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1.Verdi - La Traviata / Levine, Stratas, Domingo starring: Teresa Stratas, Plácido Domingo, Cornell MacNeil, Allan Monk, Pina Cei directed by: Franco Zeffirelli March 01, 1992
Average Rating: >>More Details		Used Price: $5.49
Domingo sings beautifully, Stratas less so but looks and acts the part. The biggest problem is there are so many cuts and shortened arias that you could almost call this "extended highlights". And Zeferelli over-produces, particularly with camera work. If you want a movie version get Anna Moffo's of over 30 years ago. Now there was a Violetta!

2.Sodom & Gomorrah starring: Stewart Granger, Pier Angeli, Stanley Baker, Rossana Podestà, Rik Battaglia directed by: Robert Aldrich March 15, 1995
Average Rating: >>More Details		Used Price: $3.49
When I saw that this film was almost 150 minutes in length, I was curious to see how the film-makers expanded on a story that is only a few pages long in the book of Genesis. As it turns out, I'm kinda sorry I found out. Why? Because the story in this film bears almost no resemblance to that original story. Outside of the characters of "Lot" and his daughters, and the two cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, everything else is either seriously embellished or completely fabricated. In short, it is almost an entirely different story from the original. Taken on its own, the movie is OK. Some of the special effects are weak, but I realize that it was made in the early 1960s and wasn't a huge budget film. The queen of Sodom, although a non-biblical figure, was played rather well by ... Read More

3."Ay, Carmela!" starring: Carmen Maura, Andrés Pajares, Gabino Diego, Maurizio De Razza, José Sancho directed by: Carlos Saura June 23, 1998
Average Rating: >>More Details		Used Price: $7.30
Even if you do not know a lot about the Spanish Civil War, you will enjoy this incredible movie about that time period in history. There is comedy, tragedy, pathos, suspense and wisdom in this story of a piece of the war as seen through the eyes of two traveling entertainers who happen to land up in the wrong place at the wrong time. The film crescendos to an ending of hope, believe it or not. It does not matter if you understand Spanish, the subtitles are excellent and the performances are superb. I have even used this film for an AP Spanish class of high school seniors and it left a lasting impression on them!

4.Boito - Mefistofele / Arena, Ramey, Benackova, San Francisco Opera starring: Samuel Ramey, Gabriela Benacková, Dennis O'Neill, Judith Christin, Daniel Harper directed by: Brian Large April 29, 1997
Average Rating: >>More Details		Used Price: $2.21
We should all be grateful for the tenacity of Arrigo Boito.After a disasterous debut,he reworked "Mefistofele" into the masterpiece we enjoy today.I own 2 copies of the opera on cd.The Rudel production with Treigle,Domingo& Caballe as the principles.The Gavazzeni production with Ghiaurov,Bergonzi& Kabaivanska as the principals "Mefistofele" is grand opera at its grandest.From prologue to epilogue,it is a feast for the eyes and ears.The antics at the Easter celebration may raise an eyebrow or two but hang in there. Samuel Ramey was born to play Mefistofele. He is at his zenith in this performance.His voice had to have shook the rafters of the enormous War Memorial.Gabriela Benakova was wonderful in the dual roles of Margherita and Elena. Dennis O'Neill,whom I was not familiar with,possesses ... Read More

5.Puccini - Tosca starring: Catherine Malfitano, Placido Domingo, Ruggero Raimondi, Giacomo Prestia, Giorgio Gatti directed by: Zubin Mehta, Giuseppe Patroni Griffi May 25, 1993
Average Rating: >>More Details		Used Price: $7.90
Buy this video for Domingo and Raimondi. They are fabulous! Catherine Malfitano, I thought, wasn't so great. She sang pretty well, but I've heard better Tosca's than she. My biggest complaint with her is her extremely exaggerated facial expressions. She seems to be going cross-eyed in "vissi d'arte". They are frequent, annoying and just serve to ruin the wonderful atmosphere that Domingo and Raimondi have created. Aside from her, there is some very strange blue lighting at the end of act 2 that is supposed to be darkness, but only covers half the room, leaving the bottom half dark and blue and the upper half bright and sunny. But Domingo and Raimondi are very good.

6.La Nuit de Varennes starring: Jean-Louis Barrault, Marcello Mastroianni, Hanna Schygulla, Harvey Keitel, Jean-Claude Brialy directed by: Ettore Scola August 14, 1990
Average Rating: >>More Details		Used Price: $21.49
The night of Varennes is a haunting and reflective portrait about a supposedly event concerning to the autumnal stage of Casanova' s memories lived and narrated by himself surrounded of avid people, wishful to know about his past adventures. This is essentially a poetic film, supported by a very imaginative script and also an enviable cast, starred by the unforgettable Marcello Mastroianni and the divine actress Hanna Schygulla (The marriage of Maria Braun). The initial shot focuses about a picture that slowly begins to dissolve before our profane eyes, tinged of magisterial beauty. Ettora Schola was undoubtedly an outstanding director, who decided to risk himself with this haunting story and won for the posterity, since in my opinion the film increases and enhances itself through the ... Read More

7.Hearts and Armour starring: Zeudi Araya, Barbara De Rossi, Rick Edwards, Ronn Moss, Maurizio Nichetti directed by: Giacomo Battiato July 07, 1994
Average Rating: >>More Details		Used Price: $1.99
If you like a romance story to go with your swordplay then this movie just might be what you are looking for. Watch it with your sweetheart for Valentines day. If you are looking for good plot try something else, as the plot is weak and the acting isn't great either, but for spending time with the wife or girlfriend while watching an action movie that won't offend them it is an excellent choice.

8.The 3 Tenors Paris 1998 starring: Josep Carreras, Plácido Domingo, James Levine, Luciano Pavarotti directed by: Mathias Ledoux August 18, 1998
Average Rating: >>More Details		Used Price: $0.01
A sort of farewell for this magnificient trio superbly conducted by the great James Levine.

9.La Boheme: Puccini, Gardelli, Cotrubas, Shicoff, Royal Opera Covent Garden (With 55-page Booklet) starring: Ileana Cotrubas, Neil Shicoff, Marilyn Zschau, Thomas Allen, Gwynne Howell directed by: Brian Large March 30, 2000
Average Rating: >>More Details		Used Price: $3.90
Superlatives tumble forth from one's thoughts when attempting to describe this magnificent production of the Puccini masterwork, filmed at Covent Garden before an enthusiastic audience, distinguished as it is by remarkable direction and singing with splendid staging and costume design made even more vital by effective and oft amusing business. Stage director John Copley's celebrated production for LA BOHEME remains in the repertoire after 30 years and more, due in large part to the emotional interplay among all of the cast that forms a moving ensemble piece, featuring both singing and acting, with designing and costumes of Julia Trevelyan Oman establishing an appropriate mise en scène of waning refinement along the left bank of 19th century Paris. Ileana Cotrubas was accorded worldwide fame after she replaced an indisposed ... Read More

10.The Clowns starring: Alex (XV), Bario, Riccardo Billi, Colombaioni, Anita Ekberg February 18, 1998
Average Rating: >>More Details		Used Price: $23.00
How lucky we are to have this wonder available, as copyright problems have kept it out of European cimenas for decades. If there has ever been a better film, I haven't seen it. It rings as true now as when I saw it as a student in Paris in the seventies. Yes, the pathos is milked for all it is worth, but the acting is glorious, and it seems as if the circus hasn't left town yet. Enjoy. John Bald

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