Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A modern Greek tragedy, 5 Oct 2007
I love this film, but anyone looking for a straightforward story of the rise of the Nazi's in Germany should stop reading now.
The story revolves around the Essenbecks, an all powerful family of German industrialists who murder (often each other) their way to the top of the new order. This is a fable, a cross between a Shakespearean play such as Macbeth or a Greek tragedy upon which this was undoubtedly based and there is enough murder, incest, sexual deviance and matricide to please any fans of those two styles. It is a wonderful macabre film, an often distasteful tormented fantasy that seeks to confront taboo subjects in a surreal and provoking way. Ok, there is a bit of hysteria but then there always is with Visconti and you just have to accept this in order to enjoy a wonderful, high camp masterly colourful ride. True to form it is also extremely anti-capitalist something nearly always at the heart of Visconti's work.
Helmut Berger in his first major role does well as the degenerate son, later performances would be better but given the fact that Visconti humiliated him time and time again in front of the entire cast and often reduced him to tears he gives a good account of a disturbed young man - he also looks fabulous and the camera loves him.
Ingrid Thulin that Bergman discovery is a lovely actress - radiant on screen she handles the role well giving it just the right whiff of depravity. All the other actors are good, Dirk Bogarde has a few scenes of hysteria towards the end which might make a few toes curl but after all, he's just following the wishes of his all powerful director. Costumes and settings are as always with Visconti scrupulously reproduced.
Having said all the above perhaps it's best to forget all the background and politics and messages and just sit back and let this brightly coloured dream wash over you.
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48 of 53 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
They Don't Make Them Like This Anymore, 12 Aug 2005
The Damned is a long, overblown, spectacular, strange and decadent film. Despite all that, it's very watchable, mainly because of the sheer, majestic beauty of the way it has been filmed. It's hard not to admire the painterly, perfectly composed images, despite the bizarre content of the plot, which centres around the downfall of a family of German industrialists under the Nazis. One scene in particular, when we watch soldiers crossing a scenic lake to bring death and destruction to a party on the shore, combines beauty and impending doom in a very memorable way.The Damned is a far better film than the more famous Death in Venice because it does in fact have a plot, a sense of drama, and one or two performances which are not completely overdone and hysterical (Helmut Berger excepted). The DVD print is excellent and this film is a recommended curio for anyone into oddities and good old-fashioned decadence.
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25 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
It leaves you thoughtfull, 13 Jun 2004
Very good film, shows a lot of brilliant actors and lightens some of the areas nobody else does. Visconti does it very well and makes it go beyond the borders. Also historical facts are shown in down to earht way. If you are after something to think about and see also some parrallels with today - this is a right choice. I wouldn`t call it entertainment,it`s more historical detective with social and political undertext.
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