Product Details

• Directors: Daniele Finzi Pasca, Jocelyn Barnabé, Hugo Gargiulo, Antonio Vergamini, Teatro Sunil
• Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 encoding (US and Canada only)
  PLEASE NOTE: Some Region 1 DVDs may contain Regional Coding Enhancement (RCE). Some, but not all, of our international customers have had problems playing these enhanced discs on what are called "region-free" DVD players. For more information on RCE, click here.
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: Unrated
• Studio: Sony Pictures
• DVD Release Date: April 11, 2006
• Run Time: 101 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000ECXWVS
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #30,244 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Fans of the fantastic Cirque du Soleil know that a DVD of a performance can only approximate the sensory experience of being there, but Corteo nonetheless will hold fans spellbound. The loose thread of theme is of a clown who dreams he's dead, and is at his own funeral--so Fellini-esque processionals of angels, jesters, animals, musicians, cannibals, and other-worldly sprites seem perfectly appropriate. The most breathtaking segments include, as always, the sheer athletic prowess and fearlessness of the acrobats and gymnasts. One early scene shows fairies literally swinging from giant chandeliers--then tossing them about and gyrating within them so that at any minute they seem likely to spin into the audience, Phantom of the Opera-style. Other performers take simple hoops and turn them into Olympic-level endurance sport-equipment, by spinning inside, outside, around, and on top of them. Another highlight includes a dream sequence of every kid's fantasy: jumping on a bed that somehow magically becomes a trampoline--and the jumping "kids" incorporate spins, dives, even leaping across the stage onto the other bed and back. There's wily Cirque humor, too: one funereal procession includes four pairs of empty shoes, walking perfectly believably in synch behind shoes occupied by human mourners. The extras are, if anything, even more gripping, including Through the Curtain, a making-of documentary that includes interviews with first-time Cirque director Daniele Finza-Pasca, and some of the early choreography and practice sessions while routines are crafted and honed. Advice the director gives to one of the hoop gymnasts: "Talk to the ring... hold it like you would the horns of a bull!" And let the magic begin. --A.T. Hurley

Product Description

Bring home the magic, artistry and phenomenal acrobatics of Corteo, the latest Cirque du Soleil show, captured in high definition. Corteo, which means 'cortege' in Italian, is a joyous procession, a festive parade imagined by a clown. The show brings together the passion of the actor with the grace and power of the acrobat to plunge the audience into a theatrical world of fun, comedy and spontaneity situated in a mysterious space between heaven and earth. The clown pictures his own funeral taking place in a carnival atmosphere, watched over by quietly caring angels. Juxtaposing the large with the small, the ridiculous with the tragic and the magic of perfection with the charm of imperfection, the show highlights the strength and fragility of the clown, as well as his wisdom and kindness, to illustrate the portion of humanity that is within each of us. The music, by turns lyrical and playful, carries Corteo through a timeless celebration in which illusion teases reality.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Overall another good show, April 17, 2006

By	aeni (Tucson, AZ USA) - See all my reviews

Any Cirque show is best seen live but owning the DVD also shows you more than the show did. The film version was shot over 2 different shows on the same day and all the closeup shots done without an audience to protect both the performers and audience. Because of these shots, the film is able to give more depth to the story and helps to add to the plot itself. The show is in a word "beautiful" (or "heavenly") due to the simply vintage costumes and complicated set which transports you to these different memories and the reality going on stage. Corteo includes all the "normal" Cirque themes about hope, humanity, life, and image juxtaposition. This show is in no way scary for children at all as anything evil, demonic, or even a "freak show" is severly lacking.

The music itself is in it's own category by Cirque standards. It is less operatic (1 male and female singer are seen once in awhile, but rarely) but is more mystical, "Godfather"-esque, classical music, classical guitar, heavenly choir, and an organ help to make up the score. The CD release has been pushed back until later this year. Porque?

The DVD "extras" include an Intimate Theatre piece not included in the edited play run time but is included in the live show, "A Day in the Life of Corteo Artists" follows an acrobatic couple from Corteo on their average show day, "Filming Corteo" includes all of the information included above about filming, and a "Creating Corteo" which resembles an HBO behind the scenes creation process and character explaination in 25 minutes. The only problems that I found with the DVD itself was in the menu run times - they're shorter than 5 seconds of animation and a single sound clip from the music. It can become annoying if you leave the room for a minute. There is also no closed caption or subtitle feature - so you better know your Italian if you want to know what The Dead Clown is saying!

23 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not bad, but Cirque Du Soleil has done better, May 16, 2006

By	N. Sytkowski "spicemusic" (Boston) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I am a huge Cirque Du Soleil fan. I have seen almost every touring show live with the acception of SALTIMBANCO, and have seen every resident show acept "O" , ZUMANITY, and their newest resident show "The Beatles LOVE". I have just about every CD and DVD, so when I learned that they were coming out with a DVD of their latest touring show CORTEO I bought it right away. The filming itself in HD makes the experience all the more real and like your there seeing it live. Unfortunatlly, I was suprisingly not awed by the show. There are some acts that did amaze me, but the majority of the show didn't have the usual Cirque amazement to it. I was disapointed when I finished watching the DVD, I'm not saying that I disliked it, just that I have seen live (and bought the DVD) of other Cirque shows where I'm left in amazement and not wanting the show to end. For CORTEO it was the oposite, I found myself wondering when it would be over.
Perhaps I am being a bit harsh in my critique, that is probably due to the fact that I am a long time Cirque fan and have seen better. I will admit that I have not seen CORTEO live yet due to the fact that it hasen't come to Boston (but will be towards the end of the summer).
This is a wonderful kids show, I found most of the acts appealing to the "new" Cirque Du Soleil fan. By that I mean, as mentioned before I am a long time Cirque fan and have seen better shows. However, I think that someone just discovering Cirque Du Soleil will enjoy CORTEO, for you new fans I highly and strongly recomend looking at VAREKAI, ALEGRIA, QUIDAM and DRALION.
The music is also unlike any other music from Cirque shows. I did not dislike the music, yet on the other hand I did not enjoy it as much as I have for other Cirque shows. I do not know if I will buy the CD when it comes out which is change since I ususally cannot wait for the soundtrack to come out.
But I say try it, if you have seen it live then buy the DVD and remember what it was like to see live under the big top.
However, if you are expecting to see something equal to VAREKAI ALEGRIA,QUIDAM and DRALION, I would recomend not buying CORTEO. Vintage Cirque Du Soleil is VAREKAI, ALEGRIA, QUIDAM, and DRALION. I do not know what path Cirque is trying to take, but I hope its not the path of CORTEO otherwise fans of the shows mentioned above will be disapointed.
Cirque Du Soleil took a huge step forward in changing its idenity with their resident show KA (which I was fortunate to see and loved every second of) in Las Vegas. They took a small step backwards with CORTEO, but as a long time fan I am not at all about to give up on them, I know they will reveal a new touring show in the year(s) to come and it will be back up to their potential.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Totally Engrossing Operatic,Dramatic,Fantastic , August 7, 2006

By	M. C. Smith "greatgran10times" (Sydney Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

CORTEO is not greatly related to the other Cirque shows in that the Drama,use of dramatically rich deep tones and the magnificent musical score could (and have done so to me)take you back in time to the richness of past centuries. Corteo involves the complete cast for most of the peformance as they either play instruments or sing in chorus. Yes, there are lovely and clever circus performances by some of the best artistes around, but they seem to me to take second place, although incorporate perfectly,into this magnificent performance.
Not one for the lighthearted La Nouba, Saltimbanco, Varekai lovers, but one which is so far above and beyond all the other Cirques', a treasure, a complete immersion in sound and sight. Such a pity it could not be Rated "OUT OF THIS WORLD" as it certainly deserves, and yes, I will watch it again tomorrow--I'm totally hooked on Corteo.