7.3 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Michele and his younger brother Peppeddu own a few sheep and make a harsh but honest living selling pecorino cheese. Michele becomes a fugitive after a series of cascading events.
Starring: Michele Cossu, Vittorina Pisano, Peppeddu CuccuForeign | 100% |
Drama | 89% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
Italian: LPCM 2.0 Mono
English
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Quick!: name an Italian Neorealist film directed by a guy whose moniker starts with Vittorio De and which is about an older man and younger boy facing socioeconomic peril. Well, Bicycle Thieves, obviously, right? Yes, of course, but also Bandits of Orgosolo, a film which I suspect is considerably less known in the United States at least than the De Sica masterpiece. This film's 1960-1 production/release timeframe might suggest it can't possibly be a "real" example of Neorealism, perhaps especially if you've dipped into Radiance's recent Commedia all'italiana: Three Films by Dino Risi set which documented the transition from what might be termed "classic Neorealism" to neorealismo rosa (i.e., "Pink Neorealism") to commedia all'italiana (i.e., "Italian Style Comedy"). That morphing tended to take place from the mid-fifties through into the sixties, but as some of the supplements included on this disc get into, Bandits of Orgosolo might be thought of as an example of Classic Neorealism 2.0.
Bandits of Orgosolo is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Radiance Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.33:1. Radiance's insert booklet contains the following notes on the transfer:
Bandits of OrgosoloThis is an absolutely gorgeous looking transfer that features some really striking mountain cinematography (by De Seta) that almost reminded me at times of some of Ansel Adams' high contrast photographs of Yosemite and the like. Contrast is secure throughout this presentation, with some impressively deep blacks and some nicely nuanced modulation of gray scale which helps to differentiate tones in the hardscrabble hills. Detail levels are generally excellent, with the possible exception of some very low light scenes where shadow definition can falter slightly. Grain resolves naturally throughout.
Restored in 4K in 2023 by The Film Foundation and Cineteca di Bologna at L'Immagine Ritrovata laboratory, from the original negative. In association with Titanus. FUnding provided by the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation.
Bandits of Orgosolo features LPCM 2.0 Mono audio in the original Italian. There's not an overly baroque attempt to layer sound effects, but the outdoor material has ambient background environmental sounds which reverberate decently and the score by Valentino Bucchi also is rendered well. Dialogue is presented cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.
Bandits of Orgosolo is ultimately an emotionally devastating work of narrative fiction, though it almost starts out like the Sardinian version of something like Robert J. Flaherty's Nanook of the North. Technical merits are secure, especially some ravishing looking video, and the supplements on this disc are very interesting, though as noted above, some may want to check out Radiance's UK edition since it provides a second bonus disc. Highly recommended.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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