Elisabetta Riga Movies
- 2003
Iconoclastic director Peter Greenaway begins his most ambitious project to date with this feature, the first in a proposed series of films, television programs, and multimedia projects that examine the contents of 92 suitcases, each revealed by title character Tulse Henry Purcel Luper. Broken into three sections spanning 1928 to 1940, The Tulse Luper Suitcases: Part One follows our young hero from age 10, when he is reprimanded by his father for scrawling some graffiti on a wall in his desolate South Wales neighborhood. Years later, Tulse (JJ Field) is a desert explorer who winds up being further punished by the aptly-named dominatrix Passion Hockmeister (Caroline Dhavernas). Finally, in the film's last section, Tulse is in Antwerp at the start of World War II, where he ends up being imprisoned by Nazis. Told in a fractured, non-narrative style, The Tulse Luper Suitcases also incorporates many inter-titles, superimposed images, an ever-present narrator presented in a picture-within-picture format, intentionally fake-looking sets, and many, many references to other Greenaway films and characters. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- JJ Feild, Valentina Cervi, (more)
- 2003
The third installment of screenwriter Peter Greenaway's anticipated 16-episode story finds Tulse Luper, the protagonist, whittling away his time in jail. (In the previous episode, Tulse had been arrested in a bathroom just prior to the German invasion of Belgium in 1940.) Without the company of either of his two lovers, Tulse's favorite activity is posting fictional accounts on his wall in hopes of foretelling his own future, thus cementing his status around prison as a top storyteller. Unfortunately for Tulse, his jailers are less concerned with his innocence than they are with using him for their own nefarious purposes, and do their best to fabricate evidence that Tulse is, in fact, a fascist sympathizer. The cast includes JJ Feild, Drew Mulligan, Debbie Harry, Isabella Rossellini, and Jack Wouterse. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- JJ Feild, Valentina Cervi, (more)
- 2000
Inspired by a real-life event, Italian director Roberta Torre's Sud Side Story offers its own farcical version of the Romeo and Juliet story: this time, Romeo is Romea (Forstine Ehobor), a beautiful Nigerian girl, Juliet is Toni Giulietto (Roberto Rondelli), and Verona has been replaced by the slums of Palermo, Sicily. Romea is a prostitute who has been smuggled into Italy to work for her "manager" until she can pay off her huge bondage fee. When she and her fellow prostitutes move into a seedy neighborhood, their presence causes a scandal among its residents, particularly the three fat and obstreperous aunts of Toni Giulietto. Toni, who works as a rock singer and Elvis imitator, falls in love with Romea, creating further scandal among his neighbors as well as among Romea's friends. Both sides are up in arms and consult various voodoo doctors for magic potions that might put an end to the love affair. As Sicilian culture collides with its African counterpart, the clash between the two groups highlights the inherent difficulties of integration. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide
- 1997
Though he is near death, blind Rene, an elderly Italian-French intellectual, continues to make his annual conference abroad accompanied by his self-centered loyal, beautiful assistant Sibilla who may or may not be his lover. Rene's domineering mother strongly disapproves of Sibilla and his continual galavanting, but Rene disregards her and goes anyway. While in Spain, Sibilla falls for a handsome young toreador who also captures the interest of Rene, though it is hard to say whether his feelings for the bullfighter are fatherly or more romantic. It is also unclear as to whether Sibilla and the bullfighter are lovers either. Thus an enigmatic romantic triangle forms until Rene and Sibilla suddenly decide to wed. The character of Rene seems to be closely patterned after Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1997
No linking device is used in this Italian anthology film in which five untitled episodes offer a portrait of life in Rome: A businessman sees a prostitute before going home to his wife; a film-extra goes to a movie theater to see himself but falls asleep before his 15 seconds of fame; a farmhand turns the tables on an East European bully; after a tryst, a woman foresees the death of her lover; and a hitman finds the mob is checking up on him. Shown at the 1997 Locarno Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gigio Alberti, Antonella Ponziani, (more)
- 1997
Celebrated blind poet Rene Kermadek (Claude Rich) is married to his former student Sibilla (Valeria Cavalli), who provides his only true connection to the world. Although Sibilla is a faithful and devoted wife, he suspects her of cheating on him -- currently with matador Manuel Fernandez (Gregoire Colin). Since she never succeeds in convincing him of her love, he plans his suicide. A multiple winner at Montreal's 1997 World Film Festival, this film was shot on locations in Switzerland, Spain, Italy, India, and Germany, the English title being Homer - Portrait of an Artist as an Old Man. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Claude Rich, Valeria Cavalli, (more)
