Customer Reviews

Fabiola

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Fabiola was a major international success when it was released abroad in 1947. Boasting gigantic sets, crowds of thousands and a stellar international cast-Fabiola told its story of Christian martydom in 150 minutes. With its massive recreation of the Colisseum, gladiatorial bouts, the Christian persecution. It was a sight to behold. In 1951 Hercules producer Joe Levine took the original film, edited it down to 89 minutes and dubbed it into English--just to get the jump on MGM's massive Quo Vadis which basically covered the same territory. Fabiola is better in its original running time--even in black and white. This is the grindhouse version. Beware.

This is a chopped-up version of the film aimed at the American market. Some of the chopping is pretty obvious. I would have preferred the original Italian version, which appears to have vanished from the face of the earth. On the up side, it's a great old movie with great performances that I wanted to own, and now I do.

From IMDb.com, Jan., 2011: In 2010, FABIOLA was released on DVD in France by Gaumont in two parts, "Fabiola 1re époque - Mirage de Rome" and "Fabiola 2e époque - Le sang des martyrs." The film appears to be complete, but is in French only, with optional French closed captioning. The DVDs are currently on offer at Amazon.fr.

I had been searching for this film for my own library for many years only recently discovering it on Amazon.com. Its a great film I first saw back in 1953. Though dated it is still an amazing film still to be enjoyed. Amazon.com were quick to deliver after I had placed the order, so much so I shall be looking back to them for future orders.

The short version of an italian masterpiece, not available in Europe. One of the Martin Scorcese's favorite movies. The original novel was a little bit boring, but this peplum capture a good feeling of events, the last month of the pagan Rome, filled with romance, action and a wonderful art direction. A must see, which deserve a good image restauration in his original length.
Christophe Champclaux

Saw this movie years ago, happy I could see it again, wish it was in color, still enjoyed it as years ago!

When I saw the original version of the movie 'Fabiola' many years ago, it was an excellent film, so recently I wished to see it again on a DVD, which I looked for in many different venues, but it appeared to be out of circulation, until I found it in Amazon. So I ordered it. Even though some reviews mentioned it had a few cuts for the US exhibition, I bought it, and to my great disappointment I realized that, with the exception of the last sequences of Christians massacred at the Colisseum (an impressive display of realistic and wonderfully directed section of the film), the whole presentation was marred not only by big cuts but also by its unrestored images, which appear badly scratched and showing the film's age.
However, it was great to see old-time French and Italian stars as Michele Morgan, Henri Vidal, Michel Simon and Gino Cervi.
The experience was like acquiring an Old Masters painting discolored by neglect and carelessness.

It's still sad, that we only get half of the original film, which originally was the fist impressive monumental film in the gladiator genre. Especially the beginning of the story is cut to short sequences.
What remains is still very impressive acting from Henry Vidal and Michelle Morgan, who after filming together here became a couple until Vidal's early death.
Let's hope that some day the whole original will be released in the original language with english subtitels.
It would have been helpful to know that this version was cut to half of the original lengh.
Still - good to have at least this version.

I saw this movie in the early 50's when I was in my teens, naturally I no longer remember the detailed story, just the main theme: the persecution of Christians by the Romans; especially the bloodcurdling gore in the arena near the end of the movie, and still quite vividly the execution scene of Sebastian as portrayed by the very handsome Italian actor, Massimo Girotti. This Sebastian execution scene somehow made a strong imprint on me that I can't quite forgot it. It even led me to suspect that I might have the Yukio Mishima Sebastian syndrome. But that is not the case; I never have the urge to want to post in a picture get strung up sexily and have arrows pierced my body like Mishima did. I quess I just admired the artistic rendition of the scene and Girotti's wonderful portayal of a kindly handsome and sexy saint. As for the movie at a whole, to be truthful, I don't care too much about religion, it's human foible, self-deception. Of course, I believe there are higher beings but definitely not the way people try to make it up-it's not that simple. And I doubt that the full or original version is better than this truncated version. I remember somehow that there are lenghthy dialogue and soliloguy in the full version and in FRENCH, that I can do without. I still think with $8.99 a piece, it's worth it, expecially for you living in the U.S. are spared the shipping cost of $8.98.