La Grande Bellezza ("The Great Beauty")

Anyone going to Rome this year (or ever!) should see this movie, Italy's official nominee for Best Foreign Film of 2013 at the Oscars. It's out in limited circulation now -- mostly major metro areas/art house movie theaters -- but if it wins, it may get some wider play.

It is basically a 140-minute love fest for Rome, with beautiful cinematography and soundtrack to match. I think one reviewer described it as "Fellini, updated and filtered through Baz Luhrmann" or something like that. ;) It goes from the sublime to the ridiculous (e.g., "performance art" Italian style).

The scene with a giraffe in the Baths of Caracalla and the eerie midnight walk through the Capitoline Museum is reason enough to go see it. (I suspect these sites may get additional tourists now.)

And stay through the credits for a gorgeous rolling shot down the Tiber with all of Rome's bridges.

The film is in Italian with English subtitles.

Thanks for the heads up Cruisemom.

We've been on a run of watching a bunch of older nominated foreign films. Will have to look for this one when it reaches our library (will probably have to wait a while until the DVD comes out.)

Thank you for this! It's showing not too far from me, & I'm going to have to check it out! :)

We finally got to the Baths of Caracalla on our last trip to Rome (our 4th visit). I had it on my "to do" list but just never managed to get there before.

We were surprised at how few tourists were there. It is a massive ruin and so many pristine mosaics still in place !!! I wandered for hours...... even thought about packing a picnic next time we are there (oh yeah we will be back in Rome at some point !) and heading there for a picnic lunch ! Beautiful spot.

I will have to look up that movie since Rome is my favorite city of all I have visited so far. Thanks for the info Cynthia ;)

We finally got to the Baths of Caracalla on our last trip to Rome (our 4th visit). I had it on my "to do" list but just never managed to get there before.

 

We were surprised at how few tourists were there. It is a massive ruin and so many pristine mosaics still in place !!! I wandered for hours...... even thought about packing a picnic next time we are there (oh yeah we will be back in Rome at some point !) and heading there for a picnic lunch ! Beautiful spot.

 

I will have to look up that movie since Rome is my favorite city of all I have visited so far. Thanks for the info Cynthia ;)

Isn't it wonderful? Much more my idea of a great park than the Borghese gardens. ;)

Just to update, the film did win the Oscar for "Best Foreign Film"!

Here is a link with some additional information and a nice slideshow of some of the film locations in Rome. It seems they are already offering a "Grande Bellezza" tour....!

Also, it will soon be available for rental on Amazon. :)

http://www.italymagazine.com/great-beauty-tour-rome?fb_action_ids=10202306634581349&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%5B673807592660551%5D&action_type_map=%5B%22og.likes%22%5D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D

The girls and I finally went to see it last night, the cinematography alone is worth the price of admission.

I expected M to like it (she's a film major in college) and she did, but was pleasantly surprised that our youngest (a freshman in high school) really enjoyed it as well. She's studying Italian in school and was happy that she recognized some of the language. The subject matter didn't seem to throw her (perhaps I should have checked that first?).

I want Jep's apartment with the fabulous terrace overlooking the Colosseum. Even for just a week.

Did they explain what happened to Ramona? If they did I missed it.

The cinematography alone is worth the price of admission.

 

Yes, for me the movie was almost equally strong in plot, cinematography, and music. But you do have to pay close attention; a lot of the movie lies in the small hints and nuances. They don't telegraph the plot points. I had to watch it twice to catch some things -- like what happened to Ramona.

So you're not going to tell me? :p

I am going to see it again, maybe I'll catch it then.

The music is wonderful, I agree.