Available on Blu-ray from Radiance Films
Fluvio has led a group of anarchists for a while and is having a hard time leaving them for a different life. Every time he leaves, either something or someone pulls him back in.
Written and directed by Paolo Taviani and Vittorio Taviani, the film is best described as a European history drama with Italian cinema sense. And yes, this won’t make sense unless someone is really into those types of film. This is a sweeping historical epic that travels through the Italian countryside, from town to town to city, with a ton of characters, lots of costumes and fabrics, locations that are part of the story, the whole genre of these films is lush and has a very specific type of stories, something that Allonsanfan does quite well in the writing and directing of course, but also in the decor, wardrobe, and everything else.
A big draw to Allonsanfan here is the cast, in particular Marcello Mastroianni in the lead of Fluvio. Mastroianni is to Italian cinema what Belmondo is is to French cinema basically. He was and is the classic cinema actor, the beloved star, but also an actor who was talented and shows this talent here. The man was beloved for a reason and his staying power is clear here. He plays the part just right, within the taste of the era, in a way that fits in great in 1974, but somehow still would work quite well today. The man is the main attraction here, the story comes second, and the rest of the cast comes third. And that cast is solid. There is a ton of talent here and no one really fails anywhere. Yes, some characters are despicable, and the actors portraying them do so well, they become so as well.
The film is also carefully shot with a solid score. The cinematography by Giuseppe Ruzzolini is pretty and moody, showing the beautiful countryside, the expensive mansions, the barren lands where fights happen, even a cemetery, the work is careful and calculated, there’s attention to framing, lighting, colors, and so much more. This is one of the aspects that pulls the viewer in from the very start. The other is the music by master Ennio Morricone which is basically perfect. It’s fitting for the story, the moods, everything.
This new release comes on Blu-ray disc for the very first time and in a 2K restoration from the original negatives. The film and its transfer look great here, making the new release worth it just for that. The audio is in mono PCM, but it works well here and retains the sound of as when it was originally released. The features here are interesting. While there aren’t that many extras, the best one is an archival interview with writers-directors Paolo and Vittorio Taviani. The audio commentary is interesting enough and done by a film critic, so not someone involved in the production. Of course, there is also a brand-new booklet which also has a newer interview with the Taviani brothers.