Product Details

• Actors: Anna Magnani, Aldo Fabrizi, Marcello Pagliero, Vito Annichiarico, Nando Bruno
• Directors: Roberto Rossellini
• Writers: Roberto Rossellini, Alberto Consiglio, Federico Fellini, Sergio Amidei
• Producers: Roberto Rossellini, Ferruccio De Martino, Giuseppe Amato
• Format: Black & White, HiFi Sound, NTSC
• Language: German, Italian
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Connoisseur/Meridian
• VHS Release Date: August 7, 1991
• Run Time: 100 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 630359347X
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #380,043 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars great film ruined by bad transfer, December 11, 2000

By 

"ilian73" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Open City (DVD)

I agree with most of reviewer here that Roberto Rossellini's Open City is a great film - ground-breaking work that is yet entertaining in the most simple way. However, it appears that most of the reviewers refer to the VHS version. I bought this DVD the moment I heard that it was on DVD, and am much disappointed. Overall transfer is substandard, subtitles miss a bulk of dialogues, and most of all, there is at least one missing shot that I noticed in this transfer (It is the famous shot in which the resistant is being tortured by blowtorch). I had VHS released by Connoisseur, which is superior to this DVD on every level.

So buy VHS or better yet tell Image to restore this gem.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars a great film ruined by bad transfer, December 11, 2000

By 

"ilian73" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Open City (DVD)

I agree with many reviewers here that this is truly a great film. Someone mentioned that the story is melodramatic or even propagandistic, which is true, but it is really beside the point in this case. What is important here is how the simple story is told in even simpler way in this ground-breaking film, transporting the viewers to the breathtaking moments of last days of WWII in Rome. However, I think many reviews actually refer to VHS version because DVD (released by Image, I think, from Blackwell Films) is even worse than VHS (released by Connoisseur). I bought this title as soon as I heard it was on DVD, and I was much disappointed to say the least. The transfer is substandard in overall, subtitles miss whole bulk of dialogues, and most of all, there is even a missing shot from the film (It is the famous shot in which the resistant is being tortured with torchblow). My advice is: Buy VHS (Connoisseur one), or better yet ask Image for new restored release.

27 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So dark, and so brilliant., January 17, 2002

By 

tom - See all my reviews

This review is from: Open City (DVD)

I wonder about some complaints over this DVD. The transfer is fine - it's an old, black-and-white film and for all that looks pretty darn good. Less than 5% of the dialogue is untranslated in subtitles, and as an Italian speaker I can tell you what's left out is insignificant chit chat.

See it for the fine performances, the achievement of its making, and for the history it portrays.