DVD Reviews
The masterful work of cinematographer Vittorio Storaro is on display in these three new DVD releases. In 1970, Storaro and director Bernardo Bertolucci embarked on The Conformist, a landmark film about sexual and political repression, elegantly photographed, which influenced, among other things, The Godfather. The DVD includes a restored blind wedding, lit with Chinese lanterns for a grotesque, multi-colored effect. In 1976, they collaborated on 1900, an ambitious epic about the rise and fall of Fascist Italy during the first half of the 20th century. This too has been restored to the full-length European version, and the cinematography is wondrous. However, his Oscar-winning work on Warren Beatty’s Reds (1981) is sumptuous. In this romantic biopic about activist/journalist John Reed’s commitment to the Russian Revolution, Storaro pioneered use of the ENR process developed at Technicolor in Rome. By leaving more silver in the print, he rendered richer blacks. There are plenty of supplementary material, including interviews with Storaro.
Written by Bill Desowitz
