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Amazon.co.uk Review
When 12-year-old Renato, riding through his small Italian town on his new bicycle, sees the voluptuous Malèna, little does he know he's beginning an infatuation that will carry him through the tumultuous days of World War II. Malèna begins as an enraptured depiction of Renato's adolescent mind--chronicling the way he stares, hypnotised, at Malèna's garters pressing through the material of her tight skirt, or his frustrated rebellion against the indignity of wearing short pants--but soon transforms into a portrait of small-town prejudice. Malèna's looks spark lust and envy in the townspeople; when her husband dies in combat, the gossip only intensifies, to the point where Malèna is dragged into court to defend herself against accusations of adultery. When the women of the town refuse to sell her edible food at the market, Malèna has little choice but to become what she's been unjustly accused of being. At the end, a twist of fate turns this tale of longing and jealousy into a heartbreaking love story. Monica Bellucci exudes the can't-help-it eroticism that makes Malèna such a lightning rod for everyone's desires with a beauty reminiscent of Isabelle Adjani. The movie seems to wander at times, but the ending has a powerful emotional impact. From the director of Cinema Paradiso.--Bret Fetzer, Amazon.com
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
89 of 91 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Set in a Sicilian village during WW2, "Malena" is a thoroughly enjoyable movie which showcases the many talents and charms of Monica Bellucci, who plays the glamourous wife of an Italian soldier. Lusted after by men and envied by women, Malena has to adjust to life on her own after her husband is called to fight in North Africa. Her solitary status becomes the subject of rampant speculation in the village and her haughty, reserved demeanour helps to turn her into a hate figure for malicious gossips who try to "bring her down". A pubescent boy , Renato (Giuseppe Sulfaro) ,falls under her spell and he starts to follow and spy on her ,observing mournfully her fall from grace . The main themes of "Malena" are those of envy, injustice and redemption. The acting and cinematography are superb and there is a rich vein of humour running through the film, mostly provided by Renato's relationship with his right hand and with his temperamental father after an attempted exorcism. However there are some harrowing scenes as well which are brilliantly performed by Bellucci. Like an Italian "Ryan's Daughter" with echoes of "Wish You Were Here", "Malena" is an engaging and entertaining contribution to world cinema.
30 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
In a world where we are served up a daily dose of quite graphic violence in our movies and entertainment, it is always so disappointing to see the American and Uk censors at it again. This what was a simmeringly hot portrayal of boyhood lust, obsession and discovery has had a massive 20 minutes slashed from it which is totally unacceptable.
Belluci is the sexual nucleus around which this movie revolves, all are drawn to her both man and boy, creating tensions and jealousy within the community.
To cut this film so harshly just tears it's heart out, leaving us with a fairly weak diluted version which is simply an insult to the art and vision of the director.
I have seen the full uncut version and would recommend anyone do the same, leaving this half a film to the censors that killed it.
Belluci is the sexual nucleus around which this movie revolves, all are drawn to her both man and boy, creating tensions and jealousy within the community.
To cut this film so harshly just tears it's heart out, leaving us with a fairly weak diluted version which is simply an insult to the art and vision of the director.
I have seen the full uncut version and would recommend anyone do the same, leaving this half a film to the censors that killed it.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I'd recommend you buy the beautifully-packaged 2-disc KOREAN dvd of this film. It is completely UNCUT and has removable English subtitles and DTS audio. The only quibble is that the anamorphic widescreen picture is NTSC. I'd have preferred PAL but regrettably all the PAL discs seems to be censored or lack subtitles. The second disc contains bonus features.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Dirty Old Men....
What is it about ageing directors who resort to making their movies dirtier when their once brilliant imaginations have dried up? Read more
Published 1 month ago by Tim Kidner
Under represented master-piece
I added this comment only in order to get the star rating up. I really enjoyed this beautiful and excellently made master piece. Read more
Published 5 months ago by ED46
nostalgia and the classics
This is a brilliant film about the coming of age. The musical score is lyrical and evocative. My one regret is that the subtitles do little justice to the original language. Read more
Published 10 months ago by lycidas
Far more than a coming of age film - a little gem!
This is a wonderful story about a young boy's infatuation for a young woman. The story is based in a Sicilian Village during the 2nd World War. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Nigel Mc
Eeets just too beautiful....
A wonderfully gorgeous sumptuous film, typical of the kind of film that made you look at women in "that" way as a boy (or indeed as a man). Read more
Published 16 months ago by R. W.
a beatiful and memorable movie
comedy mixed with sublime sensuality and eroticism , nostalgia and drama,longings,envy and desires combined with the brutality of life in Italy during the WWII. Read more
Published 21 months ago by M
bomba
excuse encore mon francais ( une anglais) - cette film je trouve excellente - monica comme dab !! -une bomb - mon dvd arrive super vite et dans un super etat - merci buckets..!!
Published 22 months ago by Mme Glynis Garthwaite
Great Film about repression and redemption in Nazi occupied Scicily
This is the full version of this beautifully made film about the dilemas and degradation faced by a war widow in Nazi occupied Sicily and a young boys obsession with her. Read more
Published 24 months ago by Peter Taylor
I remained strangely unmoved
When a beautiful young Sicilian woman is left apparently friendless and alone by the tumultuous events of World War Two, it is the basic need to stay alive that drives her to the... Read more
Published on 6 Dec 2009 by Four Violets
Slight and very cut
I liked this film, but it is slight. It is not as good as Summer of '42, which covers a rite of passage in similar circumstances. Read more
Published on 14 Aug 2009 by katyn1940
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