia Moll, Steve Reeves, (more)
- 1959
Two members of an expedition into the ruins of the ancient Mayan city of Tikal go into a hidden groto -- only one, Nieto (Arturo Dominici), returns, raving about the ancient Mayan goddess Caltiki. The expedition leader, Dr. John Fielding (John Merivale), follows their trail and finds the missing man's camera in the ruins of an ancient Mayan temple, along with high radiation readings -- the film shows the two men suddenly threatened by something out of the camera shot. A diver (Daniele Vargas) goes into the one unexplored part of the temple, the sacred lake within, and finds its floor littered with human remains and ancient treasure -- on a second dive, he is attacked by something that burns most of the flesh from his body. Suddenly, a huge shapeless, writhing mass rises from the lake, nearly killing Max Gunther (Gerard Herter), whose hand is caught by the creature. Fielding hacks off the fragment holding Max and destroys the main body of the monster by incinerating it. The scientific community is astonished by the fragments of the creature retrieved from Gunther's arm, which is revealed to be a single-celled animal at least 20 million years old; additionally, the fragments, though seemingly inert, are still radioactive and dangerous to the touch, and they react to the presence of atomic radiation by growing at an alarming pace. Gunther gradually loses his sanity as the tissues in his body deteriorate, and he goes on a murderous rampage that takes him to Fielding's home. Meanwhile, the doctor establishes a link between the legends surrounding Caltiki, the Mayans' abandonment of Tikal in the year 607, and a comet that passed the Earth that same year. He learns almost too late that the same comet is making a return visit, putting all of humankind in danger from Caltiki. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide
