Customer Reviews

Youth Without Youth [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

YOUTH WITHOUT YOUTH is for this viewer one of the most creative and genuinely intelligent and beautiful films to be released in some time. Francis Ford Coppola has utilized the finest points of his gifts as a movie creator and the result is a mesmerizing, quasi-hallucinatory exploration of the fine book by the Romanian writer Mircea Eliade. Not only is Coppola's screenplay challenging and complex, it is also a well-developed guide to making visual the concept of Eliade's at times perplexing story. The cinematography by Mihai Malaimare Jr. is moody and captures the surrealism of the tale, and the musical score is by the great contemporary composer Osvaldo Golijov who has taken every element of Romania mysticism and culture and translated them into a miraculous musical brocade.

Dominic Matei (Tim Roth in a brilliant performance) is a 70-year-old professor whose sheltered life has been spent in his thwarted exploration of the origin of language. The old man is struck by lightning and survives under the care of puzzled physicians and as he shows signs of life, Professor Stanciulescu (Bruno Ganz) is at his side, helping Matei to learn to communicate and eventually accompany him through his complete recovery. Matei grows young in appearance and is able to time travel through the decimation WW II brought to his native Bucharest, altering his identity as he is given a second chance at a life he never experienced, a life that includes a love affair with a woman who closely resembles his early love Laura and now falls in love with him as Veronica (Alexandra Maria Lara). In a Dorian Gray mode Matei lives for years as an ageless man, able to communicate with his 'double' who is visible only to Matei. His condition intrigues the interest and suspicions of both the Nazis and journalists and academic colleagues until certain tidal events change Matei's course and he regresses into old age, retuning to the moment of time when he was first struck by lightening. It is a story of the quest of eternal youth and the Faustian consequences that accompany that journey.

The tone of the film is operatic and with the majority of the cast drawn from some of Romania's finest actors, the quality of performances is uniformly outstanding. Tim Roth is remarkably superb in this challenging role, a performance that deserves acclaim from a very wide audience. YOUTH WITHOUT YOUTH is Coppola at his finest. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, May 08

Finally a relief to the drivel the studios push out. Youth Without Youth stimulates one's intellect in a philosophical way. You have to give it a chance so a few viewings without the distractions is recommended. Select subtitles for better absorption of what is being said. It is rather deep and calls for an open mind. If you can be gripped by the story that is driven by early languages, a story that explores Eastern philosophy, the various dimensions of ones consciousness, then you'll like this movie.

It is a personal film for Coppola, not one he did to make money to fund other films he wanted to make. Coppola captures the time periods well with costumes and visual cues. He's a director that believes you, as a member of the audience, are intelligent and use your instincts to interpret the specific symbols he gives you. Saying it is over your head means you just perceive the story in your own way. There is no right or wrong on your interpretation of meanings. It can mean what you feel it means. Pay attention to detail, to the words, examine the camera angles. Embrace the challenge of the film. This is one of those movies that you can never assume you will know what will happen next.

Coppola says the book by Mircea Eliade doesn't describe visually the character, but believes his interpretation of the story's ending is what the author meant for it to be. He wrote, produced, and directed this one for $17 million. Tim Roth and Alexandra Maria Lara worked in Romania often in extremely cold temperatures. Several dozen hours of make-up prosthetics applications for Roth as well as rehearsing with several languages and a new language created by author Eliade.

****1/2 2007. Based on Mircea Eliade's Youth Without Youth, this film was written, produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Struck by a lightning, a 70 years old Romanian teacher survives and is rewarded by the ability to live a second life that will allow him to assimilate the whole human Knowledge. This is a haunting movie dealing with important themes such as time, love, oldness or Man's origin, it kept me awake late last night long after its ending. I wouldn't qualify this film as arty because its form and its story aren't incomprehensible for the lambda viewer. The themes handled by the director are intellectually demanding but their exposition is very simple; that's the mark of a great director. Highly recommended.

This breathtakingly sensitive and humanistic story is beautifully filmed with loving care by FFC. The foil for the touching exploration and esoteric examination of the human condition is the backdrop of Nazi aggression and genocide during WW2. Normally I share basic opinions of the most published film critics regarding films they review. I could not disagree more with the prevailing opinions of published reviews I have read regarding this film. FFC has set a very high standard for script writers and directors who want to create worthwhile innovative cinematic art.

Tim Roth is great as an elderly Romanian professor of languages who is struck by lightning and made young again. Francis Ford Coppola's first film in ten years is visually inventive, dense and demanding - so naturally almost no one went to see it. It's off the wall, over the top, confounding and camp. Also very beautiful. A shot in the arm by a genuine artist that's miles ahead of the phoney art movies that got all the acclaim in Aught Seven.

This fascinating film is not "run-of-the-mill". Flooded with thousands of titles every year we struggle in a deep deficit of films that appeal to intellectual speculation. Based on an excellent story by Mircea Eliade, it takes Coppola to deal with the unreal with the same objectivity as with the real. Excellent interpretations.

The unfortunate title of this gorgeous film almost made me miss it. It played in our San Diego area for about ten minutes; so that when I recommended it to all my friends, it was, sadly, nowhere to be found. I cannot wait to own it and then share it.
The storyline is interesting and highly unusual, the actors are perfect for their roles and FFCoppola has created a magnificent journey for heart and mind. The music is beautiful, the sets sumptuous, the baroque lighting just right, the sense of wonder is palpable throughout.
It was two hours of an engrossing, epic journey through the twisting tapestry of time, space and the theory of everything.
I highly recommend this film and thank you Francis, for another absolutely fabulous creation.

I don't know if you're into metaphysics, mythology, psychology, and Eastern philosophy. If these things interest you, you will probably love this movie.

Based on the book by Mircea Eliade, who has explored many cultures, and religious paths, who has written books on alchemy and about shamanism, and spirituality, Youth without Youth trips through the wires of your higher consciousness.

As you watch, the captivating images that unfold onscreen, immediately make you aware that you are not dealing with an ordinary filmmaker. If you press the subtitles button, what you see is not subtitles but a readable commentary by Francis Ford Coppola, which I found added to my understanding. He explains how the lightning is awakening. He mentions Prometheus, and Frankenstein's monster being created by lightning. I thought about Saul being converted by a lightning strike.

Dominic Matei, old and bitter, is struck by lightning. He regresses in age to become a young man. Nurses notice his virility with pleasure. His intelligence grows. Sinister people want to tap his potentiality. He sees another version of himself in the mirror, a duality, but is it conflicting, or does it open doors. He meets a woman, who looks like the love of his life, but is a totally different woman. They engage. They travel.

Along the way the mind, (I loved the four probabilites) reincarnation, linguistics, bridging the gap between dream and reality, and consciousness are explored through Dominic reexperiencing youth without youth.

I had a great dream after seeing this, that paralelled the movie. I was not struck by lightning, but I did get an electric shock. It seemed significant. I don't know if you will have a dream after seeing this movie. Only one way to find out I suppose.

I bought The Forge and the Crucible: The Origins and Structure of Alchemy after watching this.

I liked this movie a lot, but it's not for everyone. It's not your typical commercial movie. Carl Jung or Joseph Campbell would probably hail this as a masterpiece.

I wonder if you find this helpful, and I think you will love it.

The first cut of this was done by Larina Stavila and it was 170 minutes long. The Co-editor is Walter Murch and had 6 weeks of brutal editing to get it down to 124 minutes. I hear W.M. and F.F.C got rid of a sub-plot involving Dominic (Tim Roth) being accussed by the secret police associating him with them. But there must be more, and I really wanted to see the "REDUX" version and more of a directors MO (making of). This DVD really skipped the intimate details. It has a Directors Commentary which was basically off the top of F.F.C. loose mind. It has some wimpy HBO specials-like MO's, nothing that is watchable. The S.E (special Effects) didn't leave me with bewilderment, so I really didn't crave to have a lecture on how they were done. I'm very impressed that F.F.C self financed this film from the profits of his vinyard and I keep that in mind for the small budget in production/marketing/and home release. But with his influencial powers I would have thought any production company would lend him money for a 2-disc "REDUX.
This movie is without question a very self-satisfying movie for F.F.C. I was reminded of this same sort of movie-making by Oliver Stone in AlexanderAlexander, Revisited - The Final Cut (Two-Disc Special Edition). O.S's film really defyied what audiances demanded in films. These are legendary men whose body of work has led to this.
This is a highly ambitious film, not in seeking dollars I think, but in communication, in that thing that Dominic was so obsessed with: Getting that message to others in the most idealistic style. Tim Roth is absorbed in his acting and Alexandra Maria Lara is Glowingly Beautiful. She reminded me of the most beautiful Renaissance paintings. She is again working with Bruno Ganz (Untergang, Der 04')Downfall

If you've read the reviews for Francis Ford Coppola's new film, you'll notice they are mostly negative. After finding that out I knew I would like this movie. Not because I want to be different, it is just I've noticed the way most critics and the public greet a Coppola film. It has become "trendy" or "fashionable" to say after "Apocalypse Now" all of Coppola's films have lacked quality. Read reviews for his work and you'll notice all you have to do is change the title of the movie and the review is the same. Sadly this is happening to another great American director, Woody Allen. So, knowing this, I tend not to listen to the majority when it comes to certain people.

"Youth Without Youth" marks Coppola's first film in 10 years. His last was the underappreciated (big surprise, right?) "The Rainmaker". This film tells the story of a Romanian linguist, Dominic (Tim Roth) who gets struck by lightning and is miraciously transported back to his youth.

Dominic, at 70 years old, views his life as a failure. He never married the love of his life, Laura (Alexandra Maria Lara), he never finished the great work of art he was working on, a book dealing with the origins of language. So he has decided to go back to Romania to committ suicide. And when he arrives in Bucharest, just before he can do anything, he gets struck by lightning. For some reason Coppola's "Peggy Sue Got Married" jumped into my head.

The film is based on a novella by Romanian author Mircea Eliade, who was actually head of the department of religious history at Chicago University.

Many have tried to draw a connection between the source material and Coppola himself. Coppola is the same age as the hero in the film, but of course Coppola has no need to look upon his life as a failure, having directed some of the greatest American films made in the last 40 years, including the "Godfather" films and "Apocalypse Now". Some see the film as Coppola's attempt to go back to his youth, to the 1970s, when he has at the height of his powers.

I however do not view the film as the tragic mistake so many others have. Is this a great film? No. But it is a good one. And one worth seeing. My problem was I walked into the movie with such high expectations that the film simply could not live up to them. I was expecting a masterpiece, one of the year's best films. An unforgettable work of art.

But as much as I want to defend the film, even I must admit there are problems with this film. The main ones have to due with the illogical nature of the film. Why does Dominic become young again? I should point out, Dominic does not go back in time. Before the lighning strikes the year is 1938. And after the lightning strikes it is still 1938 only now Dominic is 40 years old.

He meets a woman who resembles Laura, this woman is Veronica (she is played by the same actress). Veronica gets striked by lightning also. But soon a spirit starts to speak through her in languages dating back to the beginning of time. And soon Veronica starts to age suddenly. At this point the movie was starting to lose me. We shift our attention from Dominic to Veronica, who is simply not as interesting a character to me.

The viewer sees the connection between the incidents, one person becomes younger while the other becomes older, and yet again for a second time Dominic must lose the love of his wife. Now ask me if I care? Not one bit. The possibilities that could have been done with the Dominic character are endless. Had Coppola focused all of our attention on him I would have gladly sat down and watched the film with joy.

"Youth Without Youth" becomes a brainteaser. Which I found odd coming from Coppola. David Lynch maybe, but not Coppola. There is probably more than meets the eye with this story. I'm sure there is some symbolic message but I felt it got pushed aside. Had Coppola rewritten the film. Kept it at a more logical pace and kept his eye on the "goofy meter" this film could have worked. I think people would be claiming masterpiece!

But there are lots of things to recommend about the film. It has a great look, beautiful cinematography, some strong moments of acting and a very good score by Osvaldo Golijov whom, to my delight, uses a cimbalom (think of an American hammered dulicmer) in the score. It was a pleasure to listen to.

Also worth noting, this turned out to be the last film for Romanian actor Adrian Pintea, who may be known to some for his work in Nicolae Margineau's "The Forest Woman".

Bottom-line: Not the masterpiece I was expecting but still a good film from Francis Ford Coppola. Has elements worth recommending and should not be condemn the way the critics and the public are attacking it.