Product Details

• Actors: Adriana Asti, Francesco Barilli, Allen Midgette, Morando Morandini, Cristina Pariset
• Directors: Bernardo Bertolucci
• Format: Black & White, Color, Subtitled, NTSC
• Subtitles: English
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: New Yorker Video
• VHS Release Date: January 1, 1998
• Run Time: 110 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 630155163X
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #218,455 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Bertolucci's early literary efforts, April 3, 2002

By 

Doug Anderson (Miami Beach, Florida United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Before the Revolution [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This is an early Bertolucci near masterpiece, directed in 1965 when he was 22. It is based on the novel Charterhouse of Parma by Stendhal. Its lead character Fabrizio like the novels character has an affair with his aunt. But the movie takes place in the 1960's and instead of fighting with Napolean at Waterloo as the earlier Fabrizio did this Fabrizio toys with communism. Of course anyone who knows Bertolucci knows he himself has toyed with communism(most notably in the film 1900)and the film is perhaps an autobiographical one in part. What prevents the film from rising to a higher level is the theatricality, perhaps artificiality, of certain scenes, but the overall feeling of student idealism is convincing probably because Bertolucci is still young. Fabrizio, like Bertolucci, is more artist than revolutionary and this film is dedicated more to beauty and music and artistic possibility than to social revolution. Not as great nor as sure footed an effort as the fully realized 1971's Conformist or 1972's Last Tango in Paris but if you love those films you will want to see this interesting and formidable though imperfect early effort as well. Spiders Stratagem is also available and recommended, a 1970 made for Italian television story of an anti-fascist murdered during a performance of Rigoletto based on a Borges story. The Partner, 1968, (which I would not recommend) is also available, a confused telling of a Dostoyevsky story, "The Double".

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A superb debut for Bertolucci, January 23, 2008

By 

Trevor Willsmer (London, England) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Before the Revolution ( Prima della rivoluzione ) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - Italy ] (DVD)

Before the Revolution is a ravishingly cinematic piece of work, with Bertolucci showing a real confidence with both camera and location that both serves and enhances the script. It doesn't always work, but when it does, it's an outstanding piece of cinema first and foremost - the politics is more a reflection of a universal weakness of character than a specific moment in time a la Godard (the film was adapted and updated from Stendhal's The Charterhouse of Parma). Even the movie references don't gall the way they almost always do in modern films because Bertolucci not only puts them into context with the other arts (literature, music, painting, photography) but makes them personal obsessions that are part of character - the movie buff isn't just there to talk about Bertolucci's favorite films, or even to point out that in cinema style is content: it's simply how that character communicates by equating life to art. A surprisingly exciting piece of cinema.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a masterpiece, May 15, 2003

By 

Richard Hobby (Yarmouth, ME USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Before the Revolution [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Bertolucci's flame burned intensely at the early age of 23 and he created this perfect film. Then sadly his flame burned out and every single film from then on--including 1900 and Last Tango and even the Conformist and reaching his nadir with Luna--fails. It is a classic case of the failed romantic who drifts into nihilism, despair, cynicism, decadence, and self-indulgence. What a waste of talent. Nonetheless, as bad as all his other films are, Before the Revolution more than makes up for it. The intelligence and the perfection of emotion that Bertolucci brings to this story are exquisite and miraculous. And the use of music and the camera work are dazzling. I have seen it ten times and I look forward to watching it ten more times.

And so, Amazon, please please please do everything you can to get this masterpiece reissued to video and dvd.