JOHN GUILLERMIN Bil’s rating (out of 5): BB. USA, 1976. Dino De Laurentiis Company. Screenplay by Lorenzo Semple Jr., based on the 1933 screenplay by James Ashmore Creelman, Ruth Rose, from an idea conceived by Merian C. Cooper, Edgar Wallace. Cinematography by Richard H. Kline. Produced by Dino De Laurentiis. Music by John Barry. Production … More King Kong (1976)
BBB (out of 5) The life of the Bavarian prince who died at 40 after barely twenty years on the throne is covered in this four hour period epic by Luchino Visconti, the film he has making when he had the stroke that would contribute to his death four years later. Helmut Berger in capes is a … More Ludwig
LUCHINO VISCONTI Bil’s rating (out of 5): BBBB. Italy, 1951. Film Bellissima. Story by Cesare Zavattini, Screenplay by Suso Cecchi D’Amico, Francesco Rosi, Luchino Visconti. Cinematography by Piero Portalupi, Paul Ronald. Produced by Savlo D’Angelo. Music by Franco Mannino. Production Design by Gianni Polidori. Costume Design by Piero Tosi. Film Editing by Mario Serandrei. Anna Magnani rules this charmer by Luchino Visconti, a surprisingly … More Bellissima (1951)
LUCHINO VISCONTI Bil’s rating (out of 5): BBBB. Italy/France, 1957. Cinematografica Associati, Intermondia Films, Vides Cinematografica. Story and Screenplay by Suso Cecchi D’Amico, Luchino Visconti, based on the novel Belye Noci by Fyodor Dostoevsky. Cinematography by Giuseppe Rotunno. Produced by Franco Cristaldi. Music by Nino Rota. Production Design by Mario Chiari. Costume Design by Piero Tosi. Film Editing by Mario Serandrei. Lonely Marcello Mastroianni … More Le Notti Bianche (White Nights) (1957)
B.5 (out of 5) Adaptation of the popular children’s novel is a downright embarrassing mess. Rex Harrison gives a spirited performance as the famous doctor whose parrot speaks fluent English and teaches him in turn to speak the languages of all animals of the world. Dolittle decides to make good use of this new talent … More Doctor Dolittle (1967)
BBB (out of 5) Those who enjoyed the gladiatorial spectacle of Spartacus but felt it lacked the cheesy religiosity of Ben-Hur were likely thrilled with Barabbas, a film that ably gives you both elements for the price of one. Anthony Quinn is excellent as the rough criminal of the title who, on the day of … More Barabbas
BBBB.5 (out of 5) One of Federico Fellini’s best films is this early drama about a group of friends growing up in a small Italian town. It’s rich with aching character detail but also has Fellini’s brand of fanciful beauty. Retitled The Young and the Passionate for its North American release, the young men of … More I Vitelloni (The Young And The Passionate)
