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Aside from "Under the Tuscan Sun", which I loved, what are your favorite movies/documentaries filmed in or about Italy?

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Aside from "Under the Tuscan Sun", which I loved, what are your favorite movies/documentaries filmed in or about Italy?

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Old Feb 7th, 2006, 11:27 AM
  #121  
 
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If you're a movie lover, Netflix is the way to go. Sign up online and, if it's on DVD, they have it.
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Old Feb 8th, 2006, 05:26 AM
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The newly released Three Coins in a Fountain DVD has bonus features, rather like the Under the Tuscan Sun one. Includes commentary about the filming of this old movie, including some info about the sites & the milieu of the '50s, and tells you what has happened since to the actors.
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Old Feb 8th, 2006, 06:12 AM
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"Room with a view" I happened to visit Firenze at the time it was being filmed; it was fun to see the scene in the movie which takes place in the piazza I had walked through, in front of the Uffizzi gallery (which you must visit). We also stayed in a hotel along the Borgo san Jacopo in "a room with a view" overlooking the Arno and the Ponte Veccchio.
 
Old Feb 8th, 2006, 02:44 PM
  #124  
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"The Talented Mr. Ripley": Great plot, great music, great shots of Ischia, Naples, Rome and Venice.
 
Old Feb 8th, 2006, 03:14 PM
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There is the extended version of Cinema Paradiso, this is about 45 minutes that was "cut" from the theater version. After seeing the extended portion it makes the movie make more sense. And, the music is fantastic!
My almost favorite movie of all time.
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Old Feb 9th, 2006, 05:50 AM
  #126  
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"Christ Stopped at Eboli" excellent, excellent film about the Italian psyche and especially the dominant response to authority.

This is an old thread, but just wanted to ask a question. Does anyone remember the name of the movie with the plot of the English poet's family that moves and lives in great poverty to an abandoned Italian castle (late 1800's I think was the era) ? It was wonderful and I don't remember the name.

Also a heads up on a new book with entire Venice scene pivotal to the plot called "Alibi".
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Old Feb 9th, 2006, 08:03 AM
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On the IFC a few weeks ago was "Caro Diaro" Dear Diary - very funny, also with a look at the Italian psyche.

MY
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Old Feb 17th, 2006, 01:04 AM
  #128  
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"Plein soleil" (1960). The name in English is "Purple Noon". It's based on book "The Talented Mr. Ripley" by Patricia Highsmith.
 
Old Feb 19th, 2006, 02:22 PM
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If you go on www.imdb.com - Internet Movie Data Base - any of the films mentioned will be listed and will also tell you precisely where most of the scenes were shot. For example, Cinema Paradiso, also one of my favorites, was shot mainly in and around Palermo. And if you click on the location, it will also tell you what other movies have been shot there.

It's interesting to find out that some of the classic very English oldies like Wuthering Heights and The Ghost and Mrs. Muir were all shot on the beaches of Southern California.
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Old Feb 19th, 2006, 02:39 PM
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Before our last trip I found a DVD at the library on the history and construction of Venice. It was an A&E or Discovery Channel production.

It was fascinating...how they drove all those pointed spikes to support their foundations.

When we got to Venice my friend was astounded and kept saying &quot;How did they <i>build </i>this?!&quot;. And I was able to tell her!
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Old Feb 19th, 2006, 04:05 PM
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Ditto for &quot;Under the Tuscan Sun.&quot; I just finished &quot;The Last Italian: Portrait of a People&quot; by William Murray. He is half Italian and has the gift of gab imbedded in Irish DNA. The book is an interesting series of essays on diverse topics.
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Old Feb 19th, 2006, 06:05 PM
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A couple of nights ago I re-watched the 1972 Zefferelli film, &quot;Brother Sun Sister Moon&quot; -- a movie about St Francis with no scenes filmed in Assisi but in San Gim., Sicily, etc with excellent cinematography nonetheless. And of course a soundtrack by Donovan! It's so deliciously hippie, you can't help but smile. And that Graham Faulkner was just as cute as a button.

When I went to Assisi, I walked up to the Eremo delle Carceri (yes, walked); when I arrived, a mass was just finishing in the little church. And what was the congregation singing? The title song to the film! Ahhh, my heart was filled with joy and peace--a great magical moment of travel!!
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Old Feb 19th, 2006, 06:07 PM
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If you go to www.netflix.com you can get a free 2 week trial period. I did that recently.

Just be aware, even though a couple of the plans state you can get unlimited movies a class action suit has been filed against them as evidently if you order more than 8 movies per month you go to the &quot;bottom of the line&quot; regarding receiving the new movies. Also, you will not receive the movies from your local distribution center so you will not receive them overnight. But 8 movies a month is 2 a week which is all I have time for so that is not a problem for me.

You can keep the movies as long as you want btw.

I signed up for the &quot;one at a time DVD&quot; which is $9.99 per month. They come in a prepaid postage envelope to receive them so there is no S&amp;H either way. No contract either so you can canel at any time.
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Old Feb 22nd, 2006, 07:54 PM
  #134  
 
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Il Postino
Only You
Enchanted April
Life is Beautiful
Bread and Tulips
Tre Huomini e una gamba
Three Coins (updated version)
Roman Holiday
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
The Name of the Rose
The Talented Mr. Ripley
Any of the Three Tenors &quot;Live&quot; performances
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Old Mar 19th, 2006, 05:29 PM
  #135  
 
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I just bought Roman Holiday. Plan to enjoy it this week!
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Old Mar 19th, 2006, 06:06 PM
  #136  
 
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favorites of mine:
Garden of the Finzi Continis,
The Conformist, Amarcod,
La Strada, La Dolce Vita, Nights of Cabriria, seven Beauties,
Juliet of the Spirits,
Passione d'Amour, Senso,
The Tree of Wooden Clogs,
Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,
Death in Venive
Divorce Italian Style,
Th Comfort of Strangers,
Il Bidone, L, Aventura,
Malena, Stealing Beauty and more of the already mentioned.
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Old Mar 20th, 2006, 09:37 AM
  #137  
 
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Tea with Mussolini
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Old Mar 20th, 2006, 02:45 PM
  #138  
 
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Best of Youth. Recently released on DVD. For anyone who loves Italy, a mesmerizing story that follows an Italian family from 1964 to 2003. It's 6 1/2 hours but left me wanting more.

http://miramax.com/thebestofyouth/
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Old Mar 20th, 2006, 03:36 PM
  #139  
 
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I also just watched The Best of Youth and found it wonderful.

On the opposite end of the scale, I too enjoy watching Rome Adventure.

Cinema Paradiso is the best.

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Old Mar 21st, 2006, 10:54 AM
  #140  
 
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IFC on DirectTV has been showing &quot;Caro Diario&quot;. It is a documentary, pretty funny take on Italian life. Some great scenery too.

MY
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