A Grimm Brothers’ style fairy tale where happy endings are hardly guaranteed.
There are other moments I found a bit too precious such as when Cecilia envisions a group of soldiers as Roman warriors raining down spears on their unlucky target though it does create an indelible image, one used in the DVD´s liner notes. There´s still a sense of sterility that permeates almost all of the Tavianis´ work, though I suspect it´s largely a matter of personal taste. All films are contrived to some degree but the difference for me is that the Tavianis´ films feel so darned contrived. That´s not nearly as much of a problem with "Night of the Shooting Stars" as with their lesser work, but it´s something I can never shake. I get the same feeling from Theo Angelopoulos even though he (and the Tavianis) is much loved on the festival circuit.
I have allowed my general dislike for the brothers´ work to disproportionately tinge my review. "Night of the Shooting Stars" is a fine film and is, you guessed it, beautifully photographed in the Tuscan countryside. Recommended.
Video
The film is presented in a 1.78:1 widescreen aspect ratio. It´s a solid transfer from Koch Lorber, but not one without its flaws. The colors look a bit desaturated to my eyes, and the image quality isn´t razor sharp, but overall it´s a quality effort.
Audio
The DVD is presented in Dolby Digital Mono. Option English and Spanish subtitles support the Italian audio.
Extras
There´s only one extra feature but it´s a meaty one. "Talking About Cinema" is a feature-length (84 min) interview with the Taviani brothers who discuss their careers and their filmmaking philosophy.
Film Value
Some critics found "Life is Beautiful" to be genuinely appalling for its attempt to re-present the Holocaust as a fairy tale. Viewers won´t have the same problem with "Night of the Shooting Stars" which uses the "innocent" perspective of a child to balance the terror and the excitement of life during wartime. And it features the most amazing battle in a wheatfield since Gettysburg.
Koch Lorber has released two other Taviani brothers´ film this month which I will not have a chance to review: "Kaos" (1984) and "Fiorile" (1993).
I have allowed my general dislike for the brothers´ work to disproportionately tinge my review. "Night of the Shooting Stars" is a fine film and is, you guessed it, beautifully photographed in the Tuscan countryside. Recommended.
Video
The film is presented in a 1.78:1 widescreen aspect ratio. It´s a solid transfer from Koch Lorber, but not one without its flaws. The colors look a bit desaturated to my eyes, and the image quality isn´t razor sharp, but overall it´s a quality effort.
Audio
The DVD is presented in Dolby Digital Mono. Option English and Spanish subtitles support the Italian audio.
Extras
There´s only one extra feature but it´s a meaty one. "Talking About Cinema" is a feature-length (84 min) interview with the Taviani brothers who discuss their careers and their filmmaking philosophy.
Film Value
Some critics found "Life is Beautiful" to be genuinely appalling for its attempt to re-present the Holocaust as a fairy tale. Viewers won´t have the same problem with "Night of the Shooting Stars" which uses the "innocent" perspective of a child to balance the terror and the excitement of life during wartime. And it features the most amazing battle in a wheatfield since Gettysburg.
Koch Lorber has released two other Taviani brothers´ film this month which I will not have a chance to review: "Kaos" (1984) and "Fiorile" (1993).
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