This is the story of Don Fabrizio, an aristocratic Prince of Salina in Scily. It takes place in 1860, a turbulent time when there was a nationalistic movement to unify disparate regions and kingdoms to form the country of Italy as we know it today. Don Fabrizio sees that, in the revolutionary spirit of the times, his wealth and land holdings, and indeed his way of life, are destined for dissolution. The Prince is a practical, realistic man and he makes difficult compromises to perpetuate his aristocratic lineage as best he can. Not only is the Prince faced with the threat to his way of life, but also with his own mortality. So, there is an air of melancholy that runs throughout the film.
The Criterion Collection set has three DVDs - one containing the subtitled Italian version (with an informative commentary track by Peter Cowie), one containing a dubbed English version, and one containing supplementary material. There is a downside to the dubbing in either version. Burt Lancaster's part is dubbed into Italian in the Italian version, but I found this to be less distracting than others have commented. Lancaster speaks in English in the English version. The English version has about twenty-five minutes cut from the Italian and can serve as the "before" of a "before-and-after" example of restoration - it has uneven lighting, off colors, blips, and scratches. Compare the first ten minutes of both versions and you will quickly abandon the English version. The Italian version is stunningly restored, I have rarely seen a high-definition image to compare with its picture quality.
The costumes and set designs are magnificent. Every scene is a set piece - you could watch this with the sound off and give it a high rating from experiencing the visual beauty alone. How "The Leopard" lost to "Cleopatra" for an Oscar for best costume design is beyond me. One of the most spectacular scenes, Garibaldi's storming of Palermo, seemed staged in spite of the manifest planning and costume designing that went into it.
This may well be Burt Lancaster's best performance; it is subtle, nuanced, and expressive. Alain Delon is perfect to play Don Fabrizio's dashing and ambitious nephew, and Claudia Cardinale has never been more beautiful.
Among the supplementary materials is a brief segment containing background historical information. I would suggest that most viewers see that before watching the movie. In fact, even after watching this supplementary segment and doing some brief research, "The Leopard" still leaves me a little in the dark as to the details of the complex politics of the time.
I first saw this movie in its original English release in 1963 and remember being bored out of my mind. The reason I decided to give it a second chance is due to the consistent praise it has received, and I now understand the basis for such acclaim. I guess there is something to be said for appreciation coming with maturity. And at this time I can better identify with Don Fabrizio's mind-set.
The Criterion Collection set has three DVDs - one containing the subtitled Italian version (with an informative commentary track by Peter Cowie), one containing a dubbed English version, and one containing supplementary material. There is a downside to the dubbing in either version. Burt Lancaster's part is dubbed into Italian in the Italian version, but I found this to be less distracting than others have commented. Lancaster speaks in English in the English version. The English version has about twenty-five minutes cut from the Italian and can serve as the "before" of a "before-and-after" example of restoration - it has uneven lighting, off colors, blips, and scratches. Compare the first ten minutes of both versions and you will quickly abandon the English version. The Italian version is stunningly restored, I have rarely seen a high-definition image to compare with its picture quality.
The costumes and set designs are magnificent. Every scene is a set piece - you could watch this with the sound off and give it a high rating from experiencing the visual beauty alone. How "The Leopard" lost to "Cleopatra" for an Oscar for best costume design is beyond me. One of the most spectacular scenes, Garibaldi's storming of Palermo, seemed staged in spite of the manifest planning and costume designing that went into it.
This may well be Burt Lancaster's best performance; it is subtle, nuanced, and expressive. Alain Delon is perfect to play Don Fabrizio's dashing and ambitious nephew, and Claudia Cardinale has never been more beautiful.
Among the supplementary materials is a brief segment containing background historical information. I would suggest that most viewers see that before watching the movie. In fact, even after watching this supplementary segment and doing some brief research, "The Leopard" still leaves me a little in the dark as to the details of the complex politics of the time.
I first saw this movie in its original English release in 1963 and remember being bored out of my mind. The reason I decided to give it a second chance is due to the consistent praise it has received, and I now understand the basis for such acclaim. I guess there is something to be said for appreciation coming with maturity. And at this time I can better identify with Don Fabrizio's mind-set.