Ossessione
Restless wife Giovanna meets Gino, a rough and handsome drifter. Their passionate affair leads to the murder of Giovanna's boorish husband. Adapted from James M Cain's novel
The Postman Always Rings Twice, a suggestion made to Visconti by Jean Renoir,
Ossessione is an electrifying tale of the seductive and destructive power of human sexuality. It heralded a new era of Italian cinema, establishing Visconti as a leading and controversial exponent of neo-realism.
On its release in 1942,
Ossessione outraged the Italian Fascist government with its shocking and authentic portrayal of proletarian life and was condemned as immoral and subversive. Heavily censored, it was initially suppressed from international distribution by MGM who subsequently produced their own version four years later. It was only in 1959 that a 112-minute version was played in Paris and a full seventeen years before American audiences finally saw the full 140-minute director's cut.
Extras:
- Commentary by David Forgacs, Professor of Italian at University College London and Lesley Caldwell, Associate Fellow, Italian Department, UCL
- Biography of Luchino Visconti and photograph
La terra trema
Special Prize, Venice Film Festival 1948
La terra trema is a work of uncompromising realism that is universally acknowledged as a masterpiece of post-war Italian cinema. Entirely set and shot in a small village on the east coast of Sicily and using non-professional actors, it tells the story of a fishing family which attempts to escape from poverty and exploitation by becoming the owner of its own boat.
To acquire the boat the family is forced to mortgage its house but the boat is destroyed in a storm and the family is ruined. However, the film ends on a hopeful note, with the community able to learn from the events and succeed together in overthrowing exploitation.
Upon the film's release, the Valestro family, who were the main participants, wrote to Visconti expressing deep gratitude to him for telling their story to Italy and the world. We are profoundly grateful for the experience we underwent together, from which we have reaped the highest hopes for our future.
La terra trema instantly reveals the quality of Visconti's direction, particularly in the sheer beauty of the images and the vibrant performances he achieved from the villagers. Many of its themes recur in Visconti's later work but nowhere else are they so firmly anchored in realism and respect for life.
Extras:
- Director biography.
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