Vittorio Mezzogiorno Movies

Werner Herzog's cinema of obsession (Aguirre: The Wrath of God, Fitzcarraldo) has always owed some of its emotional expressionism to the post-World War I genre of German mountain films (The Blue Light, The White Hell of Pitz-Palu), in which German mountain climbers are compelled to scale the heights of dangerous mountain peaks, achieving a form of purification and superiority. It was inevitable that at some point Herzog would tackle a mountain. Finally, with Cerro Torre: Schrei Aus Stein, he does. Donald Sutherland stars as Ivan, a journalist who instigates a rivalry between Roccia (Vittorio Mezzogiorno), a professional mountain climber who has braved the highest mountain peaks in the world, and Martin (Stefan Glowacz), a champion athlete of indoor climbing walls. But Roccia doesn't need a reporter to fuel a rivalry between the two, since Katharina (Mathilda May), Roccia's lover, is attracted to Martin. Ivan arranges for a TV special chronicling the efforts of Roccia, Martin, Katharina, and Ivan to conquer the peak of the unconquered Cerro Torre granite tower in Chile. Roccia keeps postponing the climb until finally Martin heads off to climb Cerro Torre by himself, accompanied only by a television crew. But the result of that journey causes Roccia to avoid the press, while Martin is greeted with skepticism. This unhappy response to their initial attempt causes Ivan, Roccia, Martin, and Katharina to confront the formidable peak again for a final confrontation with the silent mountain. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Director Peter Brook collaborates with writer Jean-Claude Carriére for this screen adaptation of the epic, 100,000-stanza Sanskrit poem tracing mankind's quest for universal truth as explored through the ongoing conflict between two warring families - the Pandavas and the Kauravas. Originally a nine-hour stage production, the lengthy play was pared down to just over five hours for the screen. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Cristophe (Michel Voita) is a reporter who is assigned to interview the prominent archaeologist Tober (Jean Bouise) in this combination fantasy drama. Tober has uncovered the coffin of the legendary 16t-century killer Jenatsch (Vittorio Mezzogiorno). After the interview, Cristophe begins to experience hallucinations that move from the present to the past with disturbing consequences. Soon his relationship with his sweetheart Nina (Christine Boisson) begins to suffer as Cristophe has visions of Jenatsch's murder. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

The last days in the life of fascist Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and his family are told from the point of view of his ill-fated son-in-law Galeazzo Ciano (Anthony Hopkins) in this crammed, two-hour historical biography. Originally filmed as a four-part miniseries, the two-hour reduction leaves a very speeded-up view of the time between the Allied landing in Italy and Mussolini's death. As events worsen for the dictator (shown shuffling around in slippers at home like a domesticated pet) he begins to lose his support, including that of his son-in-law Galeazzo. After the German army frees him from a brief detention by Partisan forces, the dictator orders Galeazzo's execution. Italy has obviously lost the war, but Mussolini seems to be living in his own small world. Susan Sarandon plays Mussolini's daughter and Galeazzo's wife, Bob Hoskins is the dictator, and Barbara De Rossi is Mussolini's doomed mistress, Claretta.
~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

A newspaper editor begins to fume over the fact that a Citroen is constantly parked in his reserved space, but when he finally meets the owner of the car, she is so attractive that he ends up leaving his wife and family and going after her -- even following her into Yugoslavia. This premise might be a little hard to accept for some viewers, especially since the newspaper editor's motivation seems shallow. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

L'Homme Blesse is known in English-speaking countries as The Wounded Man. Jean-Hughes Anglade is a lonely, isolated young man who lets no one get close to him. He meets a street hustler and comes out of his shell, going 180 degrees into gay Obsession. Though he has yet to physically approach the object of his affection, Anglade builds up so much unrequited lust that it explodes with horrible results. L'Homme Blesse isn't rated, but viewership should definitely be confined to those older than 21--and even some of them may not be ready for it. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Matteo (Vittorio Mezzogiorno) and Serana (Mara Venier) are living together in Rome in the early 1970s, and each has their own colossal challenges to face. Matteo is a hard-drinking, melancholy leftist who wants more than anything to be a film director, and Serana is a kindergarten teacher who has been so traumatized from being raped at the age of seven that her sex life is a shambles. The film follows Matteo and Serana as they cross each hurdle to normalcy, revealing the effects their individual changes make on their relationship and on their life's objectives. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

This entertaining, light comedy is carried on the shoulders of Nino Manfredi, who plays a gypsy coffee vendor illegally selling expresso on trains. Inventive, creative, and needing to stay several steps ahead of the conductors and other bureaucrats out to shut down his operation, the cafe artist often finds himself hiding out in the most unusual places. He needs the money because his young, asthmatic son needs medical attention. That fact casts no shadow on the comedy though, as the coffee vendor continues to dodge his pursuers toward what must surely be an upbeat ending for all concerned. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

A group of Italian anarchists were given a charter by the Emperor of Brazil to open and run a commune in that country. In this film, they are shown attempting to do just that. The film also follows their struggles after the overthrow of the Emperor before they manage to return to Italy. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide