Search - Malena on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Sexual Situations Movie Release: 2000 DVD Release: 07/10/2001 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Audio Tracks: French, Italian Subtitles: English, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 32 mins Studio: Miramax Members Wishing: 17 Genres: Drama, Romantic Drama, Period Film, Coming-of-Age

A young man's infatuation for a beautiful older woman blooms amidst the outbreak of World War II in this bittersweet comedy-drama from Italy. Renato (Giuseppe Sulfaro) is a 13-year-old boy growing up in a small Sicilian community. Mussolini has risen to power and has declared war upon England and France, but Renato has other things on his mind -- mostly girls. While hanging out with his friends by the seashore, Renato spies Malèna (Monica Bellucci), the daughter of one of his schoolteachers, whose husband Nino (Gaetano Aronica) is fighting with Mussolini's army. Renato is immediately obsessed with Malèna and follows her like a lost puppy, spying on her whenever circumstances permit and imagining her as his co-star in elaborate erotic fantasies inspired by his favorite movies. Renato, however, is hardly the only man in town to be struck by Malèna's charms, and her beauty leads to resentment from the women of the community. Malèna's circumstances take a turn for the worst after her husband is reported to have died in combat, and she is forced to resort to prostitution to survive; she is brutally attacked by a pack of angry matrons and driven from town. Renato tries to keep track of her, and has some less than encouraging news to report when Nino turns out to be alive and finds his spouse is missing. Malena was written and directed by Giuseppe Tornatore, best known for the art-house hit Nuovo Cinema Paradiso; Malena was released in Europe at 106 minutes, while the American version was edited by ten minutes to tighten the pace and remove nudity and sexual material considered too strong for the U.S. marketplace. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Monica Bellucci - Malena Scordia
Giuseppe Sulfaro - Renato Amoroso
Luciano Federico - Renato's father
Matilde Piana - Renato's mother
Pietro Notarianni - Professor Bonsignore
Gaetano Aronica - Nino Scordia
Gilberto Idonea - Centorbi
Michel Bramanti
Gianluca Guarrera
Giovanna Litrico
Adele Daniele

Giuseppe Tornatore's beautifully photographed Melena comes to DVD with a widescreen anamorphic transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1 that does the gorgeous cinematography justice. An Italian soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital 5.1, while a French soundtrack has been recorded in Dolby Digital Stereo. English and Spanish subtitles are accessible. Supplemental materials include a making-of featurette, the theatrical trailer, and television promotional spots. This is an expensive disc, but it is certainly worth the money, especially for anyone looking for something outside the Hollywood mainstream. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide