Customer Reviews

Marcello Mastroianni: I Remember

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You get the feeling watching this documentary that there was too much good content, too many stories, too many insights into Marcello, the man, the actor, the lover, the romantic, that a shorter film would have proved impossible. Clocking in just over 3 hours in length, "Marcello Mastroianni: I Remember" is the perfect retrospective of Mastroianni that any fan of his would truly adore. As charming in person as he was on screen, Marcello is relaxed, reflective, and takes his time telling vivid stories about the directors he worked with, the women in his life, and a considerable amount about the cities he's visited and the random people therein that haunt his memory. With over a hundred films on his resume, and a life most people can only dream of, the pace of the documentary is satisfyingly slow, and allows Marcello to reveal himself more openly. He sits and chats on his boat, in his Paris penthouse, in the backseat of a car winding through the mountains, in outdoor cafes -- anyplace he feels comfortable. It's so satisfying to see an actor laugh at himself, and still draw an artful smile when thinking about all the small, wonderful details in his life. In a way, this is Marcello's goodbye to his fans, for he died a year before this film was released. With that, I'm more than willing to give Marcello a little time to tell his story. A must see for fans of his work, as well as fans of the directors he's worked with, most notably Fellini.

If you enjoyed MM's work, there is no better film than this, with extended monologues by MM intercut with scenes from his films. (The stories about the one he made with his brother were really cool). Lots of talk about his contemporaries, but the best parts are his musings on life and art; you really wish you could have known him as a person. On the down side, it is pretty long and the subtitles are often washed out during the b/w sequences. I watched over two nights.

Mastroiannis unaffected warmth and love of his craft shine through his anecdotes, shattering the vain, romantic-hero stereotype he loathed. For an endearing portrait of a consummate leading man, look no further. Fans of Italian cinema- and anyone remotely interested in the craft of film acting- should adore this worthy tribute.

One can only say thank you to Anna Maria Tato for this gift of Marcello Mastroianni "unleashed" as it were. Three wonderful hours of "that voice" recounting life -- stories of the influence of his father and grandfather -- his hilarious recounting of what would happen when his devoted parents would attend his movies -- actual behind-the-scenes footage of the chaos that was the experience of working with Fellini -- reams and reams of compelling scenes from his ubiquitous films -- archival footage of his live stage performances -- including the lone musical he ever appeared in -- absolutely intriguing.

I first discovered Marcello Mastroianni as a teenage girl when I had the good fortune to come across "8 1/2" on television (ironic, given Mr. Mastroianni's disdain for the medium). After all this time, this amazing man still enchants, even through his words of seeming farewell.

The only quibble with the DVD is that the subtitles are displayed in white type -- which given Mr. Mastroianni's frequent white suits, and the light background against which he is often filmed, forces one to rely either on an excellent knowledge of the Italian language, or razor-sharp eyesight!

That aside, this is a gem.

I cannot think of another actor I could listen to for three hours in an interview. I wish it had been six hours. Next to Brando, Marcello is the man. What a life!

"Just shadows on a screen," but what memorable and lovely shadows Mastroianni has left on film! Marcello is an engaging and charming story teller. This portrait is friendly and conversational ~ you feel intimate, almost as if you were his confidante. While this film is not intellectual or philosophical, his anecdotes are revealing and insightful. Dubbed the Latin lover, it's fun viewing the many roles he played to dispel this typecast: aged beyond his actual years, an impotent man, a homosexual, a pregnant man, etc. This is a man that loved life and realized his mortal existence was soon coming to an end. Delightful!!

I recently ordered the DVD Documentary "Marcello Mastroianni:I Remember" used from a seller on this website. I received it in no time and it was in perfect condition.
Thanks.

Sasha