- Actors: Debra Winger, John Malkovich, Campbell Scott, Jill Bennett, Timothy Spall
- Directors: Bernardo Bertolucci
- Language Arabic, English, French
- Classification: 18
- Studio: Cinema Club
- VHS Release Date: 11 Mar 2002
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B00005Y40S
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 24,922 in Video (See Top 100 in Video)
|
||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Product details |
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Master filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci applies his considerable talent to this haunting adaptation of the Paul Bowles novel. John Malkovich and Debra Winger play Port and Kit Moresby, characters loosely based on Bowles and his wife Jane, who flee New York for North Africa, where they hope to find mystical truths that will reignite the spark of their marriage. But instead they lose their moral bearings (with help from a friend, played by Campbell Scott, who has an affair with Kit) while travelling deeper and deeper into the Sahara. Before long, what started as a vacation at exotic lodgings has descended into a tour of hell, as they stumble farther and farther into an unknowable spiritual territory. Though long and at times slow-moving, The Sheltering Sky features marvellously nuanced acting by Malkovich and Winger and visionary filmmaking that makes the landscape at once picturesque and threatening. --Marshall Fine
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organise and find favourite items. |
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
31 of 32 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The Sheltering Sky is based on Paul Bowles novel, relating how an American couple attempted to rekindle their marriage by journeying into the heart of the Sahara desert. As if afraid of confronting the tensions between them, Port (John Malkovich) agrees to take along with them the wealthy playboy Tunner, at least for the first part of their journey. And so creating a "menage-a-trois" situation, with Port later realising his true feelings for his wife Kit (Debra Winger)But fate deals them a savage hand, as the harsh, unforgiving terrain of the Sahara makes it's own impact on their destiny.
The film owes much to the superb music score, a haunting passionate love theme, played in an austere way, like two people in love, yet both afraid to commit, hinting not only at their concealed passion, but also inner loneliness. With many attractive Arabic themes also.
If you prefer action films, don't think about buying this one. Some may find it long, introspective, and at times, ambiguous, with the narrative often giving way to somethig akin to a national geographic documentary. The remaining leading character spoke only a handful of words for the last three quarters of an hour..But a beautiful, lush, almost hypnotic journey which lovers of Africa will not want to miss.
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
I found this movie stunning. Visually compelling and emotionally harrowing. The director Bertolucci was nominated for a Golden Globe for this movie, and I can see why.
The film manages to capture what it is actually like travelling in Africa. I've been on a similar journey, and I found it quite scary, although somewhat cathartic to watch from the comfort of my own sofa, the gradual loss of identity and alienation we Westerners can feel surrounded by a landscape with such a strong presence and a culture that is so different.
This movie must have been very hard work to make. Shots such as Debra Winger going for a walk along a sand dune in perfect synchronisation with a train of camels in the background don't come easy, and yet look utterly natural.
I found Malkovitch's performance irritating, but compelling, and Debra Winger convincing too. The minor characters - which include the woman who plays the manager in Dinner Ladies - were a bit over-the-top, but provide a kind of grotesque comic relief - leering and unnerving.
The Africans, with their strong faces, haunting vocalising and monotonous music are the leit motif of the film. No sentimental, easy score here to accompany the desert. Just the real thing.
Although I haven't read the Paul Bowles' book, I am sure Bertolucci made a respectful and serious attempt to convey its meaning. He should have won the Golden Globe!
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
this film has a haunting quality which makes it almost frightening. Although the young American couple, who are protagonists of this film, travel deeper and deeper into the North African desert in search of a self-revelation that will help them save their relation, they only find self-destruction. In the midst of the frightening nothingness of the inmense landscapes, and the still more frightening nothingness of the increasingly evident impossibility of communication (and not only with the natives), each of them feels compelled to confront what they really are, to look inside themselves. What they see there finally destroys them in a shattering moment (superbly performed) of true, if unbearable, revelation. A very good film, although it doesn't follow many of the aspects of the novel that would help the audience to understand better this story.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Travellers to Oblivion.
Paul Bowles novel on which this film is based happens to be a favourite of mine. It is a guilty pleasure in that it most certainly enters soft porn territory, but given Bowles... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Bob Salter
They cut it!
The original movie was rated 18 in the UK and came in at 138 minutes. This 15 rated version appears to run to 132 minutes. It seems it's been cut to get a lower rating. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Gordon Kerr
Has this been cut?
This review relates to the Optimum R2 release, rated 15
It has been years since I have seen this movie but I am sure at least 2 of the scenes have been slightly cut. Read more
It has been years since I have seen this movie but I am sure at least 2 of the scenes have been slightly cut. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Benny
sun sand sheltering and snuggle
Good film, nice to see Mr Malcovich with hair. Nice one for a Sunday evening. Location and settings are wonderful. Very EM Forster if you like Room with a View you'll love this.
Published 8 months ago by tonymacaroni
great film, even better book
This really is a very good film. The photography is fantastic and some of the North African scenes are unforgettable . Read more
Published 11 months ago by jac
very good movie
I realy recommend this film. Absolutely gorgeous. Bertolucci is great! You have to watch it!
Published 23 months ago by P. Ostrzechowski
What was the point of that?
I had to watch this in two batches, it's really slow and quite hard going. I gave up midway at a point where John Malkovich was overacting even for him. Read more
Published on 21 Mar 2010 by miss waspy
A masterpiece
What a great movie this is.
I saw this years ago and was blown away. This film captures so well that feeling of being stranded alone in a strange land far from home. Read more
I saw this years ago and was blown away. This film captures so well that feeling of being stranded alone in a strange land far from home. Read more
Published on 6 Nov 2009 by Karel Bata
The Sheltering Sky
A film with a difference. Beautiful scenery. Unusual story. Great!
Published on 25 July 2009 by Elena Dumpierrez Thompson
a savaged soul salvaged under the saharan sky in bertoluccis...
SAHARA GIVES SHELTER TO S SAVAGED SOUL IN BERTOLUCCIS MASTERPIECE---
A SURREAL ROMANTIC ESCAPADE FROM THE RIGORS OF MODERNISM TO THE LAND OF TRANQUILITY -a couple are in... Read more
A SURREAL ROMANTIC ESCAPADE FROM THE RIGORS OF MODERNISM TO THE LAND OF TRANQUILITY -a couple are in... Read more
Published on 8 Jan 2009 by usman
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
