235 The Leopard

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Martha · #1 Post by **Martha** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 9:02 pm

The Leopard

[img]http://criterion_production.s3.amazonaws.com/release_images/2713/235_BD_box_348x490_w128.jpg[/img] [img]http://criterion_production.s3.amazonaws.com/release_images/1160/235_box_348x490_w128.jpg[/img]

Making its long-awaited U.S. home video debut, Luchino Visconti’s The Leopard (Il gattopardo) is an epic on the grandest possible scale. The film recreates, with nostalgia, drama, and opulence, the tumultuous years of Italy’s Risorgimento—when the aristocracy lost its grip and the middle classes rose and formed a unified, democratic Italy. Burt Lancaster stars as the aging prince watching his culture and fortune wane in the face of a new generation, represented by his upstart nephew (Alain Delon) and his beautiful fiancée (Claudia Cardinale). Awarded the Palme d’Or at the 1963 Cannes Film Festival, The Leopard translates Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa’s novel, and the history it recounts, into a truly cinematic masterpiece. The Criterion Collection is proud to present the film in two distinct versions: Visconti’s original Italian version, and the alternate English-language version released in America in a newly restored special edition.

Disc Features

• New high-definition digital transfer, supervised by director of photography Giuseppe Rotunno and presented in the original Super Technirama aspect ratio of 2.21:1, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition
• The 161-minute American release, with English-language dialogue, including Burt Lancaster’s own voice
• Audio commentary by film scholar Peter Cowie
• A Dying Breed: The Making of The Leopard, an hour-long documentary featuring interviews with Claudia Cardinale, screenwriter Suso Ceccho D’Amico, Rotunno, filmmaker Sydney Pollack, and many others
• Video interview with producer Goffredo Lombardo
• Video interview with professor Millicent Marcus on the history behind The Leopard
• Original theatrical trailers and newsreels
• Stills gallery of rare behind-the-scenes production photos
• PLUS: A booklet featuring a new essay by film historian Michael Wood

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Fletch F. Fletch · #2 Post by **Fletch F. Fletch** » Fri May 13, 2005 1:49 pm

I just watched this again recently and was struck by the exquisite set design and art direction of the movie. Don Fabrizio's palace is filled with richly, detailed sets of opulence and I love how Visconti fills every scene with incredible period architecture that would be impossible to duplicate now without the aid of CGI or a lot of money.

The film's vibrant colour palette also really comes out on the DVD. For example, there is a scene where Don Fabrizio goes hunting with the vast Italian countryside, coloured in rich sepia and amber tones, in the background that is just breathtaking. It's like each frame of The Leopard is like a classical painting.

However, the signature shot, the one that really conveys the feeling of epic grandeur, is that brilliant tracking shot of the banquet room where everyone is eating dinner. The women’s costumes are made of brocade, satins and silks with the light hitting them just right. The ambient sound of silverware clinking against fine china and people having animated conversations with each other always makes me feel like I am right there. I know it such a cliche, but they just don’t make movies like this anymore.

tryavna · #3 Post by **tryavna** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 11:18 am

I finally got around to watching this during the past weekend, and what impressed me most was not simply the story, photography, and acting (all of which was great). But rather the sheer amount of detail. Watching The Leopard is a bit like watching an anthropology documentary, in that Visconti seems to recreate an entire way-of-life. I've never really encountered another film quite like it -- though it did remind me a bit of Scorsese's Age of Innocence (which must have been heavily influenced by this film). Still, there's something remarkably "novelistic" about Visconti's film, and as such, it's actually closer to Wharton's original novel (which has the same anthropological impulse) than to Scorsese's adaptation.

Visconti's extraordinary attention to detail, which I've never really encountered -- at least in the way The Leopard displays it -- anywhere outside of literature, where authors have much more leisure to pile up the anthropological detail. Even in the past few hours, I haven't been able to think of another movie that comes close. Not even Gone With the Wind, which so many people seem to compare The Leopard with.

All in all, a remarkable film-watching experience!

fliggil · #4 Post by **fliggil** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 4:01 pm

For anyone that is interested, KCME (www.kcme.org) will be playing Nino Rota's score from The Leopard at 4:30pm eastern.

Edit - It's starting now, 5PM.

marty · #5 Post by **marty** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 2:11 am

I just finished watching Luchino Viscont's The Leopard for the first time and what a wonderful film. I know that Scorsese said the film was big influence when he was shooting The Age of Innocence (his best IMHO). The influence of Viscont's film can be seen everywhere in Scorsese's film:

- the sweeping musical score
- the presence of flowers and painting inundating every room in the villas
- the framing of characters on the dining table using the candles standing in the middle of the table
- Claudia Cardinale's introduction to arisotcratic society ala Madame Olenska's intro to NY society
- both films dealing with aristocracy
- the camera pans across the room capturing the different characters in dialogue
- Lancaster smoking cigars in the drawing room with another fella against a burning fireplace
- the final image of Lancaster walking away away from screen ala Newland Archers leaving Madame Olenska's courtyard

denti alligator · #6 Post by **denti alligator** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 7:50 pm

Quick question about the picture:

At the end of chapter 7, starting at around 39:26, the camera pans the room to left and then to the right. Both times the black headboards of the beds (both beds) flicker against the lighter background as the image moves. Is this inherent in the transfer or is my system having a tough time de-interlacing?

Darth Lavender · #7 Post by **Darth Lavender** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 7:23 am

marty wrote:- the final image of Lancaster walking away away from screen ala Newland Archers leaving Madame Olenska's courtyard

Actually, when I first saw that, I immediately thought it might have been inspiration for the final shot of The Godfather Part III (elderly, 'retired' Don waiting for death (short wait for Michael) with the company of a dog out in the Sicilian landscape)

Yogesh · #8 Post by **Yogesh** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 7:55 am

denti alligator wrote:Quick question about the picture:

At the end of chapter 7, starting at around 39:26, the camera pans the room to left and then to the right. Both times the black headboards of the beds (both beds) flicker against the lighter background as the image moves. Is this inherent in the transfer or is my system having a tough time de-interlacing?

I've had a quick look and there are some white spots that appear mostly near the top of the headboards, only momentarily though. I'm not sure if that is the flickering that you are referring to, otherwise the image seems fine on my system.

Hope that helps.

Person · #9 Post by **Person** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 5:53 pm

I still haven't watched the 161-minute American cut. I have been on a Lancaster kick recently, so I might do so in the coming weeks.

denti alligator · #10 Post by **denti alligator** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 7:45 pm

davidhare wrote:Yes Denti it looks like white flicker to me. It's also evident in the Australian Madman disc at the same point. Presumably a Datacine thing.

Phew! Thanks for looking. After all the time and trouble I've put into tweaking my HTPC, I was worried I'd encountered yet another problem.

Antoine Doinel · #11 Post by **Antoine Doinel** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 5:50 pm

Sicily, Through the Eyes of the Leopard

#12 Post by **kinjitsu** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 5:40 pm

‘The Leopard’ Turns 50

#13 Post by **swo17** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 5:43 pm

Of the titles already in the collection, this one definitely needs to be one of the next in line for Blu-ray treatment, assuming that whole experiment goes over well.

Who's with me?

Davidspector · #14 Post by **Davidspector** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 7:56 pm

A Blu-ray Leopard? Absolutely!

cysiam · #15 Post by **cysiam** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 9:53 am

I finally got around to watching this and I really enjoyed it. I'm surprised there aren't more comments on it.

The details are just incredible. I keep going back to the scene of Tancredi and Angelica chasing each other through the abandoned home. Burt Lancaster also turned in a great performance.

Is the American cut of the film worth watching?

kaujot · #16 Post by **kaujot** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 12:27 pm

cysiam wrote:Is the American cut of the film worth watching?

Only for hearing Lancaster speak.

MichaelB · #17 Post by **MichaelB** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 2:56 pm

kaujot wrote:
cysiam wrote:Is the American cut of the film worth watching?
Only for hearing Lancaster speak.

Seconded - that is quite literally the only reason for watching it. Otherwise, it's heavily cut and was processed with an inferior colour system.

jsteffe · #18 Post by **jsteffe** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 11:42 pm

Burt Lancaster is one of my favorite actors, he has a great voice, but I actually prefer his performance with the Italian dub, believe it or not! The Italian voice was carefully chosen and blends his physical presence to create an altogether new character with a slightly harsher edge than Lancaster projects with his regular voice. It's the combination that makes Salina really come alive.

kaujot · #19 Post by **kaujot** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 11:48 pm

Oh, I agree. I'm not saying that Lancaster in his own voice is better. But it's the only reason to view the American version.

jsteffe · #20 Post by **jsteffe** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 11:59 pm

I actually don't think the American release version is that bad. That's how I saw it the first time, and I was still deeply moved. It's just hard to go back after you've seen the restored version with the longer cut and the Italian dubbing. For me it makes the difference between "brilliant" and "all-time masterpiece." But I'm glad that Criterion included the American cut as an extra. It's a part of film history.

Dr. Mabuse · #21 Post by **Dr. Mabuse** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 1:03 pm

From Criterions Facebook-page regarding The Leopard on blu-ray:

"The Criterion Collection: We'll get there"

It will look glorious in high-def, for sure...

FerdinandGriffon · #22 Post by **FerdinandGriffon** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 3:09 pm

Dr. Mabuse wrote:
"The Criterion Collection: We'll get there"

Let me be the first, of many, to shout petulantly from the back seat:

"Are we there yet?"

#23 Post by **swo17** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 12:01 pm

Announced for Blu-ray. It'll be a 2-discer. Also, I see no indication that the BD version will excise the English-language cut of the film, which I should think bodes well for other films with multiple versions. Though it remains to be seen if the alternate cut will be presented in 1080p.

jsteffe · #24 Post by **jsteffe** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 5:15 pm

Can't wait for the Blu-ray!

But am I the only person who thinks it's odd that the Criterion website is using a color still that has distinctly turned magenta to promote a restored version of the film? I'll ask on the Criterion facebook site about the English-language cut.

kekid · #25 Post by **kekid** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 6:34 pm

swo17 wrote:Announced for Blu-ray. It'll be a 2-discer. Also, I see no indication that the BD version will excise the English-language cut of the film, which I should think bodes well for other films with multiple versions. Though it remains to be seen if the alternate cut will be presented in 1080p.

The announcement says it is a 3-disc set.

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